Finance II

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Course Description

  • Course Name

    Finance II

  • Host University

    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

  • Location

    Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  • Area of Study

    Finance

  • Language Level

    Taught In English

  • Course Level Recommendations

    Upper

    ISA offers course level recommendations in an effort to facilitate the determination of course levels by credential evaluators.We advice each institution to have their own credentials evaluator make the final decision regrading course levels.

    Hours & Credits

  • ECTS Credits

    6
  • Recommended U.S. Semester Credits
    3
  • Recommended U.S. Quarter Units
    4
  • Overview

    COURSE OBJECTIVE
    In this course you will learn about modelling of financial risks and financial derivatives.

    In the first part of the course, the central concept is the relationship between risk and return of financial assets. The goal is to gain
    insights into the risks associated with financial portfolios and investments and to be able to calculate/estimate such risks. Furthermore, another goal is to learn how to construct portfolios on the basis of mean-variance optimization and how to benefit from diversification possibilities. Finally, you will also learn how to compute expected returns on investments and the cost of capital on the basis of the Capital Asset Pricing Model and multifactor models. (Academic and Research Skills, Bridging Theory and Practice -
    Application)

    In the derivatives module, the goal is to gain insight into various financial derivatives such as futures and options, their properties,
    valuation and risks associated with them. Another goal is to learn how these derivatives can be valued and can be used to hedge financial
    risks. (Academic and Research Skills, Bridging Theory and Practice - Application)

    By accomplishing these learning goals, you will gain new academic and research skills and develop your professional knowledge in the area of financial risk and derivatives. Furthermore, by illustrating the concepts with examples of portfolios, investments and hedging problems provided by financial institutions, we will bridge the gap between theory and practice, enabling you to translate theoretical concepts into practical applications.

    COURSE CONTENT
    Central topics in financial modelling that will be discussed are:
    - trade-off between risk and return;
    - estimation of average return and volatility;
    - concepts of covariance and correlation and their estimation;
    - risk and return of portfolios;
    - diversification;
    - Value-at-Risk and Expected Shortfall;
    - concept of efficient portfolios;
    - CAPM and multifactor models;
    - Cost of capital.

    Central topics in the part on derivatives that will be discussed are:
    - types and characteristics of financial derivatives such as futures, forwards and options;
    - use of derivatives in risk hedging;
    - principle of no arbitrage;
    - determining option price with the help of the binomial tree;
    - sensitivities of options (Greeks);
    - Black-Scholes model for option pricing and its assumptions;
    - delta hedging of options;
    - implied volatilities and volatility smiles.

    TEACHING METHODS
    Lectures.
    Tutorials.

    TYPE OF ASSESSMENT
    Written test, exam and computer assignment.

    ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
    Finance I and Quantitative Research Methods I and II.

Course Disclaimer

Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences 

X

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some are essential to make our site work; others help us improve the user experience. By using the site, you consent to the placement of these cookies.

Read our Privacy Policy to learn more.

Confirm