Principles of Valuation: Time Value of Money

We will introduce the time value of money (TVM) framework in a carefully structured way, using relatively simple applications at first and quickly moving to more advance ones. We will then spend some time on developing an understanding of alternative decision criteria (NPV, IRR, Profitability, etc.) that are commonly used in the real world. We will wrap up the course with an exposure to the determination of cash flows using accounting principles. The main focus in this building block will be on individual/personal decisions because of two reasons: (a) we learn when we see value to us as individuals and (b) the beauty of finance is that the building blocks of finance are applicable to any decision, personal or corporate. The course will last six weeks with time included for assimilation and two final exams. This course is the first in a sequence of four courses, followed by a Capstone Project, that comprise a Specialization on Valuation & Investing.