Finance

The finance concentration prepares students to make financial assessments and managerial decisions as well as plan and supervise financial activities for businesses and clients. Courses cover the theory and practice of managing financial aspects of business and organizations, including capital budgeting, investments, capital markets, financial institutions, and emerging financial instruments. With this background, students are prepared for lucrative careers such as financial managers, financial analysts, treasurers, controllers, credit managers, financial services representatives, stockbrokers, and more.

Finance Course Descriptions

General Education *
Writing Intensive Courses WR (must earn C- or better to fulfill requirement) 
Speaking Intensive Courses SP

Finance 250 - Personal Finance

Basic fundamentals in selected areas of personal finance; role of the individual as a consumer and as an investor. Students cannot receive credit for both FINA 250 and MATH 114.  3 credits. *Fulfills General Education Goal 5.

Finance 295 - Special Topics

Selected topics in finance. The topics may vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit when topics change. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. 1-3 credits.

Finance 311, 312 - Studies Abroad

Primarily intended for transfer of credit earned abroad in courses in finance. 1-18 credits.

Finance 350 - Principles of Finance

Principles and practices of financial management within a business firm. Examines acquisition of funds, cash flow, financial analysis, capital budgeting, working capital requirements, and capital structure. Prerequisites: ACCT 240, ECON 217, and one of the following: MANG 275, MATH 171, MATH 271. 3 credits., or MATH 301. 3 credits.

Finance 351 - Risk Management

An introduction to the fundamentals of risk management. General understanding of the varied applications of the principles of insurance to situations involving risk. Prerequisite: FINA 350. 3 credits.

Finance 353 - Managerial Finance

This course focuses on corporate financial decision-making. Topics include risk assessment, capital budgeting, cost of capital, and asset pricing models. Prerequisite: FINA 350. 3 credits.

Finance 354 - Working Capital and Treasury Function

This course complements FINA 353; it concerns managing liquidity, working capital, long-term liabilities, selecting a capital structure, and obtaining long-term financing. Prerequisite: FINA 350. 3 credits.

Finance 390 - Directed or Independent Study

Must be approved by the head of the department. May be repeated as 391. 1-18 credits.

Finance 413 - International Financial Markets

This course will analyze the key financial markets and instruments that facilitate trade and investment activity on a global scale. The scope of this class includes two area: first, the economics determinants of prices, price changes, and price relationships in the major financial markets; and second, the policy issues that result for private enterprises and government policymakers. Prerequisite: ECON 308 or FINA 350. 3 credits.

Finance 450 - Financial Management

Considerations, analyses and decisions pertinent to the financial management of a business firm. The course will make extensive use of cases. Offered spring semester only. Prerequisite: FINA 350. 3 credits. WR and SP

Finance 451 - Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management

Characteristics and analysis of individual securities as well as the theory and practice of optimally combining securities into portfolios. The presentation of material is intended to be rigorous and practical, without being overly quantitative. Offered fall semester only. Prerequisite: FINA 350. 3 credits.

Finance 452 - Financial Markets and Institutions

Characteristics of and interrelationships among financial markets, securities, and institutions. Includes analysis of futures, options, swaps, and other derivative instruments. Offered spring semester only. Prerequisite: FINA 350. 3 credits.

Finance 453 - Principles of Real Estate

Principles of ownership and transfer of real property interests; buying, selling, or leasing residential or investment real estate; and legal, economic, financial, and appraisal aspects of the subject matter. Prerequisite: FINA 350. 4 credits.

Finance 454 - Real Estate Appraisal

Introduction to the basic principles and procedures of real estate appraisal. Topics include the real estate market, principles of valuation, building and site analysis, legal concepts, and the application of the three approaches to real estate valuation. Single family housing and rural lands will be highlighted. Offered spring semester only.  Prerequisites: FINA 350 and FINA 453 or instructor's permission. 4 credits.

Finance 455 - Real Estate Finance and Investments

Introduction to the basic principles and procedures of real estate finance and investments. Topics include sources of funds, types and contents of financing instruments, roles of private and governmental institutions, the determination of economics feasibility of real estate investments and the effects of financing and taxes on investment profitability. Offered fall semester only.  Prerequisite: FINA 350. 4 credits.

Finance 456 - Real Estate Law

Legal concepts of real estate, land descriptions, real property rights, estates in land, contracts, conveyances, encumbrances, foreclosures, recording procedures, evidence of title, consumer protection and landlord-tenant law. Offered fall semester only. Prerequisite: FINA 350. 3 credits.

Finance 490 - Independent Study

Advanced topics in finance. This is an individually designed course that allows the student to pursue advanced topics in specific finance areas. Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of instructor. 1-3 credits.

Finance 492 - Internship: Finance

An on-the-job learning experience designed to give students an opportunity to apply their technical and professional skills and to observe organizations in action. Prerequisites: Cumulative and major GPA of 2.33 or greater, 60 credits, declared business or economics major, a declared concentration, FINA 350, MANG 391, and permission of internship director. 2-3 credits per internship placement; limited to a maximum of 6 credits. *Fulfills General Education Goal 14.

Finance 495 - Special Topics. Selected Topics in Finance

The topics may vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit when topics change. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. 1-3 credits.

Finance 498 - Honors Research in Finance

Students conduct research in finance under the direction of a faculty member and the Senior Honors Research Committee. May be repeated as FINA 499. 3 credits.