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.

My department calls this class Financial Management or Principles of Finance. Is this template still relevant?

Yes. Introduction to Finance, Principles of Finance, Financial Management, Business Finance, and Corporate Finance all share the same core undergraduate curriculum. We see institutions use all of these labels interchangeably. This template covers the curriculum, and it adapts to whichever name your department prefers.

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.

Introduction to Finance Syllabus Template [Free Download]

Whether your institution calls it Introduction to 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 Introduction to Finance Syllabus Needs

Introduction to Finance is the course that makes or breaks a student's relationship with the discipline. For finance majors, it is the gateway to the rest of the program. For non-majors, it is often the one finance class they will take in their career. A syllabus built for the intro course has to serve both audiences without diluting the content for either, and that starts with defining in plain language what students should be able to do after sixteen weeks.

The essential components include a course description written for students who may never have seen a financial statement, learning outcomes aligned with both Bloom's taxonomy and AACSB assurance-of-learning goals, a session-by-session topic schedule, an assessment strategy matched to each outcome, academic-integrity policies for your delivery format, and a list of required and recommended readings. An intro syllabus especially needs to explain the why: why we study finance, why each topic matters, and why the quantitative work is worth the effort.

Pacing is the intro-course instructor's most important design decision. Students have not yet seen time value of money. They have not yet valued a bond or a share of stock. They are learning the quantitative vocabulary alongside the conceptual framework. The 16-week schedule in this template builds a deliberate on-ramp: foundational analysis first, mechanics and tools in the middle, valuation and investment decisions in the second half, and capital structure at the end, with a midterm break positioned exactly where the conceptual difficulty 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 Introduction to 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 introduction to 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.