The W. A. Franke College of Business
Department of Economics, Finance, and Accounting
Finance, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Overview
In addition to University Requirements:
- 46 units of business core requirements.
- 30 units of major requirements.
- Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy General Studies Requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.
- Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion |
120 |
| Highest Mathematics Required |
MAT 121 |
| Additional Admission Requirements |
Required |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship |
Optional |
| University Honors Program |
Optional |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-B |
Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link |
Not Available |
Purpose Statement
The study of finance involves the use of credit and debt, securities, and investment to finance current projects using future income flows. Students of finance understand financial concepts such as the time value of money, interest rates, currency exchange, and related topics. In addition, students learn to use financial information to inform strategic decision-making in an organization.
Students will learn the processes and formulas associated with stock and bond pricing, capital budgeting, short and long-term financing of assets, international currency exchange, and investment decision-making. Students will analyze and discuss a variety of investment strategies, how money moves through the investment process, how securities markets work, and how to use financial decisions to create strategic advantage for an organization.
Students who take the elective Student-Managed Investment Fund courses will have deep exposure to investment strategy, will analyze various investment options, and will make recommendations for the investment of significant university foundation funds. Elective courses may lead to an additional certificate in investments, risk management and insurance, financial planning, or corporate managerial finance.
The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance prepares students for careers related to security markets, financial institutions, risk management, international finance, investment principles, corporate financial management, financial analysis, and financial modeling. Job titles in finance include financial analyst, banker, certified financial planner, risk/insurance manager, portfolio manager, investment analyst, corporate financial manager, and loan underwriter.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Technical Skills
- Value Assets: When valuing stocks, bonds, projects, or other assets, learners can identify appropriate inputs and articulate how those inputs affect value.
- Apply the Principles of the Time Value of Money: Learners will be able to apply the concepts of the time value of money in a variety of situations.
- Forecast Financial Statements: Learners will forecast an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement using appropriate inputs such as receivables, contracts, and market values.
- Assess Risk: Learners will be able to identify and explain the causes of risk, how to measure and price risk, and how to assess the effects of risk in decision-making.
- Analyze Financial Statements: Learners will be able to identify, define, and describe the components of financial statements, including the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. Learners will be able to describe the relationship between the different financial statements and will be able to construct financial statements using that knowledge. In addition, learners will be able to construct and describe various financial ratios and convert the information in financial statements into common size and percentage change formats.
- Explain the Principal-Agent Problem: Learners will be able to identify and assess the conflict in priorities between business stakeholders and business management (known as the principal-agent problem). Learners will be able to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of a company that are based on, and identifiable from, corporate structure, governance, policies, and leadership composition.
- Describe the Impacts of Global Systems: Learners will be able to describe different financial systems across the world and how financial activity takes place across those systems.
- Professional Skills
- Communicate effectively in written and oral formats for a variety of purposes, situations, and audiences. Additionally, learners will communicate effectively as both individuals and as part of a group presentation.
- Demonstrate team collaboration skills to achieve a common objective within a diverse workforce, including productively contributing to team activities and goals, and effectively interacting/engaging with others based on individual differences and group dynamics.
More Information