Investments

• Coursera: Investments I: Fundamentals of Performance Evaluation & Investments II: Lessons and Applications for Investors
• Illinois Catalog FIN 511: INVESTMENTS
• Offered in Fall Term (Aug-Dec)

This course is part of the Investments

Course Description

In Fin 511 ONL – Investments, we will discuss fundamental principles of trading off risk and return, portfolio optimization, and security pricing. We will study and use risk-return models such as the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and multi-factor models to evaluate the performance of various securities and portfolios. We will also establish benchmarks or hurdle rates for securities and firms. Building upon this framework, market efficiency and its implications for patterns in stock returns and the asset-management industry will be discussed. Finally, the course will conclude by connecting investment finance with corporate finance by examining firm valuation techniques such as the use of market multiples and discounted cash flow analysis. Beyond work done in Coursera, this course will further include an additional four assignments to broaden our understanding of all of these topics.

Instructor

Coursera Profile

Topics of this course

• Module 1: Investments Toolkit and Portfolio Formation
• Module 2: Motivating, Explaining, & Implementing the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
• Module 3: Testing the CAPM, Multifactor Models, & Market Efficiency
• Module 4: Investment Finance and Corporate Finance: Firm Valuation

Course Materials

The only required material for FIN 511 is the Harvard Business School case study packet (htt://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/55680158). Other than this case study packet, I view the course as self-contained, with my lecture slides from my two Coursera courses being the “textbook” for the course.  A pdf of the lecture slides for each module of each Coursera course (besides being available directly from Coursera) will be posted on Compass 2g (click on the “High-Engagement Materials” link on the left-hand menu and then click on the “Coursera Lecture Slides” folder).  Other materials, such as pdfs of the slides used in Live Sessions, will also be posted on Compass 2g.

Live Session Schedule (Tentative)

Course Elements

• Four high-engagement assignments
• Lesson videos
• In-lecture questions and exercises
• Assignments
• Quizzes
• Readings
• Discussion Forums