Department of Economics and Finance

ECO 111. Principles of Economics (Macro). 3 Credits.

National income and its measurement. The determination of price levels, output, and employment. Money and credit, expenditures, and economic stability. Government fiscal and monetary policy.

Gen Ed Attribute: Behavioral & Social Science

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 112. Principles of Economics (Micro). 3 Credits.

Principles underlying use and allocation of scarce productive resources. Consumption and production activities. Value, price, and income distribution. Considerations of economic efficiency and welfare.

Gen Ed Attribute: Behavioral & Social Science

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 199. Economics Transfer Credits. 1-10 Credits.

Transfer Credits

Repeatable for credit.

ECO 200. Personal Economics and Financial Planning. 3 Credits.

Students will acquire an understanding of the nature and scope of the economy and how it affects one's life plans and goals. Topics covered include supply and demand, financial planning, personal taxes, retirement planning, investing in stocks and bonds, portfolio management, the time value of money, managing credit cards and debt, and insurance planning.

Gen Ed Attribute: Behavioral & Social Science

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 251. Business Analytics I. 3 Credits.

This course develops an understanding of the basic tools of descriptive analytics that students can apply to a wide variety of situations and data encountered in the areas of business and economics. Students will develop a proficiency in employing Microsoft Excel for statistical analysis. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability theory, sampling and estimation, hypothesis testing, and linear regression.

ECO 251 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112; MAT 113, MAT 115, MAT 131, MAT 143 or MAT 161, with minimum grades of D-.

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 333. Household Economics. 3 Credits.

Analyzes the economics of decision-making at the household and personal level. Includes an extensive treatment of marriage and fertility, as well as a number of topics of contemporary interest like same-sex and interracial relationships, adoption, and drivers of inequality.

ECO 333 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D- and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 334. Labor Economics. 3 Credits.

Application of economic theory to the operation of labor markets and the collective bargaining process. Consideration is given to the development of the labor movement and public policy toward labor and employment.

ECO 334 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 112 with minimum grade of D- and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 335. Money & Banking. 3 Credits.

A survey of money, credit, and prices, emphasizing their effects on economic stability. The Federal Reserve System and its effect on credit control.

ECO 335 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D- and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 336. Regulations of Competition. 3 Credits.

Background and development of public policies that directly modify the free enterprise economy of the United States. Evaluation of policies that change the nature and extent of competition.

ECO 336 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D- and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 338. International Economics. 3 Credits.

A descriptive, analytical examination of international trade, finance, and other economic relationships. The effects of public policies on these relationships.

ECO 338 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 340. Intermediate Microeconomics. 3 Credits.

A continuation and extension of the price-system analysis in ECO 112. Emphasis on the need for efficiency in the economy's use of scarce productive resources.

ECO 340 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112; ECO 251, MAT 121, or MAT 125; MAT 143 or MAT 161, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 341. Public Finance. 3 Credits.

Government's influence on stability of national income. Nature of taxes and expenditures at the various levels of government and their effect on the allocation of resources and the distribution of income.

ECO 341 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 342. Economics of the Law. 3 Credits.

Applies economic reasoning to the analysis of legal rules, examining both efficiency and distributional consequences. Examines the incentive effects created by property law, tort law, contract law and criminal law, along with their institutional frameworks.

ECO 342 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 345. History of Economic Thought. 3 Credits.

Origins of economic thought and comparison of the major schools of economic doctrine. Current economic and socio-political factors.

ECO 345 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 346. Game Theory. 3 Credits.

This course introduces students to strategic decision-making. It considers simultaneous and sequential interactions, repeated interactions among the same players, and interactions where information is incomplete or asymmetric. It provides an applied overview of game theoretical concepts and emphasizes their use in real-world situations. The course also introduces students to the field of behavioral game theory, which integrates insights from psychology into standard economic theory.

ECO 346 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111, ECO 112, and ECO 351; ECO 251 or MAT 121; MAT 143 or MAT 161, with minimum grades of D- and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 348. Intermediate Macroeconomics. 3 Credits.

Introduction to the theory of income, employment, and growth. Provides the analytic tools necessary for dealing with aggregate economic problems.

