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AFM 274Introduction to Corporate Finance

Units
0.50
Faculty
Arts
Subject
Accounting and Financial Management

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course is the first in a two-course sequence that deals with corporate financial decision-making. Topics may include capital budgeting, cost of capital, security issuance, capital structure, payout policy and dividends, and short-term finance.

Prerequisites

Antirequisites

  • Complete all of the following
    • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
      • ACTSC372 - Investment Science and Corporate Finance (0.50)
      • ACTSC391 - Corporate Finance (0.50)
      • AFM275 - Corporate Finance (0.50)
      • ECON371 - Business Finance 1 (0.50)
    • Not completed any of the following:

Leads to

Reviewed on UW Flow

68% liked it35% easy86% useful

From 78 ratings and 14 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • If you get Haihao Lu as your Prof, change sections or drop the course, bro doesn't teach shit, and as knowledgeable as he is, he has the heaviest accent youre gonna hear, and you almost certainly won't get a word of what he is saying, so unless you wanna teach yourself, switch.

    Oct 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This was honestly much harder than AFM 273. I am not sure if finance is one of my weak points, but throughout the whole course I felt very lost. I did many of the practice problems, utilized the textbook, and tried to engage in the class, yet I still felt lost every lecture I walked into. When you do get the answer or explanation to some of the problems, it seems like common sense, until you go and try an example on your own where everything falls apart. I do not think it is the professors that make this course difficult, I believe if they changed the structure with PBL style learning like in AFM 291, students would have a much easier time and find more success. Again, it may just be me,…

    Aug 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Not sure why ppl were saying this was easier than 273 bc it was NOT lol. Concepts def felt more challenging and 90% of your mark will be from exams. Def not impossible to do well in this course tho, just have to ask for help early if you need it and actually go to class

    Aug 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Eh... It's Ok...

    Aug 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • POV: You're a CFM student and didn't take AFM 273

    Jun 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

49 posts and comments in 39 threads mention AFM 274, August 2015 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Spring 2024

AFM 274 Curve 3 points, 1 comment

u/Cheap-Ad-3056: “I was wondering if the final marks for AFM 274 will be curved? I know our midterms got curved and our final may be curved but does that mean we won't get a curve for our final mark?”

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Waterloo AFM 5 points, 5 comments

“Does anyone know how math based AFM is? I checked the program courses but there’s no math courses.”

u/Accurate-Couple-6663: “AFM 274 will have basic algebra and re arranging of some financial equations for WACC”

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Winter 2024

AFM/SFM 2B average 1 point, 3 comments

u/Menaces2004: “… So far my average has been in the low 80s throughout my degree, and I know both AFM and SFM take AFM 274, 244, and 291 which are supposedly harder course loads. Should I expect my grades to drop this term? …”

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Spring 2023

Failed AFM 291 midterm 6 points, 12 comments

u/Live-Orchid-4180: “So i got a low mark on the AFM 291 midterm and i am thinking to drop it and take it in fall 2023. I couldn’t take AFM 274 in 2B as i failed AFM 273 which i am retaking right now. Is it hard to take AFM 291 in 3A and AFM 274 in 3B? Also when will i take AFM 373?”

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Questions about AFM 274 2 points, 1 comment

u/SuccessOk3875: “For those who have taken AFM 274 before, I’m wondering what’s the exam (midterm and final) format gonna be. I’m currently taking this course but it is so hard for me and I can barely understand the logic behind the formula and most of the course content. …”

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AFM Waterloo question - a grade 12 2 points, 5 comments

“Hi there, So i got accepted to AFM at Waterloo which I've been wanting for the past two years and worked for. I plan on getting my CPA. …”

u/DivineMuffin: “… However, the finance ones (AFM 273/274 in 2nd year) are more math heavy and have proven difficult for many in the past but it's definitely surmountable with ample studying. I would not stress it 4. …”

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Winter 2023

Spring 2022

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar