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Finance

  • Bachelor of Science
  • Minor

The Finance Program

Finance is the art and science of managing money. By studying finance you can gain an understanding of how the capital markets and systems interact, and use that information to make sound financial decisions. The major in Finance provides students with strong finance fundamentals, but allows them to deepen their studies in one of four academic tracks (corporate finance, investment management, behavioral finance and computational finance).

Undergraduate Programs

What Can I Do With a Major in Finance?

Graduates will be well suited to begin careers at investment-specific firms or finance departments of any business. In addition, students may pursue continued education through master's or Ph.D. programs.

  • The McKenna School’s finance major is one of the few undergraduate programs in the United States with a curriculum that provides the advanced training necessary to pass the CFA Level I Exam and the CFP Certification Exam.
  • The McKenna School offers SAP Business One certification. SAP’s comprehensive business software suite is utilized by thousands of prominent world class companies such as Kennametal Inc., Heinz Corporation, KPMG, Latrobe Specialty Steel Co. and Siemens.
  • Examples of the jobs that our students can acquire include Corporate & Institutional Banking, Investment Manager, Derivatives Analyst, Lean Operations Facilitator, Financial Analyst and Operations Specialist.

Curriculum Requirements

  • Curriculum

    Finance Major Requirements

    The Business and College Core curriculum is required for all five tracks :

    College Core (48 credits)
    TH 119 First Theology (freshman year) - 3 credits
    Theology (200 Level) - 3 credits
    Theology (300 Level) - 3 credits
    History (100 Level) - 3 credits
    History (200 Level) - 3 credits
    PL 101 1st Philosophy - 3 credits
    Philosophy Elective (PL 215 Ethics suggested) - 3 credits
    Natural Science 100 Level with lab - 4 credits
    Natural Science 200 Level with lab - 4 credits
    EL 102 Language and Rhetoric (freshman year) - 3 credits
    English Elective (Literature Course) - 3 credits
    English Elective - 3 credits
    Fine Arts (100 Level) - 3 credits
    Foreign Language Intermediate Level - 3 credits
    Foreign Language Intermediate Level - 3 credits
    First-Year Seminar (additional hour) - 1 credit

    Business core (44 credits)
    BA 100* Financial Accounting I (freshman year) - 3 credits
    BA 170* Organizational Behavior (freshman year) - 3 credits
    BA 220 Principles of Marketing (sophomore year) - 3 credits
    BA 265 Management Information Systems (sophomore year) - 3 credits
    BA 305 Business Ethics (junior year preferred) - 3 credits
    BA 320 Corporate Finance I (sophomore year) - 3 credits
    BA 340 Business Law (junior year) - 3 credits
    BA 350 Statistics I and BA 350A Excel Lab (sophomore year) - 4 credits
    BA 351 Statistics II and BA 351A Excel Lab - 4 credits
        or EC 360 Econometrics (sophomore year) - 3 credits
    BA 495 Business Policy and Strategy (senior year) - 3 credits
    EC 101 Principles of Microeconomics (freshman year) - 3 credits
    EC 102 Principles of Macroeconomics (freshman year) - 3 credits
    PS 100* Principles of American Politics - 3 credits
    MA 109/111* Calculus I (freshman year) - 4 credits
    BA 00P ePortfolio Requirement - 0 credit

     *Satisfies Core Curriculum requirements in Social Sciences and Mathematics. 

    • Finance Major Requirements: Corporate Finance Track  (27 credits)
      BA 101 Financial Accounting II (freshman year) - 3 credits
      BA 200 Intermediate Accounting I - 3 credits
      BA 321 Corporate Finance II - 3 credits
      BA 324 Advanced Personal Finance - 3 credits
      BA 325 Analysis of Financial Statements - 3 credits
      BA 353/EC 353 International Finance - 3 credits
      BA 362 Investments I: Securities - 3 credits
      BA 363 Investments II: Derivatives - 3 credits
      BA 385 Financial Institutions - 3 credits

    • Finance Major Requirements: Computational Finance Track with Math Minor (40 credits)

      BA 101 Financial Accounting II (freshman year) - 3 credits
      BA 353/EC 353 International Finance - 3 credits
      BA 362 Investments I: Securities - 3 credits
      BA 363 Investments II: Derivatives - 3 credits
      BA 385 Financial Institutions - 3 credits
      BA 488 Portfolio Theory - 3 credits
      BA 489 Valuations and Modeling - 3 credits
      MA 112 Calculus II (freshman year) - 4 credits
      MA 211 Calculus III - 4 credits
      MA 212 Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations - 4 credits
      MA 251 Linear Algebra - 3 credits
      MA 421 Real Analysis I - 4 credits

      Note: Students planning to seek a Ph.D. or Masters in Finance should strongly consider doing the computational finance trace, Real Analysis II, Econometrics, Intermediate Microeconomics, Advanced Microeconomics and Game Theory.

