Thomas Edison State University | Prior Learning Assessment Course Description
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PLA Portfolio Assessment Course Subjects

Finance

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Courses 1-10 of 14 matches.
Personal Finance   (BUE-101)   3 credits  
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Course Description
Personal Finance for 2000 and Beyond provides the information you need to make sound financial choices. This course will help you determine the best course of action as you gather, protect, and use your financial assets. Eight key elements of personal finance are emphasized throughout this course: obtaining, planning, saving, borrowing, spending, managing risk, investing, and retirement and estate planning.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Explain how your financial decisions impact on your own life and the lives of your family or loved ones.
  • Create a financial plan based on your own needs and the needs of others who will be affected by your plan.
  • Set financial goals and implement an action plan that will meet these goals.
  • Describe strategies for managing the stress that can result from conflicts over purchasing decisions and managing finances.
  • Explain how to ensure the financial security of yourself and your family or loved ones.
  • Identify strategies for managing investments.
  • Describe the principles of retirement and estate planning.

Available by DSST exam. 
Small Business Finance   (FIN-314)   3 credits  
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Course Description
This course explores the application of basic financial management techniques within a small business environment (100 or fewer employees). The course will consider financial problems and their solutions faced by persons who start and operate small businesses. Learners will explore the use and purpose of profit and loss statements, balance sheets, equity, debt, retained earnings and financial ratios; as they apply to common and alternatives solutions to the more common financial management problems encountered by small business.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Articulate and demonstrate advanced learning/knowledge/experience or accomplishments in the two following areas:
    • Preparation, comprehension and utilization of Balance Sheets, Income Statements and Source and Use Statements (pro forma and actual) - their preparation, comprehension and utilization for a 'best practices' in small business finances
    • Utilization and preparation of Cash Flow statements in managing the small business financial operations cycle
  • Articulate and demonstrate advanced learning/knowledge/experience in at least 4 of the following 9 areas:
    • Explain how to determine variable cost and fixed cost, understanding the difference between these types of cost and why that understanding is important for successful small business finance
    • Discuss the application of ratio analysis and how to use financial ratios for estimations of solvency, appropriate amounts of debt to equity, performance, and profitability
    • Discuss the application of management and the control of inventory [methods and practices] and why it is important
    • Discuss applications of the principles inherent with the management of accounts payable and accounts receivable and an understanding of their importance
    • Discuss source of and accessing investment funding for personal, family/friends, banks, and others - including crowd funding and other innovative methods
    • Discuss debt management including cost of debt, long term debt vs. short term debt - debt to finance short term needs vs. long term needs - pros and cons, and security/collateral.
    • Discuss compensation for yourself and employees, including income taxes/FICA responsibilities, benefits, salary/drawings and profit distribution.
    • Discuss taxes including corporate taxation/small business tax - tax planning/tax preparation
    • Discuss the preparation of a Financial Business Plan reflecting the annual financial cycle
  • Identify and discuss at least four common small business financial management problems, such as:
    • Transaction and payment authorization management
    • Equity financing
    • Depreciation accounting
    • Working capital financing/vendor credit
    • Managing accounts receivable
    • Cash-flow management
    • Financial/management and reporting (periodic, annual)
    • Insurance requirements/legal liabilities, and
    • Financial oversight
 
International Finance   (FIN-334)   3 credits  
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Course Description
International Finance analyzes the way that the monetary and economic environments (as influenced by exchange rates and foreign investment) affect multinational enterprise. The course examines capital flows, trade deficits, and international investments to determine their effects on international trade. The course also evaluates futures and options in currency swaps in order to determine their effects on purchasing power parity, the international marketplace, and multinational business enterprise.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Discuss issues related to globalization, financial goals, and corporate governance.
  • Explain the role of the international monetary system and the balance of payments.
  • Illustrate the mechanics of the foreign exchange market.
  • Discuss foreign exchange exposure including transaction and operating exposure.
  • Analyze the role of international portfolio investors.
  • Design a global equity strategy.
  • Analyze risks associated with international investment.
  • Integrate working capital management with international trade and finance.
  • Analyze ethical issues related to international finance.