ECO 348 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112; ECO 251, MAT 121, or MAT 125; MAT 143 or MAT 161, with minimum grades of D- and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 349. Industrial Organization. 3 Credits.

This course studies the theory and empirical evidence concerning the organization of firms and industries. It examines the structure-conduct-performance paradigm in detail, along with applications such as advertising, patents, durable goods and strategic behavior.

ECO 349 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112; MAT 143 or MAT 161, with minimum grades of D-.

ECO 350. Urban Economics. 3 Credits.

Economic aspects of such urban problems as poverty, housing, taxation, income distribution, and discrimination. Analysis of economic aspects of various proposed remedies, including urban renewal, family allowances, cooperatives, and others.

ECO 350 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis (select both)

ECO 351. Business Analytics II. 3 Credits.

This course extends student understanding of descriptive analytics through data visualization and basic statistical inference such as hypothesis testing and analysis of variance. Students will develop predictive analytics tools such as multiple regression analysis, forecasting, data mining, and spreadsheet modeling. The course will stress using statistical software beyond Microsoft Excel to address practical business applications.

ECO 351 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112; ECO 251, MAT 121, or MAT 125, with minimum grades of D-.

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 361. Business Analytics Using R. 3 Credits.

This course will develop students' business analytical skills using statistical software (e.g., R). This course emphasizes data analytics to drive business decisions. No (or little) prior coding experience is assumed. Students will gain an intuitive understanding of the analytical and economic concepts and of their proper applications to real-world data problems. Computer skills will be developed through hands-on experiences.

ECO 361 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 351 or STA 200, with minimum grades of D- and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 362. Data Mining with R. 3 Credits.

Institutions today face both the challenge and the opportunity of big data. This course is designed for business students to build knowledge of data mining using R. Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to apply multiple data mining techniques, such as linear models, Discriminant Analysis, Support Vector Machines, k-Nearest Neighbors, Regression Trees, and Neural Nets, to make predictions and classification.

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 370. The Economics of Health Care. 3 Credits.

This course will apply the basic tools of economic analysis to the various components of the health care system. Relying on microeconomic principles, we will study the behavior of participants (consumers, providers, insurers) in the health care industry. We will address some key policy issues that surround the provision of health care, as well as considering different health systems. To be successful in this course students must be able to manipulate data and formulas using a spreadsheet package such as Excel.

ECO 370 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 371. Business Forecasting. 3 Credits.

This course is designed to prepare business professionals to utilize advanced forecasting tools that are commonly used in industry and in the process to deepen their understanding of the role that such forecasting can play in business decision making. Firms continually need to make predictions about future events, including costs, sales, price movements, cash flows, asset values, and even general macroeconomic outcomes that can affect the business environment. Such predictions are regularly used to plan production, allocate resources, set budgets, determine staffing needs, and address many other things of concern to the firm. Making use of a variety of statistical modeling techniques, this course will enable the proper examination of relationships among various pieces of information that a firm has access to and make use of those relationships to project future outcomes for variables of interest. This will include developing the ability to evaluate forecast accuracy through the use of confidence ranges and a variety of statistical tests, as well as learning additional procedures to help increase that accuracy.

ECO 371 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 351, with minimum grade of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

ECO 385. Environmental & Resource Economics. 3 Credits.

The role of the environment in an economic system. Topics include energy economics, the economics of renewable and nonrenewable resources, and the economics of pollution.

ECO 385 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

ECO 399. Economics Transfer Elective Upper Level. 1-10 Credits.

Transfer Elective Upper Level

Repeatable for credit.

ECO 400. Research Methods- Business & Economics. 3 Credits.

Provides the skills and tools required in business and economic research. Covers research ethics, hypothesis development, data collection, multivariate analysis, and regression. Senior Economics majors only.

ECO 400 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 340, ECO 348, and ECO 351, with minimum grades of D- and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Gen Ed Attribute: Writing Emphasis (select both)

ECO 411. Internship. 3-6 Credits.

The internship is open to majors in economics only. It is intended to enhance the student's educational experience by providing substantive, professional work experience.

ECO 411 Prerequisite: Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Repeatable for credit.

ECO 412. Internship. 3-6 Credits.

The internship is open to majors in economics only. It is intended to enhance the student's educational experience by providing substantive, professional work experience.