    • Finance Major Requirements: Investment Management Track CFA (27 credits)

      BA 101 Financial Accounting II (freshman year)
      BA 324 Advanced Personal Finance - 3 credits
      BA 353/EC 353 International Finance - 3 credits
      BA 362 Investments I: Securities - 3 credits
      BA 363 Investments II: Derivatives - 3 credits
      BA 385 Financial Institutions - 3 credits
      BA 485 CFA Review Level I - 3 credits
      BA 488 Portfolio Theory - 3 credits
      BA 489 Valuations and Modeling - 3 credits

    • Finance Major Requirements: Investment Management Track CFP (36 credits)

           BA 101 Financial Accounting II (Freshman year) - 3 credits
           BA 310 Taxes I - 3 credits
           BA 311 Taxes II - 3 credits
           BA 324 Advanced Personal Financial Planning - 3 credits
           BA 353/EC 353 International Finance - 3 credits
           BA 362 Investments I: Securities - 3 credits
           BA 363 Investments II: Derivatives - 3 credits
           BA 385 Financial Institutions - 3 credits
           BA 484 Risk Management - 3 credits
           BA 485 Financial Planning and Analysis - 3 credits
           BA 488 Portfolio Theory - 3 credits
           BA 489 Valuations and Modeling - 3 credits

    • Finance Major Requirements: Behavioral Finance Track with Psychology Minor (39 credits)

      BA 101 Financial Accounting II (freshman year) - 3 credits
      BA 353/EC 353 International Finance - 3 credits
      BA 362 Investments I: Securities - 3 credits
      BA 363 Investments II: Derivatives - 3 credits
      BA 385 Financial Institutions - 3 credits
      BA 324 Advanced Personal Finance - 3 credits
      BA 488 Portfolio Theory - 3 credits
      PY 100 Introduction to Psychology - 3 credits
      PY 243 Abnormal Psychology - 3 credits
      PY 244 Theories of Personality - 3 credits
      PY 260 Social Psychology - 3 credits
      PY 308 Cognitive Psychology - 3 credits
      PY 309 Learning - 3 credits

    Finance and Mathematics Major Requirements - B.S.

    College Core (40 credits)     
    TH 119  First Theology (freshman year) - 3 credits 
      Theology (200 Level) - 3 credits
      Theology (300 Level) - 3 credits
      History (100 Level) - 3 credits
      History (200 Level) - 3 credits
    PL 101  1st Philosophy - 3 credits
      Philosophy Elective - 3 credits
    EL 102  Language and Rhetoric (freshman year) - 3 credits
      English Elective (Literature Course)   3 
      English Elective - 3 credits 
      Fine Arts (100 Level) - 3 credits
      Foreign Language Intermediate Level - 3 credits
      Foreign Language Intermediate Level - 3 credits
      First-Year Seminar (additional hour) - 1 credit

    Business Core (45 credits)
    BA  100* Financial Accounting I (freshman year) - 3 credits
    BA  170* Organizational Behavior (freshman year) - 3 credits
    BA  220   Principles of Marketing (2nd semester freshman year) - 3 credits
    BA  265  Management Information Systems (sophomore year) - 3 credits
    BA  305   Business Ethics (junior year preferred) - 3 credits
    BA  320   Corporate Finance I (sophomore year) - 3 credits
    BA  340   Business Law (junior year) - 3 credits
    BA  350   Statistics I (sophomore year)/BA 350A Excel Lab - 4 credits
    BA 351  Statistics II  (sophomore year)/BA 351A Excel Lab - 4 credits or    
         EC 360 Econometrics (sophomore year) - 3 credits  
    BA  495   Business Policy and Strategy (senior year) - 3 credits
    EC  101   Principles of Microeconomics (freshmen year) - 3 credits
    EC  102   Principles of Macroeconomics (freshmen year) - 3 credits
    PS  100*   Principles of American Politics - 3 credits
    MA 111 Calculus I (freshman year) - 4 credits
    BA 00P ePortfolio Requirement (semester of graduation--pass/fail)    0

    Finance -- Computational Finance Track (25 credits)    
    MA 112 Calculus II (freshman year) - 4 credits
    BA 101 Financial Accounting II (freshman year) - 3 credits
    BA/EC 353 International Finance - 3 credits
    BA 362 Investments I: Securities - 3 credits
    BA 363 Investments II: Derivatives - 3 credits
    BA 385 Financial Institutions - 3 credits
    BA 488 Portfolio Theory - 3 credits
    BA 489 Valuations and Modeling - 3 credits

    Mathematics Requirements (32 credits)    
    MA 211  Calculus III - 4 credits
    MA 212  Ordinary & Partial Differential Equations - 4 credits
    MA 251  Linear Algebra - 3 credits
    MA 321  Complex Variables - 3 credits  
    MA 421  Real Analysis I - 4 credits
    MA 422 Real Analysis II - 4 credits
    PH 111*  General Physics I - 3 credits
    PH 113*  General Physics I Lab - 1 credit
    PH 112*  General Physics II - 3 credits
    PH 114*  General Physics II Lab - 1 credit 
    CS 110  Computer Science I - 3 credits
    Total Credits - 143
         
    *Satisfies core curriculum requirements for social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences.

