Explore UCD

UCD Home >

FIN40940

Academic Year 2025/2026

Corporate Finance (FIN40940)

Subject:
Finance
College:
Business
School:
Business
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
7.5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Cormac MacFhionnlaoich
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Corporate Finance is concerned with how corporations raise, manage and spend money.
This is an introductory finance module designed to give students a foundation in financial
decision making within the corporation. On completing this module students will have an
understanding of the role of the financial manager in a company in appraising investments,
quantifying the risk/return relationship, evaluating sources of company funding, setting dividend
policy and producing value from mergers.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should: -
1. Understand why shareholder wealth maximisation is considered to be the primary
objective of a business.
2. Achieve a good practical understanding of the 3 principal financial decisions that flow
from shareholder wealth maximisation, namely
• the financing decision,
• the investment decision, and,
• the dividend decision.
3. Appreciate the theoretical principles associated with the 3 principal financial decisions.
4. Develop an understanding of functional financial decisions, such company valuation and mergers.
5. Appreciate the linkages between finance and other key business disciplines.
6. Appreciate Current Developments in Sustainable Finance.

Indicative Module Content:

Topics Covered:
1. Introduction to Corporate Finance
2. The Time Value of Money
3. Bond and Stock Valuation
4. Risk and Return
5. The Cost of Capital
6. Capital Budgeting
7. Capital Structure
8. Corporate Payout
9. Mergers and Acquisitions
10. Sustainable Finance

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

30
Autonomous Student Learning

90
Lectures

24
Small Group

1
Total

145

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Students will learn the topics highlighted under the 'Indicative Module Content' section. An initial assessment of learning will involve a Quiz. Students will work in groups to analyse and value a corporate firm. An in-depth report of their findings will be required in Week 11. The final exam will be held at the end of the term.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

No prior learning required


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
FIN4027S - Corporate Finance


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): A Final Exam will be administered during the University Examination Period End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
50
 No
Group Work Assignment: The Group Project will involve a Valuation Exercise for a Company specified by the Module Coordinator. The report will be due for submission in week 10 Week 10 Graded No
35
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: A Quiz will be administered in Week 5 The purpose of this quiz is to assess student's mastery of essential quantitative skills and conceptual understanding in relation to this module. Week 5 Graded No
15
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will receive group feedbacks on their project work.

Textbooks:
1. Brealey, RA, Myers, SC and Marcus, AJ, (2023), Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 11th edition, McGraw-Hill Education (ISBN: 9781259722615) [or other recent edition]

Name Role
Lanxin Lu Tutor
Ronald Wafula Tutor
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.