Finance Minor

To earn a finance minor, students will need to complete seven business administration courses in addition to one course of their choice from business administration 242, 360, or 361.

• Principles of Financial Accounting: Introduces the concepts and terminology of accounting and financial reporting for modern business enterprises. The course is centered around analyzing and interpreting accounting information for use in making decisions about organizations. There is a special emphasis on analyzing the balance sheet, the statement of income and expense, the statement of cash flows, and the statement of stockholders’ equity. Additional emphasis is placed on problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills that are necessary for forming conclusions about business activities and to communicate these conclusions to others.
• Principles of Managerial Accounting: An introduction to managerial accounting, presenting basic accounting concepts that are important to management decisions. Emphasis is placed on analyzing and interpreting accounting information that enables management accountants to work with managers from other areas, particularly marketing and operations, and to make decisions about costing, pricing, and production. The tools and information that are important are described within the decision framework rather than as isolated accounting procedures.
• Corporate Finance: An introduction to the theory, issues, and practice of business finance. Key components include valuation of financial assets, financial planning and control, working capital management, and capital budgeting.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.