    Finance Minor Requirements

    Finance Minor—Required courses
    BA 100 Financial Accounting I - 3 credits
    BA 320 Corporate Finance I - 3 credits
    BA 362 Investments: Securities - 3 credits
    BA 363 Investments: Derivatives - 3 credits

    In addition to the above, any two of the following:
    BA 321 Corporate Finance II - 3 credits
    BA 325 Analysis of Financial Statements - 3 credits
    BA 353/EC353* International Finance - 3 credits
    BA 385 Financial Institutions - 3 credits
    BA 484 Risk Management - 3 credits
    BA 485 CFA Review Level I - 3 credits
    BA 488 Portfolio Theory - 3 credits
    BA 489 Valuations and Modeling - 3 credits

    * BA 353/EC 353 does not count for International Business majors.

  • Business Portfolio

    A Business Portfolio Must Be Completed Before Graduation

    Work to be included:

    • Business Ethics Paper written in BA 170 (First Year)
    • Updated Business Ethics Paper written in BA 305
    • Resume (Completed first year and updated each year)
    • Experiential Project defined by major -- at least one
    • Information Systems Analysis Project
    • Oral Presentation from 300 level business class or above
    • Term paper written in 300 level business class or above
    • Optional: Professional Thesis  

Program Highlights

Results

Distinctive features of McKenna School’s Finance Major 

 

  • Students complete the CFA Level I curriculum.
  • CFP designated Business School.
  • Finance job placements are exceptional. Since 2013, we have had 100 percent placement within 3 months of graduation. The Class of 2018 had 16 out of 16 graduates successfully placed within 1 week of graduation at a median starting salary of $60,000.
  • Rankings: The McKenna business seniors score exceptionally well on the ETS national undergraduate business field test. Out of 496 accredited (i.e., ACBSP and AACSB) business schools, we ranked overall in the top 19.8% of the nation in 2018. In finance, the McKenna School finished the in the top 15.0% of the nation in 2018.
  • Students use Morningstar financial analysis software in finance classes.
  • Attributable to our ACBSP accreditation, students receive in depth knowledge in 12 business core competency areas: Accounting, Management, Business Ethics, Marketing, Information Systems, Business Finance, the Legal Environment of Business, Statistics, Business Policies, Economics, Quantitative Skills and Global Dimensions in Business.  
  • Students may join Women in Business, the Accounting Club, Pizza and Politics Club, the Finance Club, the OE Club, and Delta Mu Delta (the national Greek honor society for business majors). 

Internships and Careers

Internships and Careers
  • Our job placements are exceptional—almost 100% within three months of graduation.
  • Outstanding job placements include:
    Allegheny Financial Group GNC
    Apollo (SAP B1) Hefron-Tillotson
    AXA ICAP (NYC)
    Bayer Corporation JP Morgan
    BEA, Inc. Kennametal Inc.
    BNY Mellon Lanxess Corporation
    Citigroup Navigator Business Solutions (SAP B1)
    Elliot Company NEPC
    Envestments PLS Logistics Company
    F. Tinker & Sons PNC Bank
    Federated Investors PPG
    Fifth Third Bank U.S. Census Bureau Statistician
    First Commonwealth Bank Waddell and Reed
  • Job positions include:
    Financial Leadership Program Performance Analyst for Hedge Funds
    Inside Sales Supply Chain Analyst
    Investment Fund Accountant
  • Superior internships include:
    Ameriprise Financial Kereitsu Group
    Bayer Corporation  Mine Safety Appliances
    BNY Mellon MTS Technologies
    ChemImage Corporation  PNC Bank
    Citigroup (Honduras) PPG
    Excela Health Private Wealth Management
    First Commonwealth Bank S&T Bank
    First National Bank Siemens Corporation (Shanghai) 
    FJL Group Societe Generale (Bulgaria) 
    Hefren-Tillotson UBS (Columbus, Ohio)
    JP Morgan Waddell & Reed
    Kennametal Center for Operational Excellence Westinghouse (Shanghai) 
    Kennametal Inc.  
  • Graduate placements include:
    Duquesne University School of Law
    M.B.A. (Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh
    M.B.A. (Northwestern University)
    M.B.A. (Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University
    M.S. Finance (Case Western University)
    M.S. Finance (Villanova University)
    Ph.D. Statistics (The Pennsylvania State University)
    The Pennsylvania State University, School of Law
    University of Pittsburgh School of Law
    Ph. D. Finance (University of Connecticut)

Accreditations

Accreditations and Affiliations
  • The McKenna School of Business has seven undergraduate programs and one graduate program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). They are: Accounting, Business Education Information Technology, Business Economics, Finance, International Business, Management, Marketing and the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence graduate program. The Economics, Politics and Criminal Justice programs are not accredited through the ACBSP; however, all programs in the McKenna School have regional accreditation through the Middle States Association. The ACBSP is one of the two premier accrediting agencies for business schools worldwide. With a requirement for faculty professional development (e.g., publications and research) and courses primarily taught by faculty holding doctorates, the ACBSP is the leading business accreditation program devoted to teaching excellence and service to students.
  • The McKenna School is also a member of the Middle Atlantic Association of Colleges of Business Administration and a CFP designated Business School.

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