Syllabus Spring2015 FIN818

FIN818AE Econometrics
Semester: Spring 2015

Time: T 4:30 7:10 p.m.
Classroom: S 041
Final: T 5:40 7:30 p.m.
Instructor: Abu Jalal

Office: Sawyer 824
Phone: (617) 570 4898
Email: ajalal@suffolk.edu
Office Hours:
MW 2:30
3:30 p.m. or by
appointment
Required Text: Stock, J. & M. Watson, Introduction to Econometrics,

3rd Edition
Required Software: Stata (Student version of IC Stata, Six-month
License)
Stata Resource: http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/
Course Overview:
In this course, students are introduced to fundamental and applied
econometrics. We will cover some fundamental econometric tools as well as
hypothesis testing, linear regressions, model specification, dummy variables,
and time series forecasting. You will also be introduced to Stata, a commonly
used statistical software in the business world for data analysis.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected:
to become more proficient in the use of basic probability and statistics
tools;
to understand econometric methods and the important role of
underlying assumptions;
to be able to use these methods in practice to analyze data, testing
hypothesis, selecting variables and models, performing forecasting,
and writing scientific reports.
to be able to use analytics (statistical software and methods) for
business decisions
The lectures will be based on the text and other relevant materials. Class
attendance will be important and participation is required.
The students are expected to have a strong understanding of statistical tools.
The class will be fast-paced and a large number of topics will be covered in a
relatively short period of time. As a result, students are strongly
cautioned to not miss any class.
Prerequisites:
The course assumes that you have completed courses in basic algebra,
accounting, microeconomics, and statistics. If you have not taken these
courses you will find the concepts introduced in this course difficult:
FIN 810 Investment Analysis
Reading Assignments:
You are required to read the chapters before class. It will help you
understand the material better. It will enable you to ask appropriate
questions during the class lectures.
Even if you dont understand everything discussed in a particular chapter,
continue to read. (You are not expected to understand everything before the
class.)
Homework Assignments:
We will cover quite a bit of material each week, so you will be in trouble if
you dont keep current. There will be two homework assignments. The
assignments can be submitted individually or in a group of no more than 3
students.
Exams:
There will be a 2-hour midterm exam and a 2-hour final exam. The midterm
will focus on the material covered in class since the first class. The final
exam will focus on the material covered in class since the midterm. The
midterm and the final exam will not be open book, calculators will be
required, and I will provide a limited crib sheet for some of the basic
formulas.
Final Project:
As part of the requirement for this course, you will be required to produce a
major econometrics paper. The paper will follow the format of a research
paper in Finance. You will be required to identify a topic, provide literature
review, identify at least two hypotheses, collect data, conduct empirical
analyses, and write a conclusion based on your findings. You will make a 1015 minute presentation on your project to the class. Finally, the project writeup will be due on the day of the final exam.
Class Attendance and Participation:
Students registered for the class are required to attend all the sessions. At
the start of each of the classes, I will pass around an attendance sheet for
you to sign. Signing on someone elses behalf will be considered an
academic dishonesty and you may face penalties ranging from lowering of
course grade to awarding a grade of F for the entire course.
It is your responsibility to sign the attendance sheet. If you fail to sign it, you
will be considered absent for that day.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to determine what you have
missed (check the Blackboard or ask your classmates) including any
administrative announcements I may have made.
Students medical information is private. Thus, I cannot request medical

information such as doctors notes from students. Students should provide
such documentation to the Student Affairs Office (SAO) when absolutely
necessary. The SAO does not provide excused absence notes for students,
but may, upon your request, inform me of absences if you have been absent
for a week or longer or are experiencing a serious personal emergency.
Please let me know if you expect to arrive late, leave early, or miss a class.
Please show respect for you fellow classmates by limiting extraneous
discussions to outside of the classroom and turning off cell phones (or muting
ring-tones).
Participation in class discussions is an important part of the learning process.
Dont be hesitant or shy!!!
Make-up Exams and Incompletes:
No make-up exam will be scheduled unless legitimate documented evidence
is presented.
No Incomplete will be granted unless legitimate documented evidence is
presented.
Grading Policies and Guidelines:
Grading will be based on a combination of the following:
Class Attendance and Participation
10%
Homework (2)
10%
Final Presentation
10%
Final Project
20%
Midterm
25%
Final Exam
25%
Grade Definition:
Grading will be on the basis of a curve. The expected grade (or the median
grade), will be a B+.
Workload Expectations:
You should, on average, expect to spend an additional six (6) hours per
week on coursework outside the classroom.
Contacting Me Outside of Class:
If you need to contact me I strongly urge you to use the email address listed
on the previous page. I will check my email messages daily and you can be
sure I will receive your message this way. Otherwise feel free to stop by my
office S824 during office hours.
Blackboard Page Delivery of Course Materials:

I will establish a course web page on the Internet. It can be accessed through
the Blackboard.
Always check the Blackboard Page before class. This site will include
PowerPoint or MS Word files of the course lecture notes, homework
assignments, any external web links, and relevant updates about the class
including any changes in assignments or exams. You may be able to read
these the files on this site directly with your browser. However it works best
to save the file first, then, open it using the application. I recommend you
print the lecture notes. You will be responsible for bringing the relevant
course notes to each lecture.
If a file or link is not operational, let me know via email ASAP so I can correct
the link.
Academic Dishonesty:
Cheating on examinations, plagiarism, and/or improper acknowledgement of
sources in essays or research papers, and the use of a single essay or paper
in more than one course, without the permission of the instructor, constitute
unacceptable academic conduct. It is dishonest to buy, download, borrow or
lend papers. It is unacceptable to make up or falsify data that are supposed
to be collected from survey, experimentation, or other means. Work that you
represent as your own should be your own; if not, the source should be
properly identified. This applies to lab reports, computer projects, and group
projects, as well as to individual assignments. Each instructor should fully
explain the requirements of the course and the applicable policies regarding
academic dishonesty. Because Suffolk University holds its students strictly
accountable for their adherence to the highest standards of academic
honesty, it is expected that graduate students know what does and does not
constitute acceptable behavior.
A student who has been found to have violated this rule after adjudication by
the Dean of Students Office is subject to an automatic grade of F in the
course and to suspension, enforced withdrawal, or expulsion from the
University or appropriate lesser penalties if warranted by the circumstances.
Graduate faculty within the department may also be involved in the review
of alleged academic dishonesty.
The Universitys Academic Honesty Policy was expanded this summer at the
suggestion of several faculty to prohibit unauthorized collaboration and
student use of teachers manuals.
Physical/Emotional Health:
A range of issues can cause barriers to learning, such as strained

relationships, increased anxiety, health issues, alcohol/drug problems,
feeling down, difficulty concentrating, lack of motivation or feeling ill. These
concerns or other stressful events may lead to diminished academic
performance or may reduce your ability to participate in daily activities.
University resources can help you address these and other concerns. You can
learn more about Suffolks broad range of medical and confidential mental
health services at www.suffolk.edu/health.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
If you anticipate issues with the format or requirements of this course, please
meet with me I would like to discuss ways to ensure your full participation
in my classroom. If you determine that you need formal, disability-related
accommodations, it is very important that you register with the Office of
Disability Services (located at 73 Tremont Street, 7th floor, 617.994.6820,
disabilityservices@suffolk.edu) and notify me of your eligibility for
reasonable accommodations. We can then plan how best to implement your
accommodations.
Changes to the Syllabus:
This is a tentative syllabus. If there are any changes to the syllabus, I will
announce them in the class. Therefore, it is your responsibility to keep track
of the changes to the syllabus.
Class Schedule (Tentative), Spring 2015 (updated January 19, 2015)

Wee
k
1
2
3
4
5
Date
Topics and Readings
Jan 20
Jan 27
Feb 3
Feb 10
Feb 17
Feb 24
7
8
9
Mar 3
Mar 10
Mar 17
Ch.1. Economic Questions and Data

Ch.2. Probability and Statistics
Ch.4. Linear Regression
Ch.5. Hypothesis Testing, HW#1
Ch.6. Linear Regression with Multiple
Regressors
Ch.7. Hypothesis Testing
Midterm Review
Midterm
Spring Break
Ch.8. Non-linear Regression
10
11
12
13
14
15
Mar 24
Mar 31
Apr 7
Apr 14
Apr 21
Apr 28
16
May 5
Ch.10. Panel Data

Ch.11. Binary Dependent Variable
Ch.12. Instrumental Variables, HW#2
Ch.14. Time Series Regressions
Individual Project Presentations
Individual Project Presentations
Final Exam Review
Final Exam (5:40 7:30 p.m.)
Project
Progress
Topic Due
Revised Topic
Data
Collection
Data Analysis
Presentation
Presentation
Write-up
Due

Syllabus Spring2015 FIN818

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Syllabus Spring2015 FIN818

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Syllabus Spring2015 FIN818

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

FIN818AE Econometrics

Semester: Spring 2015

Instructor: Abu Jalal

Required Text: Stock, J. & M. Watson, Introduction to Econometrics,

Students medical information is private. Thus, I cannot request medical

Blackboard Page Delivery of Course Materials:

A range of issues can cause barriers to learning, such as strained

Class Schedule (Tentative), Spring 2015 (updated January 19, 2015)

Topics and Readings

Ch.1. Economic Questions and Data

Ch.10. Panel Data

You might also like