An emphasis in General Finance offers individuals the flexibility of taking courses in a broad range of financial occupations. The broader selection of courses provides both the analytical and technical skills important for banking, entrepreneurial or institutional careers. Students select courses from the corporate finance, investment analysis or financial planning emphases.
Program Requirements
Required General Education
ECON 201 and MATH 130 are required for admission to the major.
Emphasis on forces influencing employment and inflation. Current problems of the economy are stressed along with tools government has to cope with them.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-05
This course develops concepts and skills in algebra and introductory calculus needed to model applications in business, economics, social sciences and life sciences, using polynomials, exponentials, logarithms, linear systems, linear programming, sequences, series, derivatives and integrals.
- Prerequisites:
- Satisfy Placement Table in this section, or grade of "C" (2.0) or better in either MATH 112 or MATH 115.
- Goal Areas:
- GE-04
Ethics Requirement - Choose 3 Credit(s).
Discussion of theories of value and obligation.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-06, GE-09
Discussion of the ways that a culture both creates human community and shapes self-identity. Exploration of similarities and differences between and interdependence among cultural traditions, and of vocabularies for assessing traditions.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-06, GE-08
Ethical perspectives relevant to issues such as euthanasia, genetic engineering, organ transplant, patients' rights, abortion, etc.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-06, GE-09
Introduction to ethical theories and concepts and their application to specific cases in the world of business.V
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-06, GE-09
Questions about human responsibilities to other animals and the environment gain urgency as environmental crises become more prevalent, and animal species continue to be eliminated. Learn about, critique, and apply the principles underlying evaluations of human