Finance Comprehensive Major: B.S.—No Minor Required
CIP: 520801
Finance directly affects the lives and well-being of every person and organization, whether financial or non-financial, public or private, profit or non-profit. These individuals and organizations earn or raise money and spend or invest money. The processes and decision-making methods to carry out these activities are the purview of finance which has been defined as the art and science of managing money. The study of finance is concerned with the processes, institutions, markets and instruments involved in the transfer of money within and between individuals, businesses and governments. The major areas of finance can be divided into four broad categories: financial services, corporate finance, insurance and real estate. Financial services is concerned with the design and delivery of advice and financial products. Corporate finance is concerned with the duties of the financial managers within the business firm. Insurance and risk management deal with the various ways to handle risk and how to protect assets through appropriate insurance coverage. The goal of the finance faculty is to prepare graduates for all of the categories in the world of finance.
The Financial Services Option is designed to prepare students for the financial services industry. This comprises the professions of brokerage, insurance, real estate and banking. In this business sector the students will need to understand the products customers purchase and how to relate this information to the customer.
The Financial Computing Option will bring together course work in both finance and computer science. This area of finance lends itself to the use of many financial decision-making models which are constructed and manipulated with computer technology. This option will lead to employment where there is a need to process data for financial decision making.
The Corporate Finance Option will provide the student with the tools to work within the corporate structure under the chief financial officer, where accounting and financial information is used to make corporate decisions. The student will be able to communicate with both the financial and accounting personnel and identify the useful accounting information and financial models for decision making.
The Financial Management Option will permit students to prepare for a position in management rather than a staff position in finance under the corporate treasurer. This option blends the knowledge of finance and management so the student will be prepared to make management decisions that require an understanding of finance. Almost all decisions in business require a balance of interests from all functional business areas, using the decision-making process and the tools of finance to guide the corporation to the achievement of its goal.
Students choosing a comprehensive major in Finance must take the Common Professional Component courses plus fulfill the following major requirements:
Option One: Financial Services, 24 hours
Required Courses
Choose 3 hours from electives
Total Credit Hours: 24
Option Two: Financial Computing, 24 hours
Required Courses
Total Credit Hours: 24
Option Three: Corporate Finance, 24 hours
Required Courses
Total Credit Hours: 24
Option Four: Financial Management, 24 hours
Required Courses
Total Credit Hours: 24
This program is an ACBSP accredited program.