IBF311 Corporate Finance
IBF311 Corporate Finance
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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International Business and Finance
Edib Smolo
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The course introduces students to the ways investors and most importantly, managers can influence the cash flows of the company to enhance shareholder value, the approaches to attract capital and distribute profits. More specifically, the details of the managers' investment, financing, and dividend decisions will be examined. In addition, the common faulty decisions that do not enhance stockholders’ investment value will be analyzed.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Berk, J., DeMarzo, P., Harford, J., Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 3rd edition 2015.
Additional Literature
Brealey, R., Myers, S., Marcus, A., Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 9th edition 2017.Teaching Methods
Open class discussions with real-life examples
Active tutorial sessions for engaged learning and continuous feedback on progress
Team assignments
Quizzes
Team projects that involve theoretical and practical segments.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introductory Lecture | |
| 2 | Introduction to Corporate Finance | Chapter 1 |
| 3 | Financial Statements, Cash Flow, and Taxes | Chapter 2 |
| 4 | Financial Statements Analysis | Chapter 2 |
| 5 | Overview of Time Value of Money and Valuing Cash Flow Streams Quiz 1 | Chapter 3 & 4 |
| 6 | Interest rates | Chapter 5 |
| 7 | Midterm Exam | |
| 8 | Valuation and Characteristics of Bonds and Stocks | Chapter 6 & 7 |
| 9 | Investment Decision Rules | Chapter 8 |
| 10 | Risk & Return | Chapter 11 |
| 11 | Systematic Risk and the Equity Risk Premium | Chapter 12 |
| 12 | The Cost of Capital Quiz 2 | Chapter 13 |
| 13 | Raising Equity Capital | Chapter 14 |
| 14 | Debt Financing | Chapter 15 |
| 15 | Group Project Presentations |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Term project and presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3
Quizzes
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 5
Class participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Home Study
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Research and Project
40 hours ⏳ (8 week × 5 h)
Midterm exam study
10 hours ⏳ (1 week × 10 h)
Final exam study
25 hours ⏳ (1 week × 25 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [IBF311] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| IBF311 | Corporate Finance | 3 | 2 | 6 | Wed 15:00-17:50 B F1.9 | |||||
| Prerequisite | IBF208 | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Edib Smolo | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Currently not available |
|||||||
| esmolo@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The course introduces students to the ways investors and most importantly, managers can influence the cash flows of the company to enhance shareholder value, the approaches to attract capital and distribute profits. More specifically, the details of the managers' investment, financing, and dividend decisions will be examined. In addition, the common faulty decisions that do not enhance stockholders’ investment value will be analyzed. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Berk, J., DeMarzo, P., Harford, J., Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 3rd edition 2015. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Open class discussions with real-life examples, active tutorial sessions for engaged learning and continuous feedback on progress, team assignments, quizzes, team projects that involve theoretical and practical segments. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introductory Lecture | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Introduction to Corporate Finance | Chapter 1 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Financial Statements, Cash Flow, and Taxes | Chapter 2 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Financial Statements Analysis | Chapter 2 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Overview of Time Value of Money and Valuing Cash Flow Streams Quiz 1 | Chapter 3 & 4 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Interest rates | Chapter 5 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Midterm Exam | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Valuation and Characteristics of Bonds and Stocks | Chapter 6 & 7 | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Investment Decision Rules | Chapter 8 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Risk & Return | Chapter 11 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Systematic Risk and the Equity Risk Premium | Chapter 12 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | The Cost of Capital Quiz 2 | Chapter 13 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Raising Equity Capital | Chapter 14 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Debt Financing | Chapter 15 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Group Project Presentations | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 25 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Term project and presentation | 1 | 15 | 2, 3 | Not Allowed | |
| Quizzes | 2 | 20 | 1,2,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Class participation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Home Study | 2 | 15 | 30 | |||
| Research and Project | 5 | 8 | 40 | Midterm exam study | 10 | 1 | 10 | |||
| Final exam study | 25 | 1 | 25 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||