Four-Year Plan: Click here to view the Four-Year Plan for this specific program. To find out more about Four-Year Plans, visit the Policies and Procedures page.
Thinking about the discipline: Finance is the study of how organizations make decisions in the context of firm value maximization. These decisions involve the analysis of risk/return variables and mathematical models used to measure them. Financial managers in a variety of institutional settings are responsible for decisions concerning such things as firm expansion, dividend policy, working capital management and capital structure.
The B.S.B.A. with a major in finance prepares graduates for a variety of career possibilities including: corporate finance, securities, commercial banking, and financial planning. Careers in corporate finance involve capital budgeting, project financing, mergers and acquisitions, financial risk management, and international finance. Careers in the securities industry include securities analysis and financial research. Banking careers include positions such as commercial loan officers, trust administrators and bank managers. Careers in financial planning encompass all aspects of individual financial planning such as retirement, estate, 401K, college savings, insurance and pension planning. Investment bankers help corporations perform business transactions, make investment decisions, and raise venture capital.
Students intending to pursue a career in corporate finance or investments should consider choosing their electives from the following list: FIN 355 Principles of Risk Management and Insurance (3 credits) , FIN 385 Financial Planning Process and Estate Planning (3 credits) , FIN 435 Case Studies in Corporate Finance (3 credits) , FIN 445 Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits (3 credits) , FIN 450 Advanced Investment Analysis (3 credits) (by application only) and possibly taking ACC 320 Intro to Business & Individual Taxation (3 credits) as an additional course.
Students considering careers in managerial finance should consider taking the following courses in addition to the finance electives: ACC 202 Analysis of Accounting Information (1 credit) , ACC 300 Intermediate Accounting I (3 credits) , ACC 301 Intermediate Accounting II (3 credits) , ACC 320 Intro to Business & Individual Taxation (3 credits) , ACC 350 Management Cost Accounting I (3 credits) .
Special opportunities for our students: B.S.B.A.-Finance students have the opportunity to participate in internship programs. Internship opportunities are very diverse and are continually upgraded through the efforts of our professional advisory boards, faculty, and the college’s business experience manager. There is also an active student organization that provides outstanding professional networking opportunities at regular meetings and activities. Each year, the department faculty select the outstanding finance student of the year.
Students earning the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) with a major in finance are eligible to be considered for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest academic recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business college accredited by AACSB International.
You should also know: All students successfully completing the B.S.B.A. major in finance automatically earn an interdisciplinary Minor in Business as part of their required course of study for the major degree. The Minor in Business satisfies the university’s minor/focus/second major requirement for graduation.
A grade of C or better in all program courses in the finance major is required to earn the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) with a major in finance.
Special admission requirements: The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) with a major in Finance is a selective admission program. Students enter the program as a Pre-Finance major.
Students are officially admitted to the college as a BSBA-Finance major after meeting the following requirements:
- Completion of the six courses in the selective admission group (ACC 200 , ACC 201 , BUS 230 , ECO 100 , ECO 101 , and MKT 205 ) with a grade of C- or better in each and
- An overall NKU GPA of 2.5 or better or a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the six selective admissions courses.
All transfer students enter as pre-majors and must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours at NKU in order to establish the NKU GPA for selective admission into the major, regardless of individual course completion status.
♦ Indicates prerequisite.
These prerequisites are not included in the program totals in the table below, but they must be satisfied IN ADDITION TO other program requirements.