Major in Finance

Students may seek either an academic major or minor in finance.

The finance major helps provide the knowledge of financial concepts and analytical skills needed to balance finance theory and practical application. It combines a foundation in the principles of business, economics, and accounting with an in-depth focus on issues and knowledge in finance and financial management. The curriculum covers business finance, financial management, investments, and security analysis and valuation. Graduates may pursue a variety of careers in corporate and government financial management, investments, portfolio analysis and management, financial analysis, financial planning, banking, risk management, and insurance.

Intended Program Outcomes

The student who graduates with a major in finance should be able to

• Prepare, analyze, and interpret financial information and apply financial and economic theories to make sound business decisions.
• Apply basic principles of security markets to effectively create, evaluate, and manage security portfolios.
• Describe and analyze the impact of monetary systems' legal, regulatory, and environmental factors on planning, forecasting, and making financial decisions.
• Communicate, collaborate, lead, and influence across the organization to achieve organizational goals effectively and ethically.
• Identify required information and research, collect, synthesize, and interpret data by applying appropriate technology tools to solve business problems.
• Use market principles and entrepreneurial skills to identify, develop, and implement business opportunities and relationships for financial products and services.

Degree Requirements

A degree with a major in finance requires the successful completion of 120 credits of coursework, including 36 credits for the major; 41 credits in general education requirements; and 43 credits in the minor, electives, and other degree requirements. At least 18 credits in the major must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above).

Requirements for the Finance Major

Coursework for a major in finance includes the following:

• Required foundation courses (12 credits): ACCT 220 and 221, STAT 230 (or STAT 200), and BMGT 364
• Required core courses (6 credits): FINC 330 and 340
• Supplemental major courses (15 credits): Chosen from any FINC courses (except FINC 321 and 322) and ECON 430
• Required capstone course (3 credits): FINC 495
• Required related courses (9 credits), which may be applied anywhere in the degree:  IFSM 300, ECON 201, and ECON 203

Recommended Sequence

The following course sequence will fulfill all the requirements for the BS in finance. Coursework for the major is indicated by . Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may make it necessary to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Students should consult an advisor whenever taking advantage of other options.

Finance Degree Courses

First Courses (to be taken within the first 18 credits)

Note: Placement tests are required for math and writing courses.

• EDCP 100 Principles and Strategies of Successful Learning (3)
  (strongly recommended as first course)
• LIBS 150 Introduction to Research (1)
• WRTG 101 Introduction to Writing (3)
  or WRTG 101S Introduction to Writing (3)
• MATH 106 Finite Mathematics (3)
  or a higher-level math course
• BMGT 110 Introduction to Business and Management (3)
  (strongly recommended elective for students with no prior business experience)

Introductory Courses (to be taken within the first 30 credits)

• ACCT 220 Principles of Accounting I (3)
• ECON 201 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
  (related requirement for the major; also fulfills the first behavioral and social sciences requirement)
• BIOL 103 Introduction to Biology (4)
  or other biological and physical sciences lecture and laboratory course(s)
• WRTG 293 Introduction to Professional Writing (3)
  or other writing course
• IFSM 201 Concepts and Applications of Information Technology (3)
  prerequisite to requirements for major
• HUMN 100 Introduction to Humanities (3)
  or other arts and humanities course

Foundation Courses (to be taken within the first 60 credits)

• STAT 230 Introductory Business Statistics (3)
  or STAT 200 Introduction to Statistics
• BEHS 103 Technology in Contemporary Society (3)
  or other behavioral and social sciences course (discipline must differ from first)
• ACCT 221 Principles of Accounting II (3)
• NSCI 100 Introduction to Physical Science (3)
  or other biological and physical sciences lecture course
• ECON 203 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
  (related requirement for the major)
• HIST 125 Technological Transformations (3)
  or other arts and humanities/historical perspective course (discipline must differ from other humanities course)
• COMM 202 Media and Society (3)
  or other communication, writing, or speech course
• IFSM 300 Information Systems in Organizations (3)  
  (related requirement for the major; also fulfills the computing requirement)
• BMGT 364 Management and Organization Theory (3)

Additional Required Courses (to be taken after introductory and foundation courses)

• FINC 330 Business Finance (3)
• FINC 340 Investments (3)
• WRTG 394 Advanced Business Writing (3)
  or other upper-level advanced writing course
• ECON 430 Money and Banking (3)
  or other supplemental major course
• FINC 430 Financial Management (3)
  or other supplemental major course
• FINC 440 Security Analysis and Valuations (3)
  or other supplemental major course
• FINC 421 Financial Analysis (3)
  or other supplemental major course
• FINC 460 International Finance (3)
  or other supplemental major course

Capstone Course for Major (to be taken in the last 15 credits)

• FINC 495 Contemporary Issues in Finance Practice (3)

Minor and/or Elective Courses (34)
(to be taken in the last 60 credits along with required major courses)

Recommended Minors

Human resource management, marketing, or other business-related minor

Recommended Electives

• BMGT 392 Global Business
• BMGT 496 Business Ethics
• WRTG 490 Writing for Managers

Total credits for BS in finance: 120

Finance Degree Planning Worksheet