Nov 13, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Finance Major, BS in Business Administration – Collateral Option


The Finance major offers students a skill set 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 real estate and 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 20 best business jobs according to U.S. News and 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, Bloomberg software training. 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, the Real Estate Club, and the UT Investment Group.

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

uTrack Requirements


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.

Term 1


  • 2 Natural Sciences  Elective 3-4 Credit Hours *
  • 4 Unrestricted Elective 3 Credit Hours

Credit Hours 16-18


Term 1 Milestone Notes


  • 2.5 cumulative GPA

Term 2


Credit Hours 15-17


Term 2 Milestone Notes


  • 2.5 cumulative GPA

Term 3


Credit Hours 15


Term 3 Milestone Notes


  • 2.5 cumulative GPA

Term 4


Credit Hours 15


Term 4 Milestone Notes


  • 2.5 Cumulative GPA
     

Credit Hours 15


Term 5 Milestone Notes


Term 6


  • Collateral Course 3 Credit Hours
  • 4 Unrestricted Elective 2 Credit Hours
  • 5 Finance Elective 3 Credit Hours

Credit Hours 15


Term 6 Milestone Notes


  • 2.5 cumulative GPA

Term 7


  • Collateral Course 3 Credit Hours
  • 6 Finance Elective 3 Credit Hours

Credit Hours 14


Term 8


  • Collateral Course 3 Credit Hours
  • 5 Finance Elective 3 Credit Hours
  • 4 Unrestricted Electives 8 Credit Hours

Credit Hours 15


Term 8 Milestone Notes


  • No milestones

Total Credit Hours 120-124


Footnotes


  1. Must be completed by the end of the First Year.
  2. Chosen from the Volunteer Core  list.
  3. Students who have already completed MATH 132 * with a C or better may substitute that for MATH 141 *.
  4. 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 .
  5. Finance electives chosen from FINC 311 , FINC 381 , FINC 402 , FINC 435 , FINC 440 , FINC 445 , FINC 475 , FINC 481 , FINC 482 , FINC 493 FINC 494 , FINC 495 , FINC 496 ; IB 449 .
  6. Students admitted to Smith Global Leadership Scholars will complete the honors versions of these courses: ACCT 208 , BUAD 337 , BUAD 338 , BUAD 457 *, ECON 218 *, FINC 308 , and STAT 207 *.
  7. Students admitted to Smith Global Leadership Scholars will not take these courses due to content being covered elsewhere in their curriculum.
  8. First-semester freshmen should take BUAD 100 ; transfer students should take BUAD 210 .
  9. At least three hours from courses among the Volunteer Core : Applied Arts and Humanities , Arts and Humanities Global Citizenship - International , Global Citizenship - US , or Social Sciences  lists.

* Meets Volunteer Core Requirements .

Finance Collateral Options


Advanced Foreign Language


(only available to students pursuing International Business as a secondary major)

Economics


Information Management


Sales