Master
2022/2023
Theory of Finance
Type:
Compulsory course (Strategic Corporate Finance)
Area of studies:
Finance and Credit
Delivered by:
School of Finance
Where:
Faculty of Economic Sciences
When:
1 year, 3 module
Mode of studies:
distance learning
Online hours:
8
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Master’s programme:
Strategic Corporate Finance
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The aim of this course is to guide through the basic building blocks of classical finance. Multiple textbooks can be used to study for this course. References will be provided for each topic.
This course covers fundamentals of the capital markets theory in discrete time. The first lectures will be devoted to the bond markets. The central theme of the course is the “discount factor” methodology, which gives the price of financial asset as the expectation of the payoff multiplied by the pricing kernel (discount factor). The concept is very general and it allows the derivations of mean-variance frontiers, factor pricing models and so on.
The course consists of lectures and classes. Each lecture is followed by a class where students solve different problems. There will be a mid-term test in the middle of the course and a final test at the end of the course. There is no make-up for the mid-term test. If a student misses the final test due to illness, there is a second attempt during the retake period. The course requires a sufficient amount of self-study and reading textbooks. The maximum number of students is limited, there will be an additional selection taking into account the time of application and the rating of students.
Learning Objectives
- To introduce students with fundamentals of financial markets and theories of asset pricing
- To familiarize students with various techniques for setting fair pricing and detecting arbitrage mispricing in bond and equity markets
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Be able to apply basic financial models, understand their features and limitations
- Be able to clearly articulate on most important finance issues in valuation of bonds and equities
- Be able to justify conclusions using appropriate methodological and financial arguments with appropriate rigour
- Be able to analyze and evaluate quantitative problems in finance
- Gain an ability to understand, speak and write the language of financial economics and also become familiar with the most important theoretical models for asset pricing
Course Contents
- Bonds
- Utility Theory
- Valuation of Contingent Claims
- Portfolio Theory
- Beta-pricing models
- Testing Factor Models
Assessment Elements
- Non-graded home assignmentStudents are expected to prepare home assignments for each tutorial. Home assignments are not graded and provide a self-check option for students. There is no make-up policy for non-graded home assignments.
- Mid-term testThere will be a mid-term test in the middle of the course. There is no make-up for the mid-term test. If a student misses the mid-term test due to illness than the 100% weight will be given to the final test, otherwise the null grade will be given.
- Final testFinal test will consist of two parts. The first part will consist of short questions to check up the theory, i.e. true/false questions or where students are supposed to write down a short answer of 1-2 sentences. In the second part students are expected to solve several exercises and to provide solutions.
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Asset pricing, Cochrane, J. H., 2005
- Back, K. E. (2017). Asset Pricing and Portfolio Choice Theory. Oxford University Press.
- Cochrane, J. H. (2005). Asset Pricing (Vol. Rev. ed). Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=329716
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Elton, E. J. (2014). Modern Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis (Vol. Ninth edition). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1639379