AØKA08012U Corporate Finance and Incentives (F,p)

Volume 2021/2022
Education

MSc programme in Economics – elective course

The course is part of the Financial line at the MSc programme in Economics,  symbolized by ‘F’.

 

Bacheloruddannelsen i økonomi – Prioriteret valgfag på 3. år (angivet med et p)

The Danish BSc programme in Economics - prioritized elective at the 3rd year (symbolized by ‘p’).

Content

This is the Economics programme’s central course on Finance, giving a broad insight into the core matter of the field. Building on earlier relevant courses from the Bachelor’s programme in Economics, it provides the common ground for later elective Finance courses.

 

The course develops your understanding of the different asset classes in financial markets, including bonds, stocks, forwards, futures and options. Based on considerations of investor demand, standard asset pricing methods are introduced. Market efficiency and investor behaviour in this context is discussed. The pricing methodology is used to analyse the choice of investment projects inside firms, including the management of real options. Turning to classic corporate finance issues, the course explores the optimal capital structure of the firm, its optimal dividend policy, risk management, and the incentives of the firm’s management.

 

The asset pricing models include the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT), risk-neutral pricing, and the Black-Scholes formula. Excel is used to solve problems in these areas.

Learning Outcome

After completing the course the student is expected to be able to:

 

Knowledge:

  • Identify, describe and discuss financial problems encountered by firms and investors.
  • Account for and understand the core models and methodologies in the field of Financial Economics.
  • Define the core concepts of Financial Economics.
  • Criticize and reflect upon the main models in Finance, relating them to current issues in financial markets and corporate finance.

 

Skills:

  • Select and apply core models and methodologies to analyse standard problems in Finance, partly using Excel.
  • Master the analysis of given problems, assessing models and results, putting results into perspective.
  • Argue about financial problems and issues in a scientific and professional manner, drawing upon the relevant knowledge of the field.

 

Competencies:

  • Bring into play the achieved knowledge and skills on new formal problems.
  • Select and evaluate solutions to complex, unpredictable situations in financial markets or corporations.
  • Approach more advanced models, methodologies and topics in Finance.

The main textbook for the course:

  • Jonathan Berk and Peter DeMarzo: Corporate Finance, Fifth Edition, Global Edition, Pearson.

  • Some supplementary shorter texts and current media clippings are supplied through Absalon.

  • Peter Norman Sørensen (2019): "Lecture Notes on Asset Pricing," available through Absalon.

It is recommended to have followed the course "Business Economics" (Erhvervsøkonomi) at the Bachelor of Economics, or similar, before attenting the course.

It is recommended to have followed the course "Probability Theory and Statistics" (Sandsynlighedsteori og Statistik) at the Bachelor of Economics, or similar, before attending the course.

It is recommended to have followed the courses Microeconomics I and II at the Bachelor of Economics, or similar, before attending the course.
The lectures introduce the material from the syllabus. Students take a first reading of the material before the lecture, in order to engage in informed discussions during lectures.

This course also offers exercise classes every week. Exercise sets will become available through Absalon.

It is expected that students consider how to solve the exercises before the class meets. Problem solving helps to realize which parts of the syllabus are harder to learn, so working with the exercises provides the best chance to deeply understand the course material.


Restrictions due to Coronavirus:
The teaching in this course may be changed to be taught either fully or partly online due to COVID-19. For further information, please see the course room on Absalon (for enrolled students).
Schedule:
2 hours lectures 1 or 2 times a week from week 36 to 50 (except week 42).
2 hours exercise classes a week from week 36/37 to 50 (except week 42).

Schema:
The overall schema for the BA 3rd year and Master can be seen at KUnet:
MSc in Economics => "Courses and teaching" => "Planning and overview" => "Your timetable"
BA i Økonomi/KA i Økonomi => "Kurser og undervisning" => "Planlægning og overblik" => "Dit skema"

Timetable and venue:
To see the time and location of lectures and exercise classes please press the link/links under "Timetable"/​"Se skema" at the right side of this page (E means Autumn). The lectures are shown in each link.

