Finance

This is an archived copy of the 2019-20 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://bulletin.ndsu.edu.

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 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses number 300 or higher.
  6. Transfer Students: Must earn a minimum of 60 credits from a baccalaureate-degree granting or professional institituion. 
    1. Of these 60, at least 36 must be NDSU residence credits as defined in #7.
    2. Within the 36 resident credits, a minimum of 15 must be in courses numbered 300 or higher and 15 credits in the major field of study.
  7. At least 36 credits must be NDSU resident credits.  Residence credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.

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

University General Education Requirements

Communication (C)12
College Composition I
College Composition II
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing
Quantitative Reasoning (R) 3
Science and Technology (S) 10
Humanities and Fine Arts (A) 6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) 6
Wellness (W) 2
Cultural Diversity (D) *†
Global Perspectives (G) *†
Total Credits39
  •  A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.

Major Requirements

Pre-College of Business Requirements
ACCT 200Elements of Accounting I *3
ACCT 201Elements of Accounting II *3
COMM 110Fundamentals of Public Speaking (May satisfy general education category C) *3
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics (May satisfy general education category B and G) *3
MIS 116Business Use of Computers (May satisfy general education category S)3
ECON 202Principles of Macroeconomics (May satisfy general education category B and G) *3
ENGL 110College Composition I (May satisfy general education category C) *4
ENGL 120College Composition II (May satisfy general education category C) *3
MATH 144Mathematics for Business *4
PHIL 216Business Ethics (May satisfy general education category A) *3
PSYC 111Introduction to Psychology (May satisfy general education category B) *3
or SOC 110 Introduction to Sociology
STAT 330Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) *3
STAT 331Regression Analysis *2
Finance Major Requirements **
ENGL 320Business and Professional Writing (May satisfy general education category C)3
FIN 320Principles of Finance (requires a grade of C or better) 13
MGMT 320Foundations of Management 13
MRKT 320Foundations of Marketing 13
BUSN 430Legal and Social Environment of Business 13
FIN 410Investment Analysis and Management3
FIN 430Management of Financial Institutions3
FIN 460Corporate Finance3
BUSN 489Strategic Management (Capstone Course) 13
MIS 320Management Information Systems 13
Finance Courses **
FIN 420Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives3
FIN 440International Finance3
FIN 470Analysis of Fixed-Income Securities3
FIN 480Applied Portfolio Management 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:
FIN 397
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
Total Credits100

Degree Requirements and Notes

  • Students must include one of the following international courses in their plan of study:
    BUSN 340International Business3
    BUSN 341Global Business Environment3
    FIN 440International Finance3
    MGMT 440International Management3
    MRKT 440International Marketing3
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Prerequisite for Finance Internship: FIN 320 with a grade of C or better.
  • Students should refer to www.ndsu.edu/business for current and complete listing of the major requirements.