Finance, BS
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Finance
The field of finance is primarily concerned with the acquisition and management of funds by business firms, governments, and individuals. A business seeks financial advice when considering the purchase of new equipment, the expansion of present facilities, or the raising of additional funds. Determining the value of financial and real assets and derivatives is a key activity in finance.
As the study of finance is designed to provide the student with both the theoretical background and the analytical tools required to make effective judgments in finance, many students select careers in business financial management, commercial and investment banking, investments, government finance, insurance, and real estate. In addition to the finance major requirements, students in finance must meet the University General Education requirements and the Gies College of Business core requirements (for more detail, see the Gies College of Business undergraduate section).
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Finance
Advising Notes
- Courses taken to fulfill major requirements may not be taken on a credit-no credit basis.
- It is recommended that Finance majors take additional accounting. ACCY 201 and ACCY 202 are required in the business core. Many employers look favorably upon additional accounting courses.
Core Curriculum
Normally, students must register for no fewer than 12 hours or more than 18 hours in each semester. Students should take mathematics, economics, and accountancy courses in the semesters indicated in the sample schedule of courses. The computer science course must be taken during the first year. The computer science requirement no longer allows ACE 161 as an equivalent course.
Up to 4 hours of Kinesiology activity courses, numbered 100-110 may be counted toward the 124 hours for the degree. The same section of a course may not be repeated for credit. Credit is limited to a maximum of 12 credit hours for 199 courses. Students may receive foreign language credit for courses only 2 levels below highest level taken in high school. For example: 4 years of high school French-no credit below FR 102.
Credit toward the 124 degree hours is not given for MATH 101. Once the math requirement is completed, lower level math courses cannot be taken for credit.
Any course used to fill a specific degree requirement may not be taken on the credit-no credit grade option. Only free electives may be taken on the credit-no credit option. All finance and accountancy courses must be taken for a grade. It is recommended that all courses taken in the business administration area be taken for a grade.
Minimum hours required for graduation: 124 hours.
University Composition Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I: Principles of Composition 1 | 4-7 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum of six courses is required, as follows: | 18 | |
| Humanities & the Arts: Literature & the Arts (1-2 courses) 4 | ||
| Humanities & the Arts: Historical & Philosophical Perspectives (1-2 courses) 4 | ||
| Natural Sciences & Technology: Physical Sciences (0-2 courses) 5 | ||
| Natural Sciences & Technology: Life Sciences (0-2 courses) 5 | ||
| Behavioral Sciences (1 course) | ||
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | ||
| Cultural Studies: U.S. Minorities Cultures (1 course) | ||
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses) 7 | ||
Language Other Than English
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required. Completion of three years of a single language in high school satisfies this requirement. | 0-15 | |
Business Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCY 201 & ACCY 202 | Accounting and Accountancy I and Accounting and Accountancy II | 6 |
| BUS 101 | Professional Responsibility and Business 2 | 3 |
| BUS 201 | Business Dynamics | 3 |
| BUS 301 | Business in Action | 3 |
| BUS 401 | Global Business Perspectives | 3 |
| BADM 210 & BADM 211 | Business Analytics I and Business Analytics II | 6 |
| BADM 275 | Fundamentals of Operations Management | 3 |
| BADM 300 | The Legal Environment of Bus | 3 |
| BADM 310 | Mgmt and Organizational Beh 6 | 3 |
| BADM 320 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| BADM 449 | Business Policy and Strategy | 3 |
| CMN 101 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| CS 105 | Intro Computing: Non-Tech | 3 |
| ECON 102 & ECON 103 | Microeconomic Principles and Macroeconomic Principles | 6 |
| FIN 221 | Corporate Finance | 3 |
| Total Hours | 54 | |
- 1
For a list of the specific courses that meet this requirement, see the college Office of Undergraduate Affairs in 1055 Business Instructional Facility or see the Course Explorer for a list of approved general education courses.
- 2
BUS 101, BUS 201, BUS 301andBUS 401are required for all Gies College of Business students. Students who enter the College their first year take each sequential course every fall.
Inter-College transfer students take BUS 301 and BUS 401 in their sophomore year. Off-campus transfer students take BUS 101 and BUS 201 in their junior year.
