Derivatives – Theory & Applications

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
FINC 4380
Descriptive
Derivatives – Theory & Applications
Department
Finance
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Contact hours
Lecture: 3 Hrs. Seminar: 1 Hr. Total: 4 Hrs.
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning activities

Lectures and seminar discussion

Course description
This course will examine topics dealing with derivative securities and specialized financial products. The types of derivative securities and specialized financial products, their use in modern finance as tools for hedging, arbitrage and speculation, and methods for pricing them will be the main subject matter for this course.
Course content

1.   Mechanics of futures and forward markets
2.   Determination of forward and futures prices
3.   Interest rate futures
4.   Hedging strategies using futures
5.   Swaps and Pricing
6.   Mechanics of options markets
7.   Credit derivatives, securitization and the credit crisis of 2007
8.   Properties of stock options
9.   Trading strategies involving options
10. Option pricing: binomial trees
11. Option pricing: Black-Scholes-Merton model
12. Options on stock indices, interest rate and currencies
13. Value at risk, volatility and risk management
14. Derivatives mishaps and lessons learned

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the successful student should be able to:
1.  understand different types of derivative securities and specialized financial products, and derivative markets;
2.  examine and utilize derivative securities as tools for hedging, arbitrage, speculation and risk management;
3.  determine the value of different derivative securities; and
4.  analyze the impact of derivative securities on financial markets and lessons learned from derivatives mishaps.

Means of assessment

Midterm exam                       30%
Case & Project                   15-25%
Assignments                     10-15%
Participation                        0-10%
Final Exam                             35%      
Total                                    100%

Notes:

1. Students who do not achieve a grade of at least 50% on the combined exam components will fail the course.

2. Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.

 

Textbook materials

Hull, John C. Fundamentals of Futures and Options Markets, Latest Ed. Prentice Hall Canada (or other textbooks as approved by the Finance Department).

Financial calculator as approved by the department.

Prerequisites

FINC 3350 or FINC 3390 or equivalent with a grade of “C” or better

Corequisites

Nil

Equivalencies

Nil

Which prerequisite

Nil