Syllabus
The official syllabus is the PDF below. The HTML summary at the bottom is for quick reference and search only.
Official syllabus — MGT 816 · Fall 2026
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Quick reference (HTML summary)
Course description
This course is about the CFO role at a private, entrepreneurial company. We cover accounting-based financial metrics, financial reporting, and managerial accounting, and we build the accounting system the way a company does: from the start-up phase through to exit.
Prerequisites: Financial Accounting and Corporate Finance.
Textbook: Entrepreneurial Finance and Accounting for High-Tech Companies, Frank Fabozzi, MIT Press, 2016 (first edition).
Grading (400 points total)
| Component | Points |
|---|---|
| Final exam (closed book; one handwritten cheat sheet) | 200 |
| Two problem sets (groups of 2–4; both count) | 80 |
| Two cases (groups of up to 4) | 75 |
| Class participation (in-class + pre-class Canvas polls) | 45 |
| Total | 400 |
The course cannot be taken pass/fail.
Deliverables at a glance
| Deliverable | Assigned | Due (1:00 pm) | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case 1 memo (FeedBurner) | Wed, Sep 2 | Wed, Sep 16 | 37.5 |
| Problem Set 1 (cap tables) | Wed, Sep 9 | Wed, Sep 23 | 40 |
| Case 2 memo (Solstice Robotics) | Mon, Sep 21 | Wed, Sep 30 | 37.5 |
| Problem Set 2 (AI-assisted forecast) | Mon, Sep 28 | Mon, Oct 12 | 40 |
| Final exam | — | Fri, Oct 16, 5:30–8:30 pm | 200 |
Use of AI
AI tools are required on Problem Set 2 and welcome as study aids throughout the course. Two rules apply:
- Every number you submit is yours — if you cannot reproduce and defend it, do not submit it. On PS2 you document this in a graded verification log.
- The final exam is closed book and tests this material without AI.
Laptop and tablet use
Tablets are permitted for notes and following lecture materials. Laptops may be used only in the back rows, with one exception: Monday, September 28 (AI-assisted forecasting workshop) — bring a laptop with Excel; laptops are required throughout the room that day.
Full schedule
See the Schedule page for session-by-session preparation and links.