Finance, BBA
Program Description
The courses required for a finance major are designed to help students prepare for careers in Corporate Financial Management, Investment Planning, Brokerage, Insurance, Commercial Banking, Real Estate and other similar fields. Core courses in finance provide students with a background in security analysis and investments, portfolio management, and financial planning and analysis. The curriculum also covers monetary policy, banking, financial markets, financial reporting, statement analysis, and risk management. Students may select finance electives in their area of interest such as insurance, real estate, accounting, or expand their knowledge in investments or financial analysis.
This major is offered on the Island Campus, the RELLIS Campus, and fully online.
Students should complete the Business Foundation Curriculum in the freshman and sophomore years.
BBA Student Learning Goals and Objectives
- G1. To Be Effective Communicators
- CG1.O1 – Demonstrate the ability to write professionally
- CG1.O2 – Prepare and deliver professional presentations
- CG1.O3 – Practice professional interactions
- G.2 To Be Competent in Business Practices
- CG2.O1 – Demonstrate key concepts in business disciplines
- CG2.O2 – Use technology to analyze relevant data
- G.3 To Be Good Decision Makers
- CG3.O1 – Identify key factors for decision making
- CG3.O2 – Analyze alternative solutions and make a decision
- G.4. To Be Good Citizens
- CG4.O1 – Identify ethical concepts
In addition, all Finance Majors will demonstrate knowledge of key Finance theories and concepts, and will apply these Finance theories and concepts correctly.
General Requirements for BBA Degree
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Core Curriculum Program | 42 |
| First-Year Seminars (when applicable)1 | 0-2 |
| Business Core | 45 |
| Finance Major Requirements | 24 |
| Electives | 9 |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-122 |
- 1
Full-time, first time in college students are required to take the first-year seminars.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time, First-Year Students | ||
| UNIV 1101 | University Seminar I * | 1 |
| UNIV 1102 | University Seminar II * | 1 |
| Core Curriculum Program | ||
| University Core Curriculum | 42 | |
| Business majors are required to complete the following courses as part of their University Core Curriculum Program: | ||
| Macroeconomics Principles * | ||
| Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences 1 | ||
| Business Core | ||
| BUSI 0011 | COB Orientation (before or during first semester) 2,* | 0 |
| ACCT 2301 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 2302 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| BAIS 2301 | Computer Applications in Business | 3 |
| BAIS 3310 | Management Information Systems Concepts | 3 |
| BAIS 3311 | Data Analysis and Statistics | 3 |
| BLAW 3310 | Legal Environment of Business * | 3 |
| ECON 2302 | Microeconomics Principles * | 3 |
| FINA 3310 | Financial Management * | 3 |
| MATH 1325 | Calculus for Business & Social Sciences 1 | 3 |
| MGMT 3310 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| MGMT 3315 | Business Communications * | 3 |
| MGMT 4388 | Business Strategy * | 3 |
| MKTG 3310 | Principles of Marketing * | 3 |
| OPSY 4314 | Operations Management * | 3 |
| International Business Course | ||
| Select one of the following depending on major: | 3 | |
| Multinational Entities: Accounting and Consolidations (for Accounting Major) 3,* | ||
| International Economic Issues (for Business Economics Major) | ||
| International Finance (for Finance Major) | ||
| Multinational Management (for Management Major) * | ||
| International Marketing (for Marketing Major) | ||
| International Business (for all other Majors) | ||
| Finance Major Requirements | ||
| FINA 3320 | Intermediate Corporate Finance | 3 |
| FINA 3331 | Investments | 3 |
| FINA 4310 | Advanced Financial Management | 3 |
| FINA 4332 | Security Analysis and Portfolio Management | 3 |
| Finance Electives | ||
| Select 12 hours from the following: | 12 | |
| Financial Markets and Institutions | ||
| Financial Modeling | ||
| Cash Management | ||
| Insurance Principles | ||
| Real Estate Principles * | ||
| Employee Benefits and Retirement Planning | ||
| Financial Institutions Management | ||
| Introduction to Derivative Securities | ||
| Financial Statement Analysis | ||
| Current Topics in Finance | ||
| Directed Individual Study | ||
| Internship in Finance | ||
| Select one upper-level Finance Elective or one of the following: | ||
| Intermediate Accounting I * | ||
| Cost Accounting * | ||
| Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting | ||
| Federal Income Tax I * | ||
| Introduction to Econometrics | ||
| Electives | ||
| Upper-level Business Elective | 3 | |
| Business Elective | 3 | |
| Non-Business or Business Elective | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 122 | |
- 1
Higher level mathematics course may be accepted as a substitute with approval.
- 2
All Business Majors and Minors must complete BUSI 0011 COB Orientation (0 sch) before or during their first semester enrolled in upper-division Business courses.
- 3
ACCT 3318 Multinational Entities: Accounting and Consolidations (3 sch) may be taken as either International Business Course or as an Accounting Elective but not both.
- *
Online offering
- ^
Blended offering
Note:
Course prerequisites are strictly enforced.
