Finance

Students who choose the finance emphasis will complete five business administration courses, one economics course, two mathematics courses, and one statistics course in addition to the general requirements for a business degree.

• Intermediate Excel Techniques: This course will provide a development of skills needed to become proficient in the use of spreadsheets. Students will use PivotTables, charts, and organizational tools while incorporating many formulas to make their spreadsheets come to life. A main component of this course will be hands-on learning with students becoming peer instructors for one another. This elective course is designed for students majoring in business who are in their sophomore, junior, or senior year.
• Federal Income Tax: A study of federal income tax regulations and forms, based on the Internal Revenue Code, with primary emphasis on tax problems for the individual.
• Advanced Financial Management: The study of advanced topics in financial management, such as risk analysis, capital structure, dividend policy, mergers, acquisitions, foreign investment, etc. Case analysis will be used extensively.
• Investments Management: The study of all types of investments with primary emphasis on stocks, bonds, and related securities. Includes a discussion of the function of securities markets and institutions and portfolio management.
• Insurance and Risk Management: Addresses the fundamental issues of risk management, property insurance, liability insurance, life and health insurance, the insurance market, and the operation of insurance companies. Topics to be discussed include the functions of insurance, government regulation, the nature and legal characteristics of insurance documents, marketing, loss adjustment, social insurance programs, employee benefit plans, re-insurance, and the international role of insurance underwriting. Open to juniors and seniors.
• Money and Banking: An analysis of the nature and function of money; the operation of the financial system; the organization, management and regulation of financial institutions; and the Federal Reserve Systems with special emphasis on the impact of monetary policy and financial institutions on the global economy.
• One math course:
  • Introduction to Financial Mathematics: This course covers topics in basic interest theory including interest, annuities, and amortization as well as basic concepts in derivatives markets including stocks, bonds, forwards, puts, calls, spreads, and hedges. Course content is taught using a guided discovery approach focusing on student conceptual understanding. The course also includes discussion of Christian perspectives on investments and risk management. This course, along with Statistics 218, also serves as preparation for Actuarial Exam FM/2. Offered first half of fall semester.
  • Intermediate Financial Mathematics: This course covers intermediate topics in financial mathematics including progressing annuities, force of interest, duration, convexity, immunization, swaps, forwards and other topics on Actuarial Exam FM/2 that are not covered in Mathematics 148. This course, along with Statistics 132, also serves as preparation for Actuarial Exam FM/2. Offered second half of fall semester.
• Introductory Statistics: An introductory course in statistical techniques and methods and their application to a variety of fields. Topics include data analysis, design of experiments, and statistical inference including confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. Exposure to statistical software and a substantive student project are also part of this course.
• Portfolio Management: An introduction to the process of professional portfolio management via the Defender Capital Management Alumni Endowed Investment Fund (DCM). Students will gain insights into the philosophy, processes, and organization involved in managing an equity portfolio. They will also develop securities research skills, including uncovering sources of information, evaluating economic, industry, sector and firm data, and securities valuation and selection. Presentations will allow opportunities for communicating research findings and reports through formal and informal means. Students will also gain hands on experience with portfolio construction, asset allocation, and risk management, as well as experience with portfolio monitoring, performance evaluation and reporting. Students will be expected to serve concurrently as senior analysts and/or officers in Defender Capital Management.
• Portfolio Management Practice: Practical application of portfolio management techniques in the context of the Defender Capital Management portfolio. This practicum gives students valuable hands-on experience in securities research, valuation of risky assets, and asset allocation by managing the Defender Capital Management Alumni Endowed Investment Fund (DCM). Through readings, student-prepared research reports and presentations, students develop skills in evaluating economic, industry, sector and firm data, integrating such data into a formal securities analysis and selection process, and communicating their research results to others. Students will be expected to serve concurrently as senior analysts and/or officers in DCM. Depending on their position, they may also be asked to be involved in portfolio construction (including asset allocation), risk management, monitoring, performance evaluation, and reporting.

See the course catalog for more information.