Here’s an outline of a typical Marciano Corporate Finance syllabus, formatted in HTML and roughly 500 words:

Marciano Corporate Finance Syllabus

Course Overview

This course, Corporate Finance, provides a rigorous introduction to the theory and practice of financial decision-making within corporations. The central theme revolves around maximizing shareholder wealth through sound investment, financing, and dividend policies. We will analyze how firms can efficiently allocate capital, manage risk, and create value in a dynamic market environment.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the core principles of corporate finance, including the time value of money, risk and return, and market efficiency.
• Evaluate investment opportunities using various capital budgeting techniques, such as Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Payback Period.
• Analyze a firm’s capital structure and determine the optimal mix of debt and equity financing.
• Understand dividend policy decisions and their impact on shareholder value.
• Assess and manage financial risk, including market risk, credit risk, and operational risk.
• Apply financial concepts to real-world business scenarios and case studies.

Course Structure

The course is structured around lectures, problem sets, case studies, and potentially a group project. Lectures will cover the theoretical foundations of corporate finance, while problem sets will provide hands-on practice in applying these concepts. Case studies will allow students to analyze complex business situations and develop critical thinking skills. A group project (if assigned) will require students to apply their knowledge to a real-world corporate finance problem.

Topics Covered

1. Introduction to Corporate Finance: Goals of the corporation, agency problems, financial markets.
2. Time Value of Money: Present value, future value, annuities, perpetuities.
3. Valuation of Stocks and Bonds: Discounted cash flow analysis, dividend discount model, bond yields.
4. Capital Budgeting: NPV, IRR, payback period, profitability index, sensitivity analysis.
5. Risk and Return: Portfolio theory, Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), cost of capital.
6. Capital Structure: Modigliani-Miller theorems, trade-off theory, pecking order theory.
7. Dividend Policy: Dividend irrelevance theory, clientele effect, signaling theory.
8. Working Capital Management: Management of cash, accounts receivable, and inventory.
9. Mergers and Acquisitions: Valuation, deal structuring, post-merger integration.
10. Financial Planning and Forecasting: Pro forma financial statements, financial ratios, sustainable growth rate.

Grading Breakdown

• Problem Sets: 20%
• Midterm Exam: 30%
• Case Studies: 20%
• Final Exam: 30%
• (Optional) Group Project: Replaces one problem set or case study grade.

Required Materials

A core textbook on corporate finance is required. Examples include “Corporate Finance” by Ross, Westerfield, and Jaffe or “Principles of Corporate Finance” by Brealey, Myers, and Allen. A financial calculator is also highly recommended. Access to online resources and databases (e.g., Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters) may be necessary for certain assignments.

Academic Integrity

All work submitted for this course must be your own. Any form of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism or cheating, will not be tolerated and will result in serious consequences.