Finance
Finance Major
The Finance major provides an academic experience sufficient to prepare students for employment in financial services, which includes banking, investment banking, investment management, financial planning, insurance and financial management. It also benefits students interested in pursuing finance-related professional certifications such as the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Major Requirements
Major: Finance
Degree Type: B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 123
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Experience (F): | ||
| BUSN 189 | Skills for Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take BUSN 189.) | 1 |
| Communication (C): | ||
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I * | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II * | 3 |
| ENGL 320 | Business and Professional Writing | 3 |
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking * | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning (R): | ||
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics * | 3 |
| Science & Technology (S): | ||
| CSCI 116 | Business Use of Computers * | 4 |
| A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general education science/technology course unless the course includes an embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course. Select from current general education list. | 6 | |
| Humanities & Fine Arts (A): | ||
| PHIL 216 | Business Ethics * | 3 |
| Select from current general education list | 3 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (B): | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics * | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics * | 3 |
| Wellness (W): Select from current general education list | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D): Select from current general education list | ||
| Global Perspectives (G): | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics * | 3 |
| or ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 40 | |
| Pre-College of Business Requirements | ||
| ACCT 200 | Elements of Accounting I * | 3 |
| ACCT 201 | Elements of Accounting II * | 3 |
| MATH 103 | College Algebra * | 3 |
This is waived for students who place into MATH 105 or higher. | ||
| PSYC 111 | Introduction to Psychology * | 3 |
| or SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology | |
| STAT 331 | Regression Analysis * | 2 |
| Pre-Finance Requirements | ||
| MATH 144 | Mathematics for Business * | 4 |
| Finance Major Requirements ** | ||
| BUSN 301 | Organizational Citizen | 0 |
| FIN 320 | Principles of Finance 1 | 3 |
| MGMT 320 | Foundations of Management 1 | 3 |
| MRKT 320 | Foundations of Marketing 1 | 3 |
| BUSN 430 | Legal and Social Environment of Business 1 | 3 |
| FIN 410 | Investment Analysis and Management | 3 |
| FIN 430 | Management of Financial Institutions | 3 |
| FIN 460 | Corporate Finance | 3 |
| BUSN 489 | Strategic Management (Capstone Course) 1 | 4 |
| MIS 320 | Management Information Systems 1 | 3 |
| Finance Courses ** | ||
| FIN 420 | Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives | 3 |
| FIN 440 | International Finance | 3 |
| FIN 470 | Analysis of Fixed-Income Securities | 3 |
| 300-400 level Courses ** | 18 | |
| Select 9 credits from three of the following six areas (includes courses cross-listed with CoB courses): | ||
1) ACCT | ||
2) MGMT | ||
3) MRKT | ||
4) MIS | ||
5) Environment of Business: | ||
| Taxation in Management Decisions | ||
| International Business | ||
| Global Business Environment | ||
| Principles of Real Estate | ||
| Organizational Communication I | ||
| Business Law I-Contracts, Property and Torts | ||
| Business Law II-Business Organization and Commercial Transactions | ||
| International Business Law | ||
| Cooperatives | ||
| Managerial Economics | ||
6) Internship up to three credits: | ||
| Fe/Coop Ed/Internship | ||
| Finance Service Internship | ||
| Select 9 credits (minimum) from the following eleven areas (must be 300-400 level); includes courses cross-listed with CoB courses: | ||
1) FIN | ||
2) ACCT | ||
3) AGEC | ||
4) BUSN | ||
5) CSCI | ||
6) ECON | ||
7) MATH | ||
8) MGMT | ||
9) MIS | ||
10) MRKT | ||
11) STAT | ||
| Degree Electives: Potential of 10 credits to reach 123. | 10 | |
| Total Credits | 123 | |
| * | Pre-college and pre-finance major courses: A grade of 'C' or better is required in these courses for admission to the Finance major. |
| ** | Students must earn a grade of 'C' or better and have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA in ALL courses included in the professional program (i.e., all required courses, elective requirements, and additional 300-400 level College of Business electives or breadth electives). The only exception is BUSN 301, which is a P/F course. |
| 1 | Denotes Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) course. |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- Students must include one of the following international courses in their plan of study:
Course List Code Title Credits BUSN 340 International Business 3 BUSN 341 Global Business Environment 3 FIN 440 International Finance 3 MGMT 440 International Management 3 MRKT 440 International Marketing 3 - 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.
- Business courses from programs that do not hold AACSB International accreditation cannot be used for major or minor requirements in the College of Business (CoB); such courses may be eligible for use as free electives.
- The CoB accepts a maximum of nine credits of non-NDSU 300-400 level business courses from AACSB programs with approval of the department.
- Admission into the finance major: Students must earn a 'C' or better in the pre-college and pre-finance major courses that are indicated with an asterisk (*), achieve junior standing (60 credits), and earn a 2.50 institutional cumulative grade point average. Students must submit an online application to the CoB.
- Admission to the finance major is required to enroll in the advanced 300 or 400 level courses in the CoB.
- A grade of 'C' or better is required in transfer courses accepted for ACCT 200 Elements of Accounting I and ACCT 201 Elements of Accounting II and all 300-400 level accounting, business administration, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing courses.
- A letter grade must be earned in any course that fulfills a major requirement (with the exception of some practicum options and BUSN 301).
- A 2.50 cumulative grade point average is required to enroll in 300-400 level CoB courses.
- Students must earn a 2.50 institutional GPA to graduate.
- Of the credits completed in residence at least 30 credits must be in 300-400 level CoB courses.
- 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 is NOT offered with this major.
- For multiple majors within the CoB, at least 15 unique credits of 300-400 level CoB courses must exist between the majors.
- Students should refer to www.ndsu.edu/business for current and complete listing of the major requirements.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BUSN 189* | 1 | COMM 110 | 3 |
| CSCI 116 | 4 | ENGL 120 | 3 |
| ENGL 110 | 3 | MATH 144 | 4 |
| MATH 103 | 3 | PSYC 111 or SOC 110 | 3 |
| Humanities/Fine Arts Elective | 3 | Cultural Diversity or Non-major Elective | 3 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ACCT 200 | 3 | ACCT 201 | 3 |
| ECON 201 | 3 | ECON 202 | 3 |
| PHIL 216 | 3 | STAT 331 | 2 |
| STAT 330 | 3 | Non-major Elective | 3-4 |
| Science & Technology Elective | 2 | Science & Technology Elective (w/lab) | 4 |
| Wellness | 2 | ||
| 16 | 15-16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 320 | 3 | BUSN 430 | 3 |
| FIN 320 | 3 | 300-400 Level Business Elective | 3 |
| MGMT 320 | 3 | 300-400 Level Business Elective | 3 |
| MIS 320 | 3 | FIN 430 | 3 |
| MRKT 320 | 3 | FIN 460 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| FIN 410 | 3 | BUSN 489 | 4 |
| FIN 420 | 3 | FIN 440 | 3 |
| 300-400 Level Business Elective | 3 | FIN 470 | 3 |
| 300-400 Level Business Elective | 3 | 300-400 Level Business Elective | 3 |
| Non-Major Elective(s) | 4 | 300-400 Level Business Elective | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Total Credits: 123-124 | |||
| * | At some time following the completion of BUSN 189 and prior to graduation, all College of Business students must register for and successfully complete BUSN 301 (0 credits). |
Note: This is only a sample curriculum; actual class schedules will depend on availability and individual choices. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic adviser on a regular basis to review their plan of study.