 
Delivery of Public Services   (PUA-371)   3 credits  
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Urban public-sector analysis; public finance; municipal budgeting decisions; evaluation of need & demand for public services; analysis of differential supply of services according to geographic area, income, race & community. 
Housing Finance   (REE-302)   3 credits  
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Course Description
Institutions, processes, and mechanisms involved in the provision of mortgage funds for housing. The roles of conventional lenders, mortgage insurance, secondary market operations, and state and local housing finance agencies.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Define who is the Mortgagor and the who is the Mortgagee
  • Find your current credit score, which is FICO
  • Compare several mortgage brokers for assistance in receiving the best mortgage loan
  • Identify the various alternative financing plans available and typically considered by home buyers
  • Define "Points" and explain their purpose
  • Check the zoning laws on the lot that you would buy or build your house
  • Define Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
  • Explain the loan-to-value ratio
  • Discuss the important of housing to the economy
  • Discuss the steps that government and the banking industry take to support home ownership
  • Discuss Federal, State and local incentives in place to encourage housing finance

 
Business Mathematics   (BUS-161)   3 credits  
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Course Description
With a growing need for record keeping, establishing budgets, and understanding finance, taxation, and investment opportunities, mathematics has become a greater part of our daily lives. Business Mathematics attempts to apply mathematics to daily business experiences. Success in business relies more than ever upon the ability of managers to keep careful records, establish budgets, and understand finance, taxation, and investment opportunities. This course will help you use mathematics to your advantage in your daily business practices.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Fractions, decimals, and percents
  • Basic equations and formulas
  • Balancing a checkbook and filling out a simple tax return
  • Business insurance and personal insurance
  • Business discounts, pricing, and inventory control
  • Simple interest, compound interest, notes, and bank discounts
  • Credit and credit purchases
  • Annuities, amortization, and depreciation
  • Financial statements, cash flow, and ratios
  • Stocks and bonds
  • Some basic ideas of statistics.

Available by DSST exam. 
Community Resources   (COU-281)   3 credits  
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Course Description
Examines the growth and variety of social service organizations. The training of providers, such as teachers and physicians, and relationships between professionals and clients in settings such as schools and hospitals are studies as well as organizational decision-making, finances, and community relations.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the interconnections between client-professional relationships and the structure and process of complex organizations in a service-oriented society
  • Familiarity with innovative patterns designed to improve the provision of services to clients

 
Principles of Finance   (FIN-301)   3 credits  
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Course Description
Principles of Finance serves as an introduction to financial management. Financial management is concerned with value and, when applied to firms, studies financial decision making and its impact on the value of the firm. Virtually all management decisions have financial implications, and the impact of these decisions on the value of the firm is the basis by which management is judged. Superior management produces superior financial decisions that lead to growth and increased valuation of the firm. This course considers specific financial decisions such as selecting among alternative investments (i.e., capital budgeting), the sources of the firm's finances (i.e., the optimal capital structure), the management of current assets and liabilities (i.e., working capital), and the tools of financial analysis. The course emphasizes analytical tools and their use in solving financial problems.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Identify both short- and long-term financial management problems.
  • Solve optimal capital structure problems.
  • Analyze financial statements.
  • Determine a firm's cost of capital.
  • Use present value tables.

Available by DSST exam. 
Introduction to Health Care Delivery   (HEA-321)   3 credits  
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Course Description
Intro. to contemporary systems of delivering medical care. Policies and issues surrounding government involvement in health care. Financing, quality assurance and manpower related to the health care system. Ethical orientation to the allied health professions. Dealing with sick and hospitalized patient and family; the taking of vital signs; introduction to pharmacology; medical terminology; aseptic techniques.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Discuss and apply basic economic concepts related to health insurance coverage
  • Explain how both private health insurance and public health insurance are financed
  • Evaluate the ways in which private and public health insurers reimburse medical providers
  • Assess private and public models of financing and delivery of healthcare services
  • Analyze various aspects of the hospital, physician, and pharmaceutical drug sectors
  • Explain how nonprofit status, competition, quality, and safety affect medical providers
  • Identify the various determinants of access to care for low-income and vulnerable populations
  • Evaluate how specific policy proposals will likely affect access to care and healthcare spending
  • Critique how the political process affects how healthcare reform is undertaken in the U.S.

 
Introduction to Business   (BUS-101)   3 credits  
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Course Description
This course outlines a concise overview of the world of business. Emphasis is placed on the following topics; economics and economic systems, ownership, risk, production, finance and the financial system, marketing, human resources, how to form a union and the effect of government in business. The primary objective is to introduce students to the world of business and formulate an opportunity to define and apply the language of business to various endeavors in which businesses operate.

Learning Outcomes
Through the Portfolio Assessment process, students will demonstrate that they can appropriately address the following outcomes:

  • Explore how to cultivate a business in diverse, global environments.
  • Assess ethical behavior and social responsibility in business endeavors.
  • Explain the various types of business ownership.
  • Identify the pros and cons of owning a small business.
  • Interpret the levels of management
  • Evaluate the importance of empowering employees to satisfy customers.
  • Distinguish the functions of human resource management.
  • Justify the importance of motivating employees and building self-managed teams.
  • Diagnose employee management issues and relationships.
  • Determine the four essential elements of marketing.
  • Develop customer oriented marketing plans.
  • Outline how to manage financial resources
  • Evaluating securities markets.
  • Interpret money, financial institutions and the Federal Reserve System.

Available by DSST exam. 
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