Dominican University

 

·        Econ 367,  Financial Markets and Institutions 

·        Instructor:  Tom Porebski

·        Phone:  708-456-0300, extension 3509 (this is preferred over the Dominican voice mail)

·        Dominican voice mail: call 708-524-6997, my extension is 1180, then press # and follow directions given to leave recorded message.

·        EMAIL:  tporebsk@triton.edu or tporebsk@dom.edu  or or tporebski@aol.com

·        Office hours: I will generally be available 30 minutes before class in the classroom.  If this is not convenient, see me for an appointment.

 

·        Required Text :  Money, Banking, and Financial Markets, by Miller and VanHoose, 3rd edition.  The study guide is recommended but not required.

 

·        COURSE OBJECTIVES AND OVERVIEW:  The course is an introductory course in the money, banking, and financial markets.  Topics covered include the nature of money and the Federal Reserve, interest rates, the bond and stock markets, banks, savings and loans, and other financial institutions in the economy, as well as the regulation of these financial markets.

 

·        GRADING PROCEDURE: There will be 4 exams, 3 regular semester exams and a comprehensive final exam at the end of the semester.  The lowest of the first 3 exams will be dropped.  There is also a paper that you have to write.  The exam questions will be a mixture of multiple choice, short answer essay, and problem solving. 

 

·        Points and Grade distribution:

 

·        Top 2 exams:            200 pts  ( 100 each)

·        Final exam                150 pts 

·        Paper                         100 pts  

·        Total pts:                   450 pts

 

·        Approximate Scale:

 

·        400- 450 pts  =  A

            350- 399 pts  =  B

            300- 349 pts   = C

      250- 299 pts   = D

      Below 250       =F

 

 

·        Please note, there is no extra credit in this class.

 

 

 

Tentative Time Schedule

 

 

Week of

Material covered

Notes, exams, etc.

January 15

Chapters 1 and 2

 

Jan. 22

Chapters 2, 3

 

Jan. 29

Ch. 4

Exam 1, ch 1,2,3

Feb. 5

Ch. 4,5

 

Feb. 12

Ch. 5, 7

 

Feb. 19

Ch. 8

 

Feb. 26

Ch. 8,9

Exam 2, ch 4,5,7

Mar. 5

No class, spring break:  read ch. 10

 

Mar. 12

Ch. 10

 

Mar. 19

Ch. 10, 11

 

Mar. 26

Ch. 11

 

April 2

Ch. 12

 

April 9

Ch. 13

Exam 3, ch. 8-12

April 16

Ch. 14

 

April 23

Ch. 15

 

April 30

 

Final exam on all material

 

 

 

NOTE:  This time schedule is very tentative.  Some chapters may be omitted and other chapters included depending on time constraints.  Exact material covered on each of the exams will be discussed in class.

 

 

 

 

                                                                        Paper

 

In this class you have to write a paper on a topic dealing with money, finance, or financial institutions.  There are large numbers of possible topics, such as a history based paper, as in the history of credit unions, or the Federal Reserve, etc.  You could also do a paper on a specific topic in the course, such as the term structure of interest rates, or the nature of the money market.  Anything dealing with banks, savings and loans, money markets, stock and bond markets, etc, is a possible topic.  Some rules about the paper include:

 

1.      I have to approve your topic.  I want your topic proposal by next week, Jan. 22.

2.      The paper must be typed, suggested length of 5 pages.

3.      The paper must have a title (not just my econ  paper)

4.      You should have at least 3 sources of information, not including your text book.

5.      The paper is graded on content, as well as grammar, spelling, etc, so do your best  work!  I usually put 70% of the grade on content, but 30% on sentence structure, grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.

6.      DO NOT EVEN CONSIDER BUYING A PAPER OFF THE INTERNET, ETC, AS I  CHECK FOR THIS:  ANY   PLAGARIZED PAPERS  RESULTS IN  YOUR FAILING THE COURSE.

7.      DUE DATE:  APRIL 16.  PAPERS WILL NOT BE RETURNED SO KEEP A COPY FOR YOURSELF. 

8.      LATE PENALTY:  5   POINTS DEDUCTED FROM YOUR SCORE FOR EACH DAY LATE.