FINA 202Introduction to Investments

An introduction to the institutions, markets and instruments of the financial system, as well as the theory and practice of asset valuation and portfolio selection.

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Course details

Dates
7 Jul 2025 to 9 Nov 2025
Starts
Trimester 2
Fees
NZ$962.40 for
International fees
NZ$4,427.55
Lecture start times
  • Tuesday 9.30am
  • Friday 9.30am
Campus
Pipitea
Estimated workload
Approximately 150 hours or 8.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
Points
15

Entry restrictions

Prerequisites
Corequisites
None
Restrictions
None

Taught by

School of Economics and FinanceWellington School of Business and Government

Key dates

Find important dates—including mid-trimester teaching breaks—on the University's key dates calendar.

You'll be told about assessment dates once the course has begun.

Key dates

Course learning objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

  1. Describe financial market microstructure and explain why relevant institutions exist.

  2. Explain the logic of portfolio theory and the trade-off between risk and return.

  3. Describe asset pricing models in the context of undiversified and fully diversified portfolios.

  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the theories explaining valuation of derivaties.

How this course is taught

This course is optimised for face-to-face delivery on campus.Lectures can be accessed via synchronous (live-stream) Zoom or through Vstream.  Midterm test and final exam will be in person.

Assessment

  • Final exam (in person during assessment period (13 Oct to 9 Nov) Mark: 60%
  • Tutorial exercises (electronically for Zoom tutorial, physically for in-person tutorial) Mark: 10%
  • Mid term test (50 minutes, on 2 Sept during class time) Mark: 30%

Assessment dates and extensions

Once you've signed up to this course, you can use to see due dates for assessments and information about extensions.

Mandatory requirements

There are no mandatory requirements for this course.

Lecture times and rooms

What you’ll need to get

  • Only silent non-programmable calculators or silent programmable calculators with their memories cleared are permitted in assessments. Your calculator should be capable of calculating a bond's yield to maturity.
  • Non-electronic foreign language to English dictionaries are permitted in assessments.

Recommended texts

Recommended texts add to your understanding of the course.

Title: Investments

Edition: 13th Edition

Authors: Bodie, Z., Kane, M. and Marcus, A.J.

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Who to contact

Lee Vassiliadis portrait

Lee Vassiliadis

Course Administrator

Past versions of this course

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Selected offering

FINA 202

7 Jul–9 Nov 2025

Trimester 2 · CRN 18177

2025 course optionsOptions (1)