ECO 412 Prerequisite: Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Repeatable for credit.

ECO 414. Special Topics in Economics. 3 Credits.

Provides in depth coverage of a major current topic in Economics The topics could range from current monetary policy to economic issues in China.

ECO 414 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 and ECO 112, with minimum grades of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

FIN 199. Finance Transfer Credits. 1-10 Credits.

Transfer Credits

Repeatable for credit.

FIN 300. International Special Topics in Finance. 3 Credits.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the Chinese economy and its role in the world economy, including topics such as China's economic reform, its interaction with the world through trade, investment and financial system, etc. This course will incorporate company visits and exploration of cultural sites in China.

Repeatable for credit.

FIN 310. Behavioral Finance. 3 Credits.

Over the past several decades, the field of finance has developed a successful paradigm based on the notions that investors and managers were generally rational and the prices of securities were generally "efficient." In recent years, however, anecdotal evidence as well as theoretical and empirical research has shown this paradigm to be insufficient to describe various features of actual financial markets. In this course we will use psychology and more realistic settings to guide and develop alternative theories of financial market. We will examine how the insights of behavioral finance complement the traditional paradigm and shed light on investors' trading patterns, the behavior of asset prices, corporate finance, and various Wall Street institutions and practices.

FIN 310 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111 or ECO 112; ECO 251 or MAT 121, all with minimum grades of D-; and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 312. Entrepreneurial Finance. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the examination of different types of start-up funding and exit strategies, as well as the discussion of useful financial tools for evaluating the various aspects of the start-up funding process. The major valuation approaches as well as the basics of financial statement analysis, financial modeling and forecasting are covered.

FIN 312 Prerequisite: Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 325. Corporate Finance. 3 Credits.

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental knowledge in finance. Its main purpose is to help students to develop a logical thinking process, enough financial and analytical skills, and an ability to make and implement strategic corporate financial decisions in the real world. Upon successful completion of this course, students will understand the time value of money, bond and stock valuation, capital budgeting, risk and return trade-off, and weighted average cost of capital.

FIN 325 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ACC 201, ECO 111, and ECO 112; ECO 251, MAT 121, MAT 125, or STA 319; MAT 143 or MAT 161, with minimum grades of D-; and a minimum 2.50 cumulative GP

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 326. Intermediate Financial Management. 3 Credits.

This course emphasizes the theoretical understanding and practical application of concepts introduced in FIN 325. After completing the course, students should have a firmer understanding of time value of money concepts, portfolio theory, pricing of stocks and bonds, risk and return, and capital budgeting. They will perform a financial analysis of two companies including current trends in the economy and industry, ratio and DuPont analyses and calculation of the weighted average cost of capital (WACC). They will use spreadsheet analysis to value stocks and bonds; determine the cost of capital, NPV and IRR; and calculate beta.

FIN 326 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 325; MAT 143 or MAT 161, with minimum grades of D-; and a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 330. Principles of Insurance. 3 Credits.

The nature and types of risk management and insurance coverage are considered. Conceptual analysis and the impact of financial deregulation on personal and business risk management and insurance are covered.

FIN 330 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 325, with a minimum grade of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

FIN 332. Real Estate Finance. 3 Credits.

This course provides a basic orientation to the financial instruments and institutional structures and policies of real estate finance.

FIN 332 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 325, with minimum grade of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

FIN 333. Fundamentals of Financial Planning. 3 Credits.

The course introduces undergraduate students to different aspects of financial planning and provides them with the tools needed to create a financial plan. This elective course in finance blends current practices, trends, and issues in financial planning. A variety of instructional techniques are used, including short lectures, discussions, teamwork, problem solving, case studies, Excel modeling, short written assignments, videos, and guest speakers from the Greater West Chester area. Following the completion of the course students should be able to decide if they want to pursue a career in financial planning and study for the Certified Financial Planner designation.

FIN 333 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 325 and FIN 344, with minimum grades of C.

FIN 336. Python for Business Analytics. 3 Credits.

This course is designed specifically for business students with little or no programming experience who want to build a strong foundation in business analytics programming using Python. By providing hands-on experience with real-world business data, students will learn data manipulation and analysis techniques commonly used in business practice. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be prepared for entry-level jobs that require business analytics programming skills.

