Winter 2015
Department of Finance
Charles H. Lundquist College of Business
University of Oregon
Ali Emami
Class Location: Lillis Hall 312
Office: Lillis Hall 425
Class Hours: 4:00 p.m.-5:50 p.m., M & W
Voice: 346-3323
Office Hours: 2:15 p.m.-3:45 p.m., M & W e-mail aemami@uoregon.edu
Web-sites: https://blackboard.uoregon.edu/
Course Audiences
This is a combined undergraduate/graduate level course in derivatives markets and financial institutions. In addition to the requirements for undergraduate students, each graduate student is required to write an empirical research paper analyzing the risk exposure and risk management of a company or industry. Guidelines for this research project are given at the end of this syllabus.
Course Subject and Objectives
This course focuses on forward contracts, futures contracts, options and swaps. By the end of the term students will learn how these contracts work, how they are used for risk management, and how they are priced. This subject belongs to the field of quantitative finance and traditionally it is referred to as “financial engineering”. The main objective is to show how the financial institutions identify and measure risk exposure and how they use these derivatives to hedge their risk exposure.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
Individuals with strong analytical background and skilled at analyzing derivatives are in high demand in New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and all financial centers throughout the world. Such individuals are rewarded very high salaries a few years after graduation. Typical jobs include:
1. Financial Engineer (for valuation of financial derivatives and/or valuation of commodity derivatives products).
2. Applied Mathematical Finance and Software Engineer.
3. Risk Management Software Developer.
4. Risk Analyst.
Many companies advertise vacancies for financial engineering professionals and internship opportunities on their web sites. For example:
References: Regression Analysis: Due: Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Project description General rules The project is due in class on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 (no exceptions)