Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (2024)

Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (1)

Begin Campus

Any Penn State Campus

End Campus

Harrisburg

Degree Information At Additional Campuses

Program Description

The finance major emphasizes analytic, problem solving, and computer skills which are necessary for finance and investment industry. The major prepares students for careers in corporate finance, investment and portfolio management, banking, public finance, and international finance. The major also prepares students who want to pursue graduate study in finance. Depending on their interests, graduates may then seek financial services credentials such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

The requirements in the major complement basic business instruction in accounting, management, marketing, and information systems. With business and non-business electives, the program is designed to develop necessary skills to be an effective financial manager. Because the Harrisburg area is the center of industry and economic development for south-central Pennsylvania, students are provided with many opportunities to experience the world of business.

What is Finance?

Finance focuses on how individuals and business organizations raise money and capital, and how those resources are allocated among competing investment and consumption opportunities. The field focuses on domestic and international financial economies and the role of financial markets and institutions key in the movement of savings and investment capital from lenders to borrowers. It also deals with how individuals and corporate managers evaluate alternative investment and savings opportunities and how they choose among various financial instruments.

You Might Like This Program If...

  • You enjoy numbers and "real world" applications of math.
  • You are interested in how businesses and banks manage their assets.
  • You want a career in business, finance, or investment management.

Entrance to Major

Entry to the Finance major requires the completion of 8 entry-to-major courses: ACCTG2111, ECON1021, ENGL15or ENGL30H, FIN3011, MATH1101 or MATH1401, MGMT301, MKTG301, SCM2001 or STAT2001; and a 2.00 or higher cumulative grade-point average.

Additional information about this major is available in the office of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, School of Business at Penn State Harrisburg.

1

Course requires a grade of C or better.

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, a minimum of 120 credits is required:

Program Requirements
Requirement Credits
General Education 45
Electives (non-business courses) 8
Requirements for the Major 79

12 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 3 credits of GWS courses; 3 credits of GS courses; 6 credits of GQ courses.

At least 50 percent of the business credit hours required for the degree must be taken at Capital College. No more than 60 credits should be from business and business-related courses.

Requirements for the Major

To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.

Course List
Code Title Credits
Prescribed Courses
BA364YInternational Business and Society3
ENGL202DEffective Writing: Business Writing Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (2)3
MGMT301Basic Management Concepts3
MIS204Introduction to Management Information Systems Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (3)3
MIS390Information Systems Management and Applications3
MKTG301Principles of Marketing3
SCM301Supply Chain Management3
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
ACCTG211Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making4
BA462Business Strategy3
ECON102Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (4)3
ECON104Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (5)3
ECON351Money and Banking3
FIN301Corporation Finance3
FIN302Introductory Financial Modeling3
FIN420Investment and Portfolio Analysis3
FIN475Financial Decision Making3
Additional Courses
BA241
&BA242
Legal Environment of Business
and Social and Ethical Environment of Business
4
orBA243 Social, Legal, and Ethical Environment of Business
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
MATH110Techniques of Calculus I Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (6)4
orMATH140 Calculus With Analytic Geometry I Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (7)
SCM200Introduction to Statistics for Business Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (8)4
orSTAT200 Elementary Statistics Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (9)
Select 9 credits of the following:9

ACCTG481

Financial Statement Analysis: Accounting Based Evaluation and Decision Making

FIN305

Financial Management of the Business Enterprise

FIN306W

Investment Valuation

FIN407

Multinational Financial Management 1

FIN408

Financial Markets and Institutions

FIN409

Real Estate Finance and Investment

FIN413

Risk Management of Financial Institutions

FIN427

Derivative Securities 1

FIN456

International Capital Markets

FIN461

Portfolio Management and Analysis 1

FIN496

Independent Studies

Other finance courses approved by the Program

Supporting Courses and Related Areas
Select 9 credits of 200-400 level business courses from: ACCTG, BA, ECON, FIN, MGMT, MIS, MKTG, or SCM in consultation with an academic adviser and in support of the student's interests9
1

For students considering CFA exam, FIN407, FIN427 and FIN461 are recommended.

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (10) appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

  • Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
  • Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)

  • Arts (GA): 3 credits
  • Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
  • Humanities (GH): 3 credits
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
  • Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits

Integrative Studies

  • Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits

Exploration

  • GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
  • GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

  • United States Cultures: 3 credits
  • International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

Integrated B.S. in Finance and M.B.A. in Business Administration

Available at the following campuses: Harrisburg

Requirements for the Integrated B.S. in Finance and M.B.A. in Business Administration can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.

Learning Outcomes

Student graduates of our baccalaureate degree programs should be:

  1. Effective communicators.
    1. Present verbally, thoughts and ideas in a way that can be clearly understood by a target audience.
    2. Convey ideas in a clear, coherent manner in written communication.
  2. Ethical and socially responsible.
    1. Be competent in analyzing social and ethical decision making issues in organizations.
  3. Critical thinkers.
    1. Be able to think and identify multiple dimensions of company issues and performances and make an assessment of company performances in achieving financial and strategic objectives, tracking their achievements, and giving management of companies a more complete and balanced view of how the organization is performing.
  4. Competent in the Finance Discipline.
    1. Demonstrate knowledge of time value of money, stock and bond valuations.
    2. Demonstrate knowledge of how firms budget capital, how firms raise capital, and of cost of capital.
    3. Demonstrate knowledge of the relationship between risk and return, portfolio theory, and investment analysis.
    4. Demonstrate knowledge of market efficiency.
    5. Demonstrate an understanding the nature of demand and supply, how equilibrium arises, equilibrium price and quantity, and how competitive and imperfectly competitive markets work.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

Harrisburg

Indrit Hoxha, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator
Olmsted Building E355
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-6344
ixh16@psu.edu

Abington

Tom Stone
Program Chair
1600 Woodland Rd.
Abington, PA 19001
215-421-0030
tws16@psu.edu

Suggested Academic Plan

The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2024-25 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.

Finance, B.S. at Harrisburg Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ENGL15, 15S, 30T, or ESL 15‡#3CAS100A or 100S3
MATH110 or 140*#†4STAT200 or SCM 200*#†4
General Education Course3MGMT301# 3
ECON102*#†3General Education Course3
General Education Course1.5General Education Course3
14.516
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ACCTG211*#4FIN301*#3
MKTG301# 3ENGL202D3
General Education Course3General Education Course3
General Education Course3General Education Course3
General Education Course3Non-Business Elective3
1615
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BA2412ECON351* 3
BA2422FIN420*3
ECON104* 3MIS3903
FIN302* 3200-400 level Business course in consultation with adviser3
MIS204 or 2503FIN305, 306W, 407, 408, 409, 413, 427, 456, 461, 496, or ACCTG 481* 3
General Education Course (GHW)1.5
14.515
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BA364Y3BA462* 3
SCM3013FIN475* 3
200-400 level Business course in consultation with adviser3Non-Business Elective3
FIN305, 306W, 407, 408, 409, 413, 427, 456, 461, 496, or ACCTG 481* 3Non-Business Elective2
FIN305, 306W, 407, 408, 409, 413, 427, 456, 461, 496, or ACCTG 481*3200-400 level Business course in consultation with adviser3
1514
Total Credits 120
*

Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

#

Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.

Advising Notes

  • 30 credits of GA, GH, GHW, GN, GS to include 6 Integrative Studies credits
  • 15 credits of GQ and GWS require a grade of "C" or better
  • Courses required for the major must generally be completed within 10 years of entrance into the major
  • FIN 495 - Finance Internship satisfies a business support requirement. For more information, contact the Economics and Finance Program Coordinator.
  • Student must complete a 3-credit course in "United Stated Cultures (US)" and a 3-credit course in "International Cultures (IL)." BA 364Y (US/IL) may be used to meet either the IL or US requirement, but may be used to fulfill only 3 of the 6 credit requirement.

Career Paths

The Finance major prepares students for careers in corporate finance, investment and portfolio management, banking, public finance, and international finance. The major also prepares students who want to pursue graduate study in finance. Depending on their interests, graduates may then seek financial services credentials such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES OF THE FINANCE PROGRAM

Opportunities for Graduate Studies

The School of Business Administration offers a limited number of academically superior Bachelor of Science in Finance candidates the opportunity to enroll in an integrated, continuous program of study leading to both the Bachelor of Science in Finance and the Master of Business Administration.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES

Accreditation

The B.S. in Finance offered by the School of Business Administration at Penn State Harrisburg, the Capital College, is accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB’s mission is to foster engagement, accelerate innovation, and amplify impact in business education. Synonymous with the highest standards of excellence since 1916, AACSB provides quality assurance, business education intelligence, and professional development services to over 1,600 member organizations and more than 800 accredited business schools worldwide. AACSB International (AACSB) connects educators, students, and business to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AACSB INTERNATIONAL

Contact

Harrisburg

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Olmsted Building E355
Middletown, PA 1705
717-948-6139
cxs879@psu.edu

https://harrisburg.psu.edu/business-administration/finance-bs

Abington

DIVISION OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
1600 Woodland Rd.
Abington, PA 19001
215-421-0030
tws16@psu.edu

https://www.abington.psu.edu/academics/majors-at-abington

Finance, B.S. (Capital) | Penn State (2024)

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