- 4
Three courses in the Humanities & the Arts area are required and students must complete at least one course in the Literature & the Arts and Historical & Perspectives subcategories. At least one of the courses must be a 200 or higher level course.
- 5
Two courses in the Natural Sciences & Technology area are required. It is strongly recommended that students complete one course in the Physical Sciences and Life Sciences subcategories.
- 6
This course includes limited voluntary participation as a subject in experiments.
- 7
CS 105 fulfills a Quantitative Reasoning I requirement.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| For Students Admitted Prior to Fall 2016 | ||
| FIN 300 | Financial Markets (Prerequisite: FIN 221 Corporate Finance) | 3 |
| FIN 321 | Advanced Corporate Finance (Prerequisite: FIN 300 Financial Markets) | 3 |
| Three additional full-semester, 3-hour 400-level Finance courses except FIN 494 or FIN 495 (Senior Research) and FIN 490 (Special Topics). | 9 | |
| Select one of the following (Major elective): | 3-4 | |
| Atg Measurement & Disclosure (Prerequisite: ACCY 202) | ||
| Decision Making for Atg (Prerequisite: ACCY 202) | ||
| Commodity Futures and Options | ||
| Management Decision Models (Prerequisite: ECON 202 or consent of instructor) | ||
Economics: any 300- or 400-level course excluding ECON 302 | ||
| Urban Geography | ||
Mathematics or statistics: any course above the minimum mathematics or statistics requirement of the college with the exception of MATH 225. | ||
Other courses as recommended by the Department of Finance faculty and approved by the Department of Finance chairperson. | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| For Students Admitted Fall 2016 and Later | ||
| FIN 300 | Financial Markets (Prerequisite: FIN 221 Corporate Finance) | 3 |
| FIN 321 | Advanced Corporate Finance (Prerequisite FIN 300 Financial Markets) | 3 |
| FIN 411 | Investment & Portfolio Mngt (Prerequisite: FIN 300 Financial Markets) | 3 |
| Four additional full-semester, 3 hour 400 level-Finance courses except FIN 494 or FIN 495 (Senior Research) and FIN 490 (Special Topics). | 12 | |
| One additional full-semester, 3-hour Finance course at the 200-level or above. | 3 | |
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Finance
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree General and Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| BUS 101 | 3 | ECON 103 | 3 |
| ECON 102 | 3 | CS 105 | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | FIN 221 | 3 |
| Language other than English (3rd level) | 4 | General Education course | 3 |
| Composition I or CMN 101 | 4 | CMN 101 (or Composition I) | 3 |
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| FIN 300 | 3 | FIN 321 | 3 |
| ACCY 201 | 3 | ACCY 202 | 3 |
| BADM 210 | 3 | BADM 211 | 3 |
| BUS 201 | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
| General Education course | 4 | General Education course | 4 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| BTW 250 | 3 | FIN 4XX | 3 |
| BADM 300 | 3 | FIN 2XX OR 4XX | 3 |
| BUS 301 | 3 | BADM 275 | 3 |
| FIN 411 | 3 | BADM 310 | 3 |
| General Education course or Free elective course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| FIN 4XX | 3 | FIN 4XX | 3 |
| BUS 401 | 3 | FIN 4XX | 3 |
| BADM 320 | 3 | BADM 449 | 3 |
| General Education course or Free elective course | 3 | General Education course or Free elective course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course or Free elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 124 | |||
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Finance
- Discipline-based competency: Students will acquire sufficient discipline based competency to address current and future corporate and investment finance problems. Such competency includes using finance knowledge and tools necessary to value real and financial assets, analyze a company’s financial performance, and identify risk factors underlying such valuations or analysis.
- Written and verbal communication competency: Students will be able to effectively integrate information into a coherent, well-organized, professional report.
- Proficiency in the tools of the trade: Students should be able to demonstrate proficiency in the tools of the trade. First and foremost is Excel, but proficiency in Bloomberg, Morningstar, Capital IQ and the other tools of our trade.
- Professional practice and ethics: Students should be familiar with professional practice and demonstrate consistent ethical behavior.
for the degree of Bachelor of Science Major in Finance
Finance
Finance Department website
Gies College of Business
Gies College of Business website