SYLLABUS

Business Finance Mark J. Laplante

BA 3341 Section 004 Spring 2005

Lecture: Tuesdays: 1:00-3:45, SM1.217

Teaching Assistant: Joyce Wang, contact Joyce first. Joyce’s Office: SOM, Room 3.811
Joyce’s E-mail: qxw021000@utdallas.edu Joyce’s Telephone: 972-883-4898
Joyce’s Office Hours: Tuesday 2:00-4:30, and also by appointment

My Office: SOM, Room 3.809 My Office Hours: Monday 3:30-4:30, and also by appointment
My E-mail: mark.laplante@utdallas.edu My Telephone: 972-883-4784

Required Textbooks:

Ross, Westerfield, and Jordan, Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, Sixth Edition

You can purchase either the Standard Edition or the Alternate Edition, it does not matter. It is available at the campus
bookstore and Off Campus Books which is located at 581 W Campbell Rd, Richardson. Their telephone number is 972-907-
8398.

Optional Reading: Though not required, students are strongly encouraged to regularly read a business periodical, I
recommend The Wall Street Journal.

Calculator: You will need a calculator which has financial functions. When I do examples in class I will use a TI-BA II Plus.

Evaluation: Midterm One 32%

Midterm Two 32%
Final Exam 36%

Final: Since many of the ideas we are going to cover build on one another the final will be cumulative.

Drops: The policies for dropping classes have changed this year. Dates you should know:
Wednesday January 26: Last day to drop the class without a “W”
Monday February 14: Undergraduates “WP” or “WF” withdraw period begins
Monday March 14: Last day to withdraw from the class with a “WP” or “WF”

Other Things You Should Know

• There are no make-ups and all scores will count towards your overall evaluation. If you miss a midterm you must
have written documentation of a serious illness from a physician. Since there are no make-ups additional weight will
be put on the final. I am very willing to entertain questions you may have regarding grading but will not take these
questions during class. Please submit in writing, within one week, any disputes you have with specific grades in a
well thought-out argument.
• You are expected to read the selected chapters before class.
• If you would like to request academic accommodations due to a disability please contact Disability Services, Student
Union 1.610, 972-883-2098 (V/TDD). If you have a letter from Disability Services indicating you have a
documented disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the
accommodations you might need for class.
 Tentative Course Schedule: See WebCT Calendar for Daily Updates
Date Topic Chapter

Jan 11 Introduction, Time Value of Money 1

Jan 18 TVM, Discounted Cash Flow Valuation 5, 6

Jan 25 Discounted Cash Flow Valuation 6

Feb 1 Bond Valuation 7

Feb 8 Stock Valuation 8

Feb 15 Midterm One, Investment Criteria 9

Feb 22 Investment Criteria, Making Capital Decisions 9, 10

Mar 1 Making Capital Investment Decisions 10

Mar 8 Spring Break – No Class

Mar 15 Capital Investment Decisions, Capital Market History 10, 12

Mar 22 Midterm Two, Capital Market History 12

Mar 29 Risk & Return 13

Apr 5 Cost of Capital 15

Apr 12 Cost of Capital, Capital Structure 15, 17

Apr 19 Capital Structure 17

Apr 26 Final Exam 1:00 p.m.