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Professional Linkage Seminar (394-LK-22)

Topic

The History of Investing

Instructors

Scott Bondurant
Office Hours: By Appointment
Professor Bondurant brings a wealth of investment experience (35+ years) to his teaching, including senior leadership roles at UBS Global Asset Management, a sell-side career in institutional equities and his current position of CEO of his own Independent Investment Advisory. Scott earned a B.A. in History at Stanford University and an M.B.A. in Finance at Duke University.

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-440: Mon 6:00PM - 8:50PM

Overview of class

*INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*

The instructor of "The History of Investing" is Scott Bondurant.


The course merges the history of financial markets with the evolution of investment theory and practical investing concepts. The class also features distinguished guest speakers from across the investment industry and readings from some of the most influential investing books ever written.


Topics include:
• The history and development of financial markets
• Core investment concepts and theories
• How investing works in practice across different asset classes
• Insights from investment professionals through guest speakers
• Management of a virtual stock portfolio
• Fundamentals of personal investing

Whether you're interested in investment banking, asset management, or just becoming a better investor, this course gives you a strong foundation and exposure to content you will not experience in a traditional finance class.

Evaluation Method

  • 20% class participation

  • 15% investment game

  • 20% paper

  • 15% midterm

  • 30% final

Class Materials (Required)

StockTrak
Price: $32 per team

Books will be available via Course Reserves:

Devil Take The Hindmost: A History of Investment Speculation; Author: Edward Chancellor
The Intelligent Investor; Author: Benjamin Graham
A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing; Author: Burton G. Malkiel
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets; Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Quants: How a New Breed of Math Whizzes Conquered Wall Street and Nearly Destroyed Its; Author: Scott Patterson
More Money Than God: Hedge Funds and the Making of a New Elite; Author: Sebastian Mallaby
The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future; Author: Sebastian Mallaby
Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment; Author: David Swenson
The Geometry of Wealth: How to Shape a Life of Money and Meaning; Author: Brian Portnoy

Class Notes

For more information about the course, please refer to the sample syllabus on the Kapnick Center website: https://businessinstitutions.northwestern.edu/courses/course-descriptions/index.html

*IMPORTANT DATES for FALL 2026:

  • First Day (mandatory): Monday, September 28, 2026

  • Last Day of Lecture: Monday, November 23, 2026

  • Final Exam (In-Person): Week of Monday, December 7, 2026 (regular final exam schedule per the Registrar's office)
 
Please plan accordingly.

Class Attributes

Attendance at 1st class mandatory