Finance in a global economy
Taught by the world's foremost authorities on global business and cross-cultural interaction, the courses in Thunderbird's MS in Global Finance program deliver insight into the intricacies of fiscal activity on an international scale – and how financial matters may be driven by cultural nuance. Study global finance as it relates to actual businesses across the world, including in leading and emerging markets like Canada, France, Denmark, Indonesia, the UK, China, Argentina and Puerto Rico. The program features core curriculum in global finance, including general management and global affairs, with a breadth of additional global finance electives for specialization.
Economics bootcampsDepending on your undergraduate background, you may be required to take an online economics bootcamp prior to beginning the program. Read more. |
English proficiencyDepending on your TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score (if applicable), you may be required to take “Business English Communications” course(s) prior to beginning the program. |
Sample course descriptions
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Course Number: GF-4790Credit Hours: 1.50
The European Union, NAFTA, APEC, and other
regional economic agreements offer important opportunities
and challenges for global managers. This course examines such issues as the origins and future of regional agreements; and their implications in such areas as trade, finance, and worker, environmental and other business regulations. The course may focus on a particular regional economic agreement or compare
different agreements. -
Course Number: GF-4724Credit Hours: 3.00
This course is focused on bring awareness and knowledge of the rapidly changing renewable energy and clean tech industry. Concerns over peak oil, volatile commodity prices and global climate change are fostering investment and rapid growth in these markets, trends that will be exacerbated as new national and international environmental and energy policies take effect.
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Course Number: GF-4425Credit Hours: 1.50
This is a practically oriented course that provides participants with a number of tolls necessary for the successful operation of a business. The course begins with a brief introduction to the risk management process and to commercial insurance concepts. After the introduction, nine specific topics will be addressed. Each topic will require participants to read materials and to access the Internet for additional information. Internet resources will be emphasized not only because of their ease of use but also to identify websites that can be used for years to come.
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Course Number: RU-4100Credit Hours: 3.00
This course emphasizes the use of the target language in context, especially the lexicon of business. Readings from newspapers, journals, and books (although to a restricted degree in non-Latin alphabet languages) familiarize future international managers with issues in the areas of the world where the target language is spoken. Activities include small group discussions, oral and written projects, and grammar review.
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Course Number: RU-4025Credit Hours: 3.00
Fundamentals I is intensive and emphasizes interactive activities that develop oral proficiency. Participants study the four communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing)with emphasis on the development of oral interaction. The use
of a cassette player may be required. Classes meet four times a week. -
Course Number: RU-4026Credit Hours: 3.00
In Fundamentals II major emphasis continues to be on the development of speaking and listening proficiency, but increased attention is also given to reading and writing. Authentic materials in the target language reflect situations
relevant to the international manager, except for non-Latin
based languages or Asian languages. -
Course Number: RU-4015Credit Hours: 3.00
This is an introductory course for beginning language learners. No prior knowledge is required. Students study language fundamentals such as pronunciations, vocabulary and grammar. The emphases are: a) establishing a solid foundation in pronunciations; b) building up vocabulary and sentence patterns in communicative contexts; c) introducing writing systems and preparing students to read characters. In addition, cultural and social information that go along with language use are also included in the teaching.
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Course Number: RU-4020Credit Hours: 3.00
This course is a continuation of Fundamentals I. It aims to help students further develop communicative skills in listening and speaking, with an additional emphasis on reading texts. The emphases of this course are: a) building up more vocabulary and grammatical structures for communications purposes, b) integrating the linguistic and cultural knowledge acquired in Fundamentals I with the new knowledge, c) introducing business content and terminology in instructions and activities.
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Course Number: ST-5212Credit Hours: 1.50
This course instructs the participant in the design, application and use of structured products. Structured finance remains the fastest growing financial market instrument ever with an estimated $10 trillion outstanding. The course will analyze all forms of structured instruments in use today and examine their purpose, function, cost, and risks relative to alternative financial instruments. The course will also explore the recent crisis in the CMO market and what went wrong.
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Course Number: ST-4222Credit Hours: 1.50
Most real estate courses take the perspective of the developer. This course assumes the perspective of the investor, whether owner, lender, or institutional or individual investor.
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Course Number: ST-4423Credit Hours: 1.50
The innovative entrepreneurial spirit, long considered a building block of the DNA for a productive economic system is also an elusive, but highly-desired element in most large, complex organizations. In seeking sustainable competitive advantage, companies know they must foster innovation, flexibility, creativity and speed within their organizations?the same strategies also likely being crafted in a garage or dorm room by some entrepreneur and future competitor.
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Course Number: ST-5272Credit Hours: 3.00
The course objective is to provide an increased understanding of merger, acquisition, and restructuring activity. The course begins with a discussion of the basics of M&A analysis and a review of valuation techniques. We then discuss the theory of acquisitions as value-creating (or value-destroying) events and the use of corporate restructuring to increase the value of the firm to shareholders. Legal issues related to M&A?s, takeover strategies, and takeover defense tactics will then be discussed and illustrated through case analyses.
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Course Number: GF-5426Credit Hours: 3.00
The goal of this course is to offer a variety of opportunities for students to learn about social entrepreneurship and engage students in learning the contributors to high performing social enterprises. Students will explore stories of established social enterprises through books and case studies to uncover common themes and approaches. In additional, students will engage in experience exercises and class discussions for full emersion into the mindset of socially oriented business and activities.
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Course Number: ST-4437Credit Hours: 1.50
The goal of this course is to offer a variety of opportunities for students to learn about social entrepreneurship and engage students in learning the contributors to high-performing social enterprises. Students will explore stories of established environmental and social enterprises through books and case studies to uncover common themes and approaches. In addition, students will engage in class discussion for full emersion into the mindset of socially oriented businesses and activities.
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Course Number: ST-5427Credit Hours: 1.50
The goal of this course is to offer a variety of opportunities for students to learn about social entrepreurship and engage students in learning the contributors to high-performing social enterprises. Students will explore stories of established environmental and social enterprises through books and case studies to uncover common themes and approaches. In addition, students will engage in class discussion for full emersion into the mindset of socially oriented businesses and activities.
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Course Number: GF-5670Credit Hours: 3.00
This course will provide seminar participants a richer understanding and an appreciation of the South African business environment in the contexts of the Southern African sub-region, the African continent, and the international economy.
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Course Number: SP-4100Credit Hours: 3.00
This course emphasizes the use of the target language in context, especially the lexicon of business. Readings from newspapers, journals, and books (although to a restricted degree in non-Latin alphabet languages) familiarize future international managers with issues in the areas of the world where the target language is spoken. Activities include small group discussions, oral and written projects, and grammar review.
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Course Number: SP-4025Credit Hours: 3.00
Fundamentals I is intensive and emphasizes interactive activities that develop oral proficiency. Participants study the four communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing)with emphasis on the development of oral interaction. The use
of a cassette player may be required. Classes meet four times a week. -
Course Number: SP-4026Credit Hours: 3.00
In Fundamentals II major emphasis continues to be on the development of speaking and listening proficiency, but increased attention is also given to reading and writing. Authentic materials in the target language reflect situations relevant to the international manager, except for non-Latin
based languages or Asian languages. -
Course Number: SP-4015Credit Hours: 3.00
This is an introductory course for beginning language learners. No prior knowledge is required. Students study language fundamentals such as pronunciations, vocabulary and grammar. The emphases are: a) establishing a solid foundation in pronunciations; b) building up vocabulary and sentence patterns in communicative contexts; c) introducing writing systems and preparing students to read characters. In addition, cultural and social information that go along with language use are also included in the teaching.