You can find the similar information partly in English at
https:/​/​skema.ku.dk/​ku2122/​uk/​module.htm
-Select Department: “2200-Økonomisk Institut” (and wait for respond)
-Select Module:: “2200-E21; [Name of course]”
-Select Report Type: “List – Weekdays”
-Select Period: “Efterår/Autumn”
Press: “ View Timetable”

Please be aware:
- The schedule of the exercise classes is only a pre-planned schedule and can be changed until the teaching begins without the participants´ acceptance. If this happens you can see the new schedule in your personal timetable at KUnet, in the app myUCPH and through the links in the right side and the link above.
- The study administration allocates the students to the exercise classes according to the principles stated in the KUnet.
- If too many students have wished a specific class, students will be registered randomly at another class.
- It is not possible to change class after the second registration period has expired.
- If there is not enough registered students or available teachers, the exercise classes may be jointed.
- The student is not allowed to participate in an exercise class not registered.
- The teacher of the exercise class cannot correct assignments from other students than the registered students in the exercise class except with group work across the classes.
- All exercise classes will be taught in English.
- It is the students´s own responsibility to continuously update themselves about their studies, their teaching, their schedule, their exams etc. through the curriculum of the study programme, the study pages at KUnet, student messages, the course description, the Digital Exam portal, Absalon, the personal schema at KUnet and myUCPH app etc.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 42
  • Class Instruction
  • 28
  • Preparation
  • 133
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Total
  • 206
Written
Oral
Individual
Collective

 

The teaching assistants give the students individual feedback at their mandatory assignments.

The lecturer gives collective oral feedback at the quizzes the students make in the lectures.

 

Office hours: The lecturer offers office hours. When and where will be informed by the lecturer.

Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 3 hours under invigilation
as an ITX-exam in the exam venues of the university.

The exam assignment is in English and must be answered in English.

Changes due to Coronavirus:
In the event that COVID-19 restrictions may affect the conduction of the ITX-exams, the written exam and the re-sit exam will be changed to a 3 hours take-home exam with all aids. If done so, the changes will be announced in study messages at KUnet, in the Digital Exam portal and here in the Exam section of the course description.

The take-home exams will still be individual and it is not allowed to communicate with any one about the exam assignment nor the solution at all. It is also prohibited to distribute data and other information at all. If this or alike actions happens, it will be regarded as cheating and plagiarism.
__
Exam registration requirements

To qualify for the exam the student must during the semester and not later than the given deadlines

  • hand in and have approved 3 out of 4 mandatory assignments. 

__

Aid

No aids allowed at the written ITX-exams.

 

If the ITX-exams are changed to take-home exams due to COVID-19, the written take-home exams will be with all aids.

 

For further information about allowed aids for the re-examination. Please go to the section "Re-exam".

__

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
for the written exam. The written ITX-exam may be chosen for external assessment by random sample.

An oral re-examination may be with external assessment.
___
Exam period

The regular exam takes place:

 

Saturday 8th of January 2022

 

Exam information:

The exact time and place will be available in Digital Exam from the middle of the semester.

 

In special cases decided by the Department, the exam can change to another type, place, day and/or time than announced. 

 

More information about examination, rules, aids etc. is available at Master(UK), Master(DK) and Bachelor(DK).

_

Re-exam

The written reexam takes place:

16 February 2022

 

If few students register, it might change to a 20 min. oral exam with 20 min. preparation time.

No aids allowed during the preparation time. No aids allowed during the examination.

 

Due to COVID-19, the re-sit might change to a 20 minutes oral ONLINE exam with all aids, but without preparation time.

 

Reexam info:

Exact type, day, time and place is available in Digital Exam early February.

In special cases decided by the Department, the re-sit can change to another type, place, day and/or time than announced.

 

More info: Master(UK), Master(DK) and Bachelor.

Criteria for exam assesment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the course.

 

In order to obtain the top grade "12", the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.

 

In order to obtain the passing grade “02”, the student must in a satisfactory way be able to demonstrate a minimal acceptable level of  the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.

__