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 (https://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 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 FINC 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.
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