Finance

Finance

Annie Wong, Chair
wonga@wcsu.edu
Westside Classroom Building 141, Westside Campus
(203) 837-8577
(203) 837- 8527 (fax)

TBD, Department Secretary
Westside Classroom Building 249, Westside Campus
(203) 837-8342
(203) 837- 8527 (fax)

Faculty

Overview

The finance curriculum is designed to provide students with the theoretical background and practical skills for pursuing a career in financial investments and markets, financial management, or international finance.

Finance courses offer the student an opportunity to analyze financial problems, learn the tools of financial decision-making, and utilize sound methodologies in the resolution of the problems confronting business, industry and nonprofit organizations today.

The teaching emphasis is analytical, utilizing cases, model building and computer simulation, combined with the lecture method.

Mission

The finance department is dedicated to the principles of quality teaching and the practice of professional excellence. Consistent with the school and University mission, the department is committed to providing finance students with the theoretical background, critical thinking and practical skills necessary for pursuing a career in financial investments and markets, financial management or international finance.

The department prepares its students with the methods of financial planning, financial analysis and control, and for management of complex, changing forms of financial risk.

The finance department is also committed to providing all business students with the statistical knowledge and computer expertise necessary to make data-based decisions across all functional areas of business. The finance program emphasizes the development of the analytical, quantitative, statistical, and communication methodologies necessary for success in the financial industry.

Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance(B.B.A.)

Requirements:

• Completion of all general education requirements (see departmental program sheet for specific requirements).
• Completion of the business core courses as listed below.*

*Business Core Courses:

FIN 230	Business Statistics
ACC 201	Financial Accounting
ACC 202	Managerial Accounting
MGT 250	Organizational Behavior
MGT 320	Operations Management
MIS 260	Information Systems Concepts
MKT 301	Principles of Marketing
FIN 310	Principles of Finance
JLA 240	Commercial Law or ACC 340 Business Law I (for accounting majors)
MGT 415	Strategic Management
FIN 310	Principles of Finance

Finance Requirements:

    FIN 320 Financial Management
    FIN 330 Financial Decision Models
    FIN 340 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
    FIN/ECO 360 Money, Banking, and Capital Markets
    FIN 370 Financial Institutions
    FIN 490 Cases in Managerial Finance

In addition to the courses listed above, a finance student must select either the financial investments and markets option or the financial management option by taking an additional nine credit hours of courses listed below:

Course Restrictions

For a complete list of prerequisites, corequisites and other restrictions for all courses, please consult the Course Description section of this catalog.

Financial Investments and Markets Option

Students who choose the financial investments and markets option will be exposed to the latest advances in the areas of the pricing of financial securities, international finance and the management of constantly changing and complex forms of financial risk. Graduates of this track can pursue careers as investment analysts, securities traders, investment bankers, and in any of a host of careers that require analytical ability and the commitment to solving unique and challenging financial problems.

   FIN 316 Quantitative Methods in Finance or FIN 317 Fixed Income Securities
   FIN 486 Financial Engineering
   FIN/ECO 488 Multinational Financial Issues

Financial Management Option

Students who choose the financial management option will have the opportunity to acquire skills in the areas of financial planning, analysis, and control. Graduates of this track are employed as bankers, financial analysts, financial planners, and a number of careers that require the ability to synthesize a broad range of financial, accounting, and economic variables in making sound financial decisions.

   ACC 301 Intermediate Financial Accounting I
   ACC 302 Intermediate Financial Accounting II
   ACC 403 Federal Taxation or ACC 303 Intermediate Financial Accounting III or ACC 361 Cost
   Accounting or ACC 407 Consolidation, Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting

Learning Outcomes

A graduate of the Finance Department should be able to : 

• Demonstrate knowledge of  portfolio management, security valuations, financial statement analysis, and risk-return analysis.
• Demonstrate  knowledge of financial planning, long & short term financing , and the functions of financial management.
• Apply basic analytical and quantitative techniques to solve complex problems and make sound financial decisions.
• Utilize computer based analytic methods
• Demonstrate knowledge of domestic and international markets & institutions
• Effectively communicate financial problems and solutions orally and in writing

Minor in Finance

Admission to the minor requires completion of at least 45 semester hours with a GPA of 2.3.  Successful completion of the minor requires the student to take 18 semester hours and to maintain a 2.3 GPA in all finance courses.  There are two tracks in the Finance minor:

Track 1: Investments

This minor requires the completion of the following courses:

  FIN 310 Principles of Finance
  FIN 320 Financial Management
  FIN 330 Financial Decision Models
  FIN 340 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management

 And a choice of two of the following:

  FIN 316 Quantitative Methods of Finance
  FIN 317 Fixed Income Securities
  FIN/ECO 360 Money, Banking and Capital Markets
  FIN 370 Financial Institutions
  FIN 486 Financial Engineering
  FIN/ECO 488 Multinational Financial Issues

Track 2: Financial Management

This minor requires the completion of the following courses:

  FIN 310 Principles of Finance
  FIN 320 Financial Management
  FIN 330 Financial Decision Models
  FIN 340 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management

And a choice of two of the following:

  ACC 301 Intermediate Financial Accounting I
  ACC 302 Intermediate Financial Accounting II
  ACC 361 Cost Accounting

The department reserves the right to approve alternative requirements on a case–by–case basis after advisement from a finance faculty member and approval by the department. Students receiving a B.B.A. degree must earn at least 50 percent of their credits in non-business courses and attain a GPA of 2.3 or better.