Graduates of the Finance MS program will be capable of providing their employer with advanced critcial thinking skills.

A graduate of the Finance MS degree will be able to apply advanced financial principles to a variety of business scenarios.

Finance MS students will take the Texas Assessment of Critical Thinking Skills (TACTS) in a required course.

The average of the TACTS scores will be statistically higher than that of the undergraduate students.

 The TACTS instrument was administered to 6 classes of BAN232 and MGT475 (3 of each) in the fall semester of 2009. The BAN232 classes included sections of Dr. Miller's and Dr. Berg's classes and the MGT475 classes were Dr. Zelbst's sections. The results were consistent with previous years where the upperclassmen scored higher on the average than the underclassmen. However, since the year to year results have not changed significantly, a committee of professors will be formed to address the topics covered in the instrument and changes will be made in the presentation and/or time spent on each topic in the hopes of improving the correct responses on the items of interest.

Based on the assessment data collected, a committee of professors will be formed to address the topics covered in the instrument and changes will be made in the presentation and/or time spent on each topic in the hopes of improving the correct responses on the items of interest.

Finance MS graduates will have an advanced understanding of financial principles.

Students will be able to apply knowledge of Finance in solving complex business problems.

At least 80% of Finance MS students will score better than 75% on selected questions in various 500 level Finance courses.  Finance faculty members collaborated on the selection of the embedded questions.  The faculuty members effort ensured that all core concepts were addressed on each exam.

Based on the prior year's assessment data, the finance faculty determined that an increased focus on the risk and return section of the curriculum was required.  Based on this adjustment we anticipate that the students will improve their performance in this area.  The students will average 75% correct in the risk and return embedded questions.

The finance faculty determined that the assessment of FIN 539, International Finance, would be done in two parts.  The first part involved an exercise early in the course covering a variety of basic calculations deemed necessary for success in the course.  The second part involved a selection of twenty-two multiple choice questions covering a variety of different international finance topics that were embedded in the second exam for the course.

Students performed exceptionally well on part one.  The overall average for the course was a ninety-three percent (93.1%).  There was only one exception; the students had difficulty calculating a forward premium or discount in the presence of indirect exchange rates.  Additional emphasis will be placed on the difference between direct and indirect rates. 

The second component of the course assessment was comprised of the multiple choice questions which tested a variety of terms, concepts and calculations used in international finance.  Overall, students answered correctly seventy-six (76.6%) percent of the time.  Although the overall response is lower than anticipated, based on the assessment data collected it is directly attributed to questions dealing with foreign exchange rate risk management.  The learning outcome goal was eighty percent correct, the students performed slightly under the goal.  There was no significant difference in outcome between MS and MBA majors.

Based on the assessment data collected, additional emphasis will be placed on the difference between direct and indirect rates in Finance 539 in the Fall 2009 courses.