FIN 336 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 251 or MAT 121, with minimum grades of D-, and a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 337. Financial Markets and Institutions. 3 Credits.

Covers a variety of domestic and international financial markets and institutions. Analysis is provided for the regulation, operation, and management of these institutions. Written and oral presentations are required.

FIN 337 Prerequisite: Successful completion of ECO 111, ECO 112, and FIN 325, with minimum grades of and a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 339. Personal Finance. 3 Credits.

This course is designed to introduce students the fundamental knowledge in personal finance. The course includes developing the ability to make your own financial decisions, assess the advice of financial advisers, and become financial advisers. Students will have the opportunity to work on the development of these skills in the context of assignments and class discussions.

FIN 339 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 325, with minimum grade of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 344. Investments. 3 Credits.

This course helps students to acquire the knowledge of how the financial market works, to understand the characteristics of various types of financial securities traded on the market, and to know how to determine their value. Investment analysis includes valuation of bonds, valuation of stocks, and valuation of derivatives. Students will develop their skills on critical thinking, decision making, quantitative methods, oral communication, and written communication. Through the term project students will get hands-on practice at designing, managing, and monitoring personal investments.

FIN 344 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 325, with minimum grade of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 346. Equity Asset Valuation. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the characteristics, analysis, and valuation of equity securities, including the discussion of useful frameworks for conducting economic, industry, and individual company analysis. The three main equity valuation approaches (present value, multiplier, and asset-based), as well as the basics of financial statement analysis, financial modeling, and forecasting is covered. There will be two parts to the course: the first part will involve learning the course materials, while the second part will focus on the practical application of the knowledge gained from the course. The course will culminate in preparing, presenting, and delivering an actual equity research report as a team.

FIN 346 Prerequisite: FIN 325; or a prerequisite or corequisite of FIN 344; a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA; and acceptance to the Finance major.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 351. The Market for Corporate Control. 3 Credits.

The question of who controls an economy's assets is essential to understanding the success of the economy. The aim of this course is to thoroughly examine the market for corporate control, which includes mergers, acquisitions, LBOs, proxy fights, reorganizations, and anti-takeover protections. We will cover the history of M&A markets, review corporate governance practices, and investigate the current theories and empirical evidence on buyouts and acquisitions. The course includes a rigorous treatment of deal valuation and financial modeling. Throughout the course, case studies provide students with access to key concepts and an interactive experience.

FIN 351 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 326 with minimum grade of C.

FIN 360. Financial Analysis Using Excel. 3 Credits.

Teaches students how to use Excel spreadsheets to structure, analyze, and solve financial problems. Students will use Excel to develop financial forecasts, perform break-even analyses, perform sensitivity analyses, and make capital budgeting decisions.

FIN 360 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 325, with minimum grade of C, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 372. International Finance. 3 Credits.

Understanding of the exchange rate behavior and risks caused by the fluctuations of exchange rates for multinational enterprises; making financial decisions in an international context.

FIN 372 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 325, with minimum grade of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 385. Data Mining with Python. 3 Credits.

Institutions today face both the challenge and the opportunity of big data. This course is designed for business students to build knowledge of data mining using Python. Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to apply multiple data mining techniques, such as linear models, Discriminant Analysis, Support Vector Machines, k-Nearest Neighbors, Regression Trees, and Neural Nets, to make predictions and classification.

FIN 385 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 336, with minimum grade of D-, and minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Distance education offering may be available.

FIN 399. Finance Transfer Elective Upper Level. 1-10 Credits.

Transfer Elective Upper Level

Repeatable for credit.

FIN 400. Senior Seminar in Finance. 3 Credits.

This capstone course is a seminar for senior finance majors. Its main objective is to deepen students' understanding of relevant finance topics and current developments attributed to them, and to sharpen writing, speaking and critical thinking skills in the context of important finance topics. Students will explore various finance topics through quality finance sources, in-class activities and assignments.

FIN 400 Prerequisite: Successful completion of FIN 326 and FIN 344, with minimum grades of D-; and a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Gen Ed Attribute: Speaking Emphasis, Writing Emphasis (select both)

Distance education offering may be available.