Finance, BSM

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Management (BSM)
Major: Finance


Program Overview

As a finance major, you will add to the core foundation provided by the BSM in Finance with the necessary knowledge to be prepared for careers in banking, financial management, consulting and other fields. The finance major provides advanced skills and knowledge for financial analysis and decision making, including:

  • Understanding of global financial markets and valuation
  • Theory and practice of financial modeling
  • Advanced quantitative skills and application of financial analytics

For more information, review the Weatherhead School of Management finance program website or contact the Finance Academic Representative.

Learning Outcomes

  • Students are competent analysts.
  • Students are effective at quantitative reasoning.
  • Students are effective communicators.
  • As team members, students exhibit traits essential for high performing teams.
  • Students are experienced in applying business knowledge and skills.

Undergraduate Policies

For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Programs

Undergraduate students may participate in accelerated programs toward graduate or professional degrees. For more information and details of the policies and procedures related to accelerated studies, please visit the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

Program Requirements

Students seeking to complete this major and degree program must meet the general requirements for bachelor's degrees and the Unified General Education Requirements. Students completing this program as a secondary major while completing another undergraduate degree program do not need to satisfy the school-specific requirements associated with this major.

Students with questions about Weatherhead's majors, secondary majors or minors should consult a Weatherhead academic advisor

BSM Degree Requirements

The BS in Management requires a minimum total of 122 credit hours. The remaining credit hours to reach a minimum total of 122 may be fulfilled by courses taken for Unified General Education Requirements, secondary majors, and/or minors or by an assortment of classes. These may be Weatherhead or non-Weatherhead courses.

Computational and Mathematical Sciences Requirements:
MATH 125Math and Calculus Applications for Life, Managerial, and Social Sci I a4
or MATH 121 Calculus for Science and Engineering I
Choose one of the following:3-4
Introduction to Programming for Business Applications
Programming in Java
Elementary Computer Programming
Calculus for Science and Engineering II
Math and Calculus Applications for Life, Managerial, and Social Sci II
Principles Requirements:
ACCT 100Foundations of Accounting I b3
ACCT 200Foundations of Accounting II3
ECON 102Principles of Microeconomics3
ECON 103Principles of Macroeconomics3
OPRE 207Statistics for Business and Management Science I a3
Core Requirements:
BAFI 355Corporate Finance3
MGMT 201Contemporary Business and Communication3
MGMT 395Seminar c3
MIDS 301Introduction to Information: A Systems and Design Approach3
MKMR 201Marketing Management3
OPRE 301Operations Research and Supply Chain Management a3
ORBH 250Leading People: The Practice, Theory, and Reality of Leadership (LEAD I)3
ORBH 251Leading Organizations (LEAD II)3
PLCY 399Business Policy3
Total Credit Hours49-50

Major Requirements

Required Courses:
BAFI 356Investments3
BAFI 357Financial Modeling3
BAFI 361Empirical Analysis in Finance3
Electives d, e9
Choose three of the following:
Applying Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain in Business and Finance
Money and Banking
Money and Banking
Financial Data Science: Data Analytics & Machine Learning Fundamentals
Intermediate Corporate Finance
Cases in Finance
Real Estate Finance
Options and Other Derivatives
BAFI or FNCE 400-level course e
Total Credit Hours18
a

Counts as a STEM Area Breadth Course for the Unified General Education Requirement.

b

Satisfies the Quantitative Reasoning requirement for the Unified General Education Requirement.

c

Students must complete three 1 credit hour MGMT 395 offerings each of a different topic.

d

No elective course used to fulfill the Finance major requirements may also be used to satisfy the requirements for a Fintech Minor. 

e

One of the three electives can be a BAFI or FNCE 400-level course selected in consultation with the Finance Academic Representative. 

Secondary Major in Finance

A secondary major in Finance requires completion of the 37 credit hours listed below and any prerequisites. Students seeking to complete a secondary major in Finance should meet with a Weatherhead academic advisor as early as possible to properly plan course scheduling and sequencing (including prerequisites) and continue to consult regularly. 

Foundation Requirements
ACCT 100Foundations of Accounting I3
BAFI 355Corporate Finance3
ECON 102Principles of Microeconomics3
ECON 103Principles of Macroeconomics3
MATH 125Math and Calculus Applications for Life, Managerial, and Social Sci I4
or MATH 121 Calculus for Science and Engineering I
OPRE 207Statistics for Business and Management Science I3
Major Requirements
BAFI 356Investments3
BAFI 357Financial Modeling3
BAFI 361Empirical Analysis in Finance3
Electives a, b9
Choose three of the following:
Applying Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain in Business and Finance
Money and Banking
Money and Banking
Financial Data Science: Data Analytics & Machine Learning Fundamentals
Intermediate Corporate Finance
Cases in Finance
Real Estate Finance
Options and Other Derivatives
BAFI or FNCE 400-level course b
Total Credit Hours37
a

No elective course used to fulfill the Finance major requirements may also be used to satisfy the requirements for a Fintech Minor. 

b

One of the three electives can be a BAFI or FNCE 400-level course selected in consultation with the Finance Academic Representative. 

Sample Plan of Study

Finance majors are advised to take ACCT 100, ECON 102 and MGMT 201 as early as possible and to have completed BAFI 355 by the end of the second year.

Additionally, MGMT 198MGMT 205 and ACCT 106 are also recommended for Finance majors.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
Academic Inquiry Seminar, Breadth, or Elective course a 3
MGMT 198 Experience in Business Problem Solving b 1.5
MATH 125 Math and Calculus Applications for Life, Managerial, and Social Sci I 4
ACCT 100 Foundations of Accounting I 3
ECON 102 Principles of Microeconomics 3
 Credit Hours14.5
Spring
Academic Inquiry Seminar, Breadth, or Elective course a 3
ACCT 200 Foundations of Accounting II 3
ECON 103 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
MGMT 201 Contemporary Business and Communication 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Year
Fall
OPRE 207 Statistics for Business and Management Science I 3
BAFI 355 Corporate Finance 3
ORBH 250 Leading People: The Practice, Theory, and Reality of Leadership (LEAD I) 3
ACCT 106 Spreadsheet Basics for Business and Non-Business Majors b 1
Breadth, or Elective course a 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
ORBH 251 Leading Organizations (LEAD II) 3
Breadth, or Elective course a 3
Core Requirement 3
Major Requirement 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Third Year
Fall
DESN 210 Introduction to Programming for Business Applications 3
MGMT 395 Seminar a 1
Core Requirement 3
Major Requirement 3
Elective 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
MGMT 395 Seminar a 1
Breadth, or Elective course a 3
Core Requirement c 3
Major Requirement 3
Major Requirement 3
Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Fourth Year
Fall
MGMT 395 Seminar a 1
MGMT 205 Essentials of Personal Finance b 1.5
Breadth, or Elective course a 3
Major Requiremnt 3
Elective 4
Elective 3
 Credit Hours15.5
Spring
MGMT 398 Action Learning 4
PLCY 399 Business Policy 3
Major Requirement 3
Elective 4
 Credit Hours14
 Total Credit Hours122
a

Unified General Education Requirement.

b

Not required for the major or degree but recommended as elective course options.