Finance

Major Requirements

Major: Finance

Degree Type: B.S.
Minimum Credits Required for Degree: 120

University Degree Requirements

1. Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
2. Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework.  Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
3. Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
4. A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
5. At least 30 credits must be NDSU resident credits.  Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.
6. At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
7. Students presenting transfer credit must meet the NDSU residence credits and the minimum upper level credit. Of the 30 credits earned in residence, a minimum of 15 semester credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, and 15 semester credits must be in the student’s curricula for their declared major.

For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.

University General Education Requirements

A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Category C: Communication		12
ENGL 110	College Composition I
ENGL 120	College Composition II
COMM 110	Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing †
Category R: Quantitative Reasoning †		3
Category S: Science and Technology †		10
Category A: Humanities and Fine Arts †		6
Category B: Social and Behavioral Sciences †		6
Category W: Wellness †		2
Category D: Cultural Diversity *†
Category G: Global Perspectives *†
Total Credits		39

*

Courses for category D & G are satisfied by completing D & G designated courses in another general education category.

†

General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review major requirements to determine if specific courses can also satisfy these general education categories.

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Requirements for Admission to Pre-Major Requirements:
COMM 110	Fundamentals of Public Speaking 2	3
ENGL 120	College Composition II 2	3
MATH 144	Mathematics for Business 2	4
PSYC 111	Introduction to Psychology 2	3
or SOC 110	Introduction to Sociology
ECON 201	Principles of Microeconomics 2	3
or ECON 202	Principles of Macroeconomics
Finance Major Requirements:
TL 116	Business Software Applications 2	3
ACCT 200	Elements of Accounting I 2	3
ACCT 201	Elements of Accounting II 2	3
ECON 202	Principles of Macroeconomics (Select the course not taken for the pre-major.) 2	3
or ECON 201	Principles of Microeconomics
PHIL 216	Business Ethics 2	3
ENGL 320	Business and Professional Writing 2	3
STAT 330	Introductory Statistics 2	3
STAT 331	Regression Analysis 2	2
Admission to major program required prior to taking the following courses:
FIN 320	Principles of Finance 1, 2	3
MGMT 320	Foundations of Management 1,2	3
MIS 320	Management Information Systems 1,2	3
MRKT 320	Foundations of Marketing 1,2	3
FIN 330	Data Analytics in Finance 2	3
FIN 410	Investment Analysis and Management 2	3
FIN 420	Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives 2	3
FIN 430	Management of Financial Institutions 2	3
FIN 440	International Finance 2	3
FIN 460	Corporate Finance 2	3
BUSN 430	Legal and Social Environment of Business 1, 2	3
BUSN 489	Strategic Management (Capstone Course) 1, 2	3
300-400 Level Electives 2
Select any course prefix at the 300-400 level		6
Finance Electives or Commercial Banking Track 2
Select may complete 12 credits of 300-400 level courses with the FIN prefix or they may declare the Commercial Banking Track and complete the courses outlined in the track below.		12
Total Credits		93

 Commercial Banking Track

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
FIN 450	Advanced Bank Management 2	3
FIN 451	Credit Analysis 2	3
FIN 452	Real Estate Lending 2	3
FIN 453	Risk Management in Banking 2	3
Total Credits		12

¹

 Denotes Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) course.

²

Grades must be a C or better for all courses used to satisfy this requirement.

Degree Requirements and Notes:

• A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA is required for admission to the major, to enroll in 300-400 level courses, and to graduate.
• Students follow the published curricula for the finance program of study from the semester/year of entrance in the College of Business to graduation provided enrollment at NDSU has not been discontinued for more than one year. Students who change their major are subject to meeting the curricular requirements in effect at the time the new major is declared. 
• For admission to the finance major, students must submit an online application to the CoB.
• A letter grade must be earned in any course that fulfills a major requirement (with the exception of some practicum options).
• Students must be accepted to the finance major prior to the completion of the last 30 credits in 300 and 400 level CoB courses.
• A Business Administration minor cannot be taken with this major.

Certificate Requirements

Certificate: Finance

Required Credits: 16

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
FIN 320	Principles of Finance	3
Select 2 courses from the following:		6
FIN 410	Investment Analysis and Management
FIN 420	Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives
FIN 430	Management of Financial Institutions
FIN 440	International Finance
FIN 450	Advanced Bank Management
FIN 451	Credit Analysis
FIN 460	Corporate Finance
FIN 470	Analysis of Fixed-Income Securities
FIN 480	Applied Portfolio Management
Total Credits		9

Degree Notes: 

• Students must earn a 2.50 cumulative GPA in the courses used to satisfy the certificate requirements.
• Courses may not be taken Pass/Fail.
• Required courses for the certificate may require prerequisites.