Course Sequencing
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| BUSI 0011 | COB Orientation | 0 |
| Creative Arts Core Requirement | 3 | |
| ECON 2301 | Macroeconomics Principles | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | U.S. History to 1865 | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | Writing and Rhetoric I | 3 |
| Life & Physical Science Core Requirement | 3 | |
| UNIV 1101 | University Seminar I | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMM 1311 | Foundation of Communication | 3 |
| HIST 1302 | U.S. History Since 1865 | 3 |
| ECON 2302 | Microeconomics Principles | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture Core Requirement | 3 | |
| MATH 1324 | Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences | 3 |
| UNIV 1102 | University Seminar II | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ACCT 2301 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| Business Elective | 3 | |
| Component Area Option Core Requirement | 3 | |
| MATH 1325 | Calculus for Business & Social Sciences | 3 |
| POLS 2305 | U.S. Government and Politics | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ACCT 2302 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| Component Area Option Core Requirement | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Science Core Requirement | 3 | |
| BAIS 2301 | Computer Applications in Business | 3 |
| POLS 2306 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| FINA 3310 | Financial Management | 3 |
| FINA 3331 | Investments | 3 |
| BAIS 3310 | Management Information Systems Concepts | 3 |
| BLAW 3310 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| MKTG 3310 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| FINA 3320 | Intermediate Corporate Finance | 3 |
| FINA Elective | 3 | |
| BAIS 3311 | Data Analysis and Statistics | 3 |
| MGMT 3310 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| MGMT 3315 | Business Communications | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| FINA 4310 | Advanced Financial Management | 3 |
| OPSY 4314 | Operations Management | 3 |
| International Business Course | 3 | |
| Upper-level Designated Elective | 3 | |
| FINA Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MGMT 4388 | Business Strategy | 3 |
| FINA 4332 | Security Analysis and Portfolio Management | 3 |
| Non-Business Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-level Business Elective | 3 | |
| FINA Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 122 | |
Courses
Covers the foundations of financial planning, managing basic assets, managing credit, managing insurance needs, managing investments, and retirement and estate planning. This course is designed for nonbusiness as well as business majors to give them a basic understanding of the aspects of personal financial planning.
A survey of financial management issues emphasizing planning and decision making. Specific topics covered include discounted cash flow analysis, stock and bond valuation, financial intermediation, organizing, raising and managing capital, capital investment, risk analysis, and financial statement analysis. ACCT 2301, ECON 2301, ECON 2302, BUSI 0011, MATH 1325, or equivalent and Junior standing or above.
Course coverage includes an analysis of financial markets and institutions; regulation, money market operations, global impact of central banking principles and monetary policy, and determinants of interest rates with financial asset pricing.
An in-depth study of financial planning and management with emphasis on capital structure and cost of capital, capital budgeting, and other topics in corporate financial management. The course serves as a framework for understanding a broad range of corporate financial decisions.
Prerequisite: (FINA 3310).
Framework of financial markets, valuation of the firm, security analysis, investment equity versus debt, efficiency of market evaluation, diversification efforts, investment goals, and portfolio selection.
This course will cover the use of spreadsheet analysis in financial applications and introduce students to spreadsheet tools and functions to conduct business and personal financial analysis, valuation of bonds and stocks, and financial forecasting.
An examination of the principles and methods of cash and liquidity management with particular attention to funds transfer procedures and requirements. Specific topics include the role of cash management in corporate financial management, a review of relevant accounting concepts, the structure of the financial environment, the system of disbursements and collections, accounts receivable management, accounts payable management, information technology and electronic commerce, cash flow forecasting, short-term investing and borrowing, financial risk management, international treasury management, and management of relationships.
Prerequisite: (FINA 3310).
Fundamentals of risk management as practiced in the commercial life, health, property, and casualty insurance industries.
This is a fundamental real estate course covering the basic principles of real estate. It provides the students with the background and terminology necessary for advanced study in specialized real estate courses.
This course examines the financial aspects of retirement planning as well as employee benefit planning including group insurance plans and the characteristics of the various types of employee benefit plans: life insurance, medical expense, disability, and retirement income.
Application of financial management tools, examination and interpretation of financial statements, and integration of financial policy and structure on overall management of the enterprise. Students will present cases on the material covered in this and earlier courses to demonstrate they are able to collect and analyze data and present recommendations.
Prerequisite: (FINA 3320).
A study of the institutions and relationships of the international financial system as it relates to the balance of payments, foreign exchange risk, arbitrage and the Eurocurrency market. The emphasis is on methods of arbitrage, forecasting exchange rates, and hedging against foreign exchange risk.
A study of major financial institutions and the markets in which they operate, with emphasis on financial decision making and risk management. Topics include financial intermediation theory; measurement and management of interest rate risk, credit risk, off-balance-sheet risk, foreign exchange risk, country risk, and liquidity risk; capital adequacy; and product/market diversification.
Course coverage includes an analysis of financial derivative contracts. The class includes options, futures and forward contracts; in particular commodity trading and hedging strategies will be covered in detail. Swaps and Interest Rate Options will be included in the presentation if time permits. (
Prerequisite: (MATH 1324).
Evaluation of investment securities of both private and public institutions through external analysis of financial statements and economic conditions, portfolio selection, expected return and risk selection, and conditions of market efficiency. FINA 3310, FINA 3331, BAIS 3311, and Junior standing or above.
A detailed study of financial reporting with emphasis upon practical interpretations. Attention will be given to financial statement analysis using financial accounting information and its finance implications. Assignments may differ depending on major.
Selected topics for special study related to finance functions, processes or issues. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
Individual supervised study and completion of a final report.
Supervised full-time or part-time, off-campus training in business or government finance office. Oral and written reports required.