Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Finance Major, BS in Business Administration – International Business Concentration


The Finance major offers students a skillset applicable to a broad range of careers across industries that are relevant to public and private businesses, non-for-profits, and government entities alike. General areas of study are how decision-makers evaluate, fund, and manage projects within an enterprise and how financial market participants process information to price risky assets such as stocks or bonds. Finance majors develop analytical skills useful in examining financial statements and evaluating the financial health of companies, assessing dimensions of business problems, evaluating financial implications of corporate and individual actions, and constructing investment portfolios. Finance majors develop the ability to utilize spreadsheets to process and present financial data. In addition, they may gain specialized training in Bloomberg, which is considered by finance professionals to be the gold standard for accessing current market, economic, and financial information.

Popular careers include Financial Manager, Financial Analyst, Financial Advisor, Portfolio Manager, Financial Risk Management Actuary, Management Analyst (Consultant), Loan Officer, Budget Analyst, Investor Relations Associate, Credit Analyst, Commercial Real Estate Agent and Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents. Many of these are included in the top 15 best business jobs according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Jobs Rankings for 2017 (http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/best-business-jobs), and their job outlook is forecast to be better than the average for all occupations according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm).

Finance majors have flexibility to customize their studies through a broad array of electives, student organizations, experiential learning, and collaterals best suited to a particular career path. The department has course listings in investments, financial statement analysis, financial management, financial institutions, international finance, fixed income, real estate, risk and insurance, derivatives, and enterprise risk management. The Finance department is certified as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Recognized University. As such, students pursuing a major in Finance gain valuable exposure to many topical areas required in sitting for the CFA designation, which is regarded as the key designation for investment professionals worldwide. Sponsorships are available to help cover costs for students sitting for the CFA exams. The Finance department also offers cutting edge resources through the Masters Investment Learning Center. In addition to specialized Bloomberg training, Finance majors gain real-world experiences in value investing or wealth management managing actual portfolios (via Finance 495). Finance majors may also enrich their experience through internships and participation in the CFA Global Investment Research Challenge, the Tennessee Capital Markets Society, the Financial Management Association, and the UT Investment Group.

Students who major in Finance need quantitative skills, problem solving skills, and communication skills.

uTrack Requirements (for students entering Fall 2013 or later)

Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester, known as milestones. Milestones include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students who first entered Fall 2013 or later. uTrack does not apply to transfer students who enter prior to Fall 2015.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Finance Major – International Business Concentration


Term 1 Hours Milestone Notes
1,2ENGL 101 * or ENGL 118  3 2.5 cumulative GPA
3Intermediate Foreign Language * 3  
4MATH 123 *, MATH 141 *, or MATH 147  3-4  
3Natural Sciences Electives * 3-4  
CMST 210 *, CMST 217 *, CMST 240 *, or CMST 247  3  
BUAD 100   1  
Term 2
1,2ENGL 102  3 2.5 cumulative GPA
3Intermediate Foreign Language * 3  
4MATH 125 *, MATH 142 * or MATH 148  3-4  
3Natural Sciences Electives * 3-4  
MGT 202   3  
Term 3
5ACCT 200  or ACCT 203  or ACCT 207   3 MATH 125 * or MATH 141 
3Arts and Humanities Elective * 3  
ECON 211 * or ECON 217  3  
ENGL 255 *, ENGL 257 *, or ENGL 295  3  
6Unrestricted Elective 3  
Term 4
3Arts and Humanities Elective * 3 2.5 Cumulative GPA and completion of following courses with C or better: MATH 123 *-MATH 125 * or MATH 141 *-MATH 142 *; CMST 210 * or CMST 240 *; ENGL 255 * or ENGL 295 *; ACCT 200  or ACCT 203 ; ECON 211 *; ECON 213 *; STAT 201 * or STAT 207 *; MGT 202  
BUAD 242   2  
ECON 213 * or ECON 218  3  
5STAT 201 * or STAT 207  3  
6Unrestricted Elective 3  
9BUAD 200   1  
Term 5
FINC 420   3 BUAD 242  
5BUAD 331 , 5BUAD 332   4  
BUAD 341 , BUAD 342   4  
5FINC 301   3  
9BUAD 300   1  
Term 6
BUAD 205  or ECON 305  or MGT 311  or PHIL 244 * or PHIL 252  3 2.5 cumulative GPA
FINC 425   3 BUAD 331 , BUAD 332   
6Unrestricted Electives 5 FINC 301  
8International Business coursework 3  
Term 7
BULW 301   2 FINC 420 , FINC 425  
FINC 455   3  
8International Business coursework 3  
6Unrestricted Elective 3  
5BUAD 453   4  
Term 8
7Finance Elective 3 No milestones
8International Business coursework 6  
7Finance Elective 3  
6Unrestricted Electives 2  
9BUAD 405   1  
TOTAL 120  
1 Must be completed by the end of the First Year.
2 Students who complete ENGL 118 * with a grade of A or B will complete their English composition requirement by choosing ENGL 102 *, a sophomore-level course in the English department, or ENGL 355 *. If the sophomore-level English course appears on the Arts and Humanities list, the course may also be counted toward the Arts and Humanities requirement.
3 Chosen from the University General Education list .
4 MATH 125 * or MATH 141 * or MATH 152 * are prerequisites for STAT 201 *, which is taken during the second semester of the Second Year. As a result, either MATH 125 * or MATH 141 * or MATH 152 * must be completed by the end of the first semester of the Second Year.
5 Students admitted to Smith Global Leadership Scholars will complete the honors versions of these courses – ACCT 207 , MGT 207 , STAT 207 *, FINC 307 , BUAD 337 , BUAD 338 , and BUAD 457 .
6 Any courses not already required for the major. Students admitted to Smith Global Leadership Scholars will fulfill 10 hours of electives with the following courses – BUAD 217 , BUAD 317 , BUAD 417 , BUAD 427 , and BUAD 497 .
7 Finance electives chosen from FINC 402 , FINC 435 , FINC 440 , FINC 445 , FINC 463 , FINC 475 , FINC 481 , FINC 493 , FINC 495 ; IB 449 .
8 Twelve hours chosen from IB 409 , IB 429 , IB 439 , IB 449 , IB 492 , BUAD 400  or MGT 472 ; and IB 489 .
9 Students admitted to Smith Global Leadership Scholars will not take these courses due to content being covered elsewhere in their curriculum.

* Meets University General Education Requirement .