Is this template aligned with AACSB accreditation standards?

Yes. Learning objectives are mapped to AACSB 2020 Assurance of Learning standards. The template includes guidance on aligning course assessments with institutional learning goals.

What textbooks does this syllabus template pair with?

The topic sequence works with any standard financial management textbook including Brealey/Myers/Allen, Berk/DeMarzo, Ross/Westerfield/Jordan, and Brigham/Houston. We also provide a mapping for Blended Teaching's video textbook.

Can I adapt this for online or hybrid course delivery?

Yes. We offer format-specific variants for in-person, synchronous online, asynchronous online, and hybrid delivery. Each includes delivery-specific guidance for assessment integrity and student engagement.

What financial management topics are covered in the course schedule?

The 16-week schedule covers: issues in financial management, financial statements, financial ratio analysis, growth, time value of money, capital investment decisions (NPV, IRR, payback), bond valuation, stock valuation, risk, return and diversification, beta, SML and CAPM, and cost of capital.

How do I customize the learning objectives for my institution?

Each learning objective is tagged with its Bloom's taxonomy level. You can adjust the verb and scope to match your department's specific AACSB learning goals while maintaining alignment with the cognitive level.

Is this suitable for both introductory and advanced sections?

Yes. We offer variants for courses taught at different levels. The core topic sequence is the same, but the depth, prerequisites, and assessment strategies differ based on your student population.

Our department calls this class Financial Management or Principles of Finance. Does this template still apply?

Yes. Fundamentals of Finance, Principles of Finance, Financial Management, Introduction to Finance, and Business Finance all describe the same core undergraduate curriculum. Department labels vary widely. This template covers the curriculum and works under any of those names.

How much does this cost?

The syllabus template is completely free. No account required. Blended Teaching also offers a free video textbook platform for instructors if you're looking for course materials to pair with your syllabus.

Fundamentals of Finance Syllabus Template [Free Download]

Whether your institution calls it Fundamentals of Finance, Financial Management, Basic Finance, Business Finance, Corporate Finance, Corporate Financial Management, Corporation Finance, or any of the 19+ common names for this course — this template covers the standard curriculum.

What Every Fundamentals of Finance Syllabus Needs

A fundamentals of finance course is where students learn the tools — discounting, valuation, ratio analysis, risk and return — that the rest of the finance curriculum assumes. If the fundamentals course is weak, every upper-division class that follows is built on sand. A strong syllabus is explicit about which fundamentals students will master, in what order, and how you will measure that mastery before they move on.

The essential components include a course description positioning fundamentals within the broader business program, learning outcomes aligned with Bloom's taxonomy and AACSB assurance-of-learning goals, a week-by-week topic schedule, an assessment strategy matched to each outcome, academic-integrity policies appropriate to your delivery format, and a curated reading list. Fundamentals syllabi are also the place to set expectations about quantitative rigor: many students come in assuming "fundamentals" means easy, and the syllabus is your first chance to correct that.

Order matters in a fundamentals course more than anywhere else in the finance curriculum. Students who do not master time value of money early will struggle with every valuation topic in the back half. Students who skim over financial statements cannot do ratio analysis. Students who rush past risk will misuse the CAPM. The 16-week schedule here is paced for fundamentals mastery: foundations first, mechanics second, decision frameworks third, with a midterm break positioned where the quantitative difficulty noticeably jumps.

16-Week Topic Schedule

A proven sequence that scaffolds quantitative concepts. Each week builds on the last.

Week 1

Issues in Financial Management

Role of finance, financial goals, forms of business organization, the agency problem

Week 2

Financial Statements

Balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement, common sizing

Week 3

Financial Ratio Analysis

Debt ratios, income ratios, market value ratios, DuPont analysis

Week 4

Growth

External financing needed, stages of growth, sustainable growth rate

Week 5

Time Value of Money

Present value, future value, compounding, discounting, annuities, perpetuities

Week 6

Time Value of Money — Applications

Uneven cash flows, loan amortization, DCF applications

Week 7

Midterm Review & Exam

Comprehensive review of weeks 1-6

Week 8

Capital Investment Decisions

Capital budgeting, NPV, payback period, internal rate of return, secondary tools

Week 9

Capital Investment Decisions — Applications

Incremental cash flows, depreciation, working capital, project analysis

Week 10

Bond Valuation

Bond characteristics, bond fundamentals, yield to maturity, interest rate risk

Week 11

Stock Valuation

Valuing stocks, dividend discount model, stock markets, market efficiency

Week 12

Risk, Return & Diversification

Historical returns, expected return, standard deviation, systematic vs. unsystematic risk, diversification

Week 13

Beta, SML & CAPM

Beta, security market line, capital asset pricing model, portfolio theory

Week 14

Cost of Capital

Weighted average cost of capital, cost of equity, cost of debt, applying WACC

Week 15

Review & Integration

Connecting capital budgeting, valuation, risk, and cost of capital in a unified framework

Week 16

Final Review & Exam

Comprehensive review of all course material

Sample Learning Objectives — Bloom's Taxonomy Aligned

Each objective uses a measurable action verb at a specific cognitive level. Adjust the verb and scope to match your institution's AACSB learning goals.

RememberDefine key financial terms including NPV, IRR, WACC, CAPM, and beta

UnderstandExplain the time value of money and its role in financial decision-making

ApplyCalculate the present and future value of single and multiple cash flows

ApplyValue bonds and stocks using appropriate pricing models

AnalyzeAssess a firm's financial health using ratio analysis and DuPont framework

AnalyzeEvaluate the risk-return tradeoff of different investment opportunities using beta and CAPM

EvaluateCompare capital budgeting proposals using NPV, IRR, and payback criteria

EvaluateDetermine a firm's weighted average cost of capital and its components

CreateConstruct a pro forma cash flow analysis for a proposed capital investment

CreateBuild a financial model that integrates valuation, risk, and cost of capital to support an investment decision

How to Align Your Fundamentals of Finance Syllabus With AACSB Standards

AACSB-accredited business schools must demonstrate Assurance of Learning (AoL) — systematic evidence that students achieve the program's learning goals. For individual finance courses, this means each learning objective should map to at least one program-level goal.

The 2020 AACSB standards emphasize competency-based outcomes and continuous improvement. Rather than prescribing specific content, they require schools to define their own learning goals and prove that curricula achieve them. This template supports that process by providing objectives already tagged with Bloom's taxonomy levels, making it straightforward to demonstrate alignment between course-level assessments and program-level AoL requirements.

Common AACSB learning goal categories for finance programs include: analytical thinking and problem solving, ethical understanding and reasoning, knowledge application in finance, and effective communication. The template's learning objectives span all four categories across the Remember through Create cognitive spectrum.

Textbook Pairings

This syllabus template works with any standard fundamentals of finance textbook.

Blended Teaching: Financial Management

Cline, Pennathur & Robinson — Blended Teaching

For instructors who want to flip the classroom. Studio-produced video lectures handle the fundamentals so class time can focus on application, discussion, and real-world problem solving.

Principles of Corporate Finance

Brealey, Myers & Allen — 14th Edition, McGraw-Hill

The gold standard for rigorous programs. Excellent for finance majors.

Corporate Finance

Berk & DeMarzo — 6th Edition, Pearson

Strong on real-world applications. Good for mixed-major sections.

Fundamentals of Corporate Finance

Ross, Westerfield & Jordan — 13th Edition, McGraw-Hill

Accessible writing. Popular for intro-level courses.

Foundations of Finance

Keown, Martin & Petty — 11th Edition, Pearson

Clear explanations. Well-suited for non-majors and community colleges.