Financial Management and Policies (FMP) I & II are integral courses offered in the University of Virginia’s Darden Business School MBA program by the finance department at Darden. These two courses are offered in the Full Time MBA and Part-Time MBA (PTMBA) programs as well as other hybrid programs as foundational finance. The Financial Management and Policies (FMP) courses are split into two halves:

  1. Financial Management and Policies I (FMP 1): Emphasizes the creation of value for investors through prudent investment decisions.
  2. Financial Management and Policies II (FMP 2): Focuses on the allocation of value among stakeholders through financial policies and major investment strategies, including mergers and acquisitions.

GraduateTutor’s finance tutors offer online tutoring for Financial Management and Policies (FMP) I & II and all other corporate finance, investment and portfolio management courses offered at Darden, UVA. This page covers the following topics:

  1. Financial Management and Policies Course Objectives
  2. Teaching Format for FMP I & II: Case-Based
  3. Course Descriptions: Financial Management and Policies I (FMP I)
  4. Case Studies Used in Financial Management and Policies I (FMP 1)
  5. Course Descriptions: Financial Management and Policies II (FMP II)
  6. Case Studies Used in Financial Management and Policies II (FMP II)
  7. Required Textbook for Financial Management and Policies
  8. Key Questions Addressed in Financial Management and Policies 1&2
  9. Teaching Faculty for Financial Management and Policies 1&2 at Darden UVA
  10. Tutoring for Finance Courses at Darden Business School, UVA

Financial Management and Policies Course Objectives

The Financial Management and Policies (FMP) courses design and structure reflect features of the Darden MBA Programs:

  • A general management perspective;
  • A practical, decision orientation and application orientation using a case-based approach; and
  • A core curriculum for all MBAs that serves as a foundation on which MBAs can build on with electives.

Financial Management and Policies 1 is a mandatory course, and Financial Management and Policies 2 is an elective offered in the second year. Financial Management and Policies (FMP) 1 provides students with

  • A variety of finance and valuation frameworks to make decisions
  • Opportunities to apply the finance and valuation frameworks in various real-world settings with case studies.
  • A broad corporate finance perspective is preferred over a specialized course in equity investments, fixed-income securities, banking, portfolio management, personal finance, etc.

Teaching Format for FMP I & II: Case-Based

The Financial Management and Policies courses leverage the case method, a hallmark of Darden’s teaching philosophy. This approach emphasizes practical, decision-oriented learning, preparing students to tackle real-world financial management challenges.

Course Descriptions: Financial Management and Policies I (FMP I)

FMP I lays the foundation for understanding financial management principles. It covers essential frameworks and tools needed for economic valuation and value creation. This course is aimed at:

  • Non-finance students: Providing a comprehensive introduction to finance from a general management perspective.
  • Experienced finance students: Broadening their understanding of corporate policy and business investment decisions.

Case Studies Used in Financial Management and Policies I (FMP 1)

Financial Management and Policies I uses many case studies to teach the core finance topics including:

  • Bond Pricing to tutor about financial markets and the yield curve
  • Wilson Family Foundation to teach bond pricing and risk premia
  • Teva Pharmaceutical to tutor pricing of corporate debt
  • Darden Capital Management to learn about the risk premium on corporate equity
  • Royal Mail to tutor the cost of capital, including WACC
  • Chestnut Foods to teach about cost of capital in a multi-division firm

Course Descriptions: Financial Management and Policies II (FMP II)

FMP II builds on the principles learned in FMP I, focusing on the allocation of value among stakeholders. It is organized into three modules:

  1. Financial Policy: Examines debt vs. equity financing, tax implications, and capital return strategies.
  2. Enterprise Valuation: Explores valuing entire firms, growth impacts, and the nuances of mergers and acquisitions.
  3. Options and Non-linear Payoffs: Introduces options in executive compensation, risk management, and project valuation.

Case Studies Used in Financial Management and Policies II

Financial Management and Policies II uses many case studies to teach the core finance topics, including:

  • Target Corporation: Capital budgeting.
  • Wilson Family Foundation: Bond pricing and risk premia.
  • Teva Pharmaceutical: Corporate debt pricing.
  • Royal Mail: Cost of capital.
  • Whole Foods: Financial ratios and forecasts.
  • Britannia Chemicals: Incremental cash flow analysis.

Required Textbook For Financial Management and Policies 1&2

There is no required textbook for Financial Management and Policies I & II. FMP I & II study materials are the cases and technical notes included in the course packet. However, if you want supplementary reading material, the following corporate finance textbooks are recommended:

Key Questions Addressed in Financial Management and Policies

Financial Management and Policies 1 & 2 syllabus states that the key questions answered in the Financial Management and Policies courses include

  • How can the firm create and sustain value for its investors?
  • How do managers communicate with investors? And vice versa?
  • How should value be allocated among the firm’s stakeholders?
  • How can corporate finance managers add value to the firm?

Teaching Faculty for Financial Management and Policies 1&2 at Darden UVA

A number of professors from the Finance Department at the Darden School of Business, UVA teach Faculty for Financial Management and Policies 1&2 on a rotational basis. There is no one assigned faculty for this course, unlike in specialized courses.

Tutoring for Financial Management and Policies 1 & 2 and Other Finance Courses at Darden Business School, UVA

Financial Management and Policies 1 & 2 course helps set a good financial foundation for all MBA looking to become investors, owners, entrepreneurs, etc. Although only Financial Management and Policies 1 is a mandatory course, both Financial Management and Policies 1 & 2 are highly sought after and highly recommended for all MBA students. There are several other finance courses the finance department at Darden, UVA offers as elective courses for those interested in pursuing finance further. Here are a few of them:

Corporate Finance Courses

Investment Banking Courses

Portfolio Management Courses

GraduateTutor’s finance tutors offer online tutoring for Financial Management and Policies (FMP) I & II and all other corporate finance, investment and portfolio management courses offered at Darden, UVA. Please email or call us if we can provide you corporate finance tutoring for Financial Management and Policies 1 & 2 or any one of the finance courses from the finance department at Darden, UVA listed above. Or for that matter any other quantitative course you will encounter in a b-school program.