Finance (FNCE) 403

Overview

FNCE 403 provides an introduction to risk management, an area with increasing importance in both modern financial academia and financial industry. The course will focus on risk management using derivative securities. The main objectives of FNCE 403 are to

• introduce the basic concepts and methodologies of risk management using derivative securities, including options, futures, forwards, and swaps.
• provide students with an introduction to the basic characteristics and valuation of various derivative securities.
• explore the applications of derivatives to manage various risks such as market risk, currency risk, interest rate risk, and credit risk.

Outline

Unit 1: Introduction

• Lesson 1: Derivative Securities
• Lesson 2: Some Important Concepts in Derivative Markets
• Lesson 3: The Role and Some Criticisms of Derivative Markets

Unit 2: Options

• Lesson 4: Options Markets
• Lesson 5: Basic Option Strategies
• Lesson 6: Advanced Option Strategies

Unit 3: Option Pricing

• Lesson 7: Principles of Option Pricing
• Lesson 8: Option Pricing—The Binomial Model
• Lesson 9: Option Pricing—The Black-Scholes-Merton Model

Unit 4: Forwards and Futures

• Lesson 10: Forward and Futures Markets
• Lesson 11: Pricing Forwards and Futures
• Lesson 12: Futures Hedging

Unit 5: Swaps and Interest Rate Derivatives

• Lesson 13: Interest Rate Swaps
• Lesson 14: Currency Swaps
• Lesson 15: Interest Rate Forwards and Options

Unit 6: Financial Risk Management

• Lesson 16: Financial Risk Management Techniques
• Lesson 17: Risk Management in Organizations

Evaluation

To receive credit for FNCE 403, you must pass the final examination and achieve a course composite grade of at least a “D” (50 percent). The passing grade for the examination, under Athabasca University's alpha grading system, is “D” (50 percent). Your final mark will be determined by your marks on three assignments and a final examination. The chart below provides the credit weight associated with each of these requirements.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

Registration in this course includes an electronic textbook. For more information on electronic textbooks, please refer to our eText Initiative site.

A print version of the eText may be available for purchase from the publisher through a direct-to-student link provided on the course website; you can also acquire the textbook on your own if you wish.

Other Resources

All other learning resources will be available online.

Challenge for Credit Course Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.

Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures

Challenge Evaluation

To receive credit for the FNCE 403 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least “D” (50 percent) on the examination.

Paper Exam (3 hours)

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

• Challenge for Credit Form

Current Grouped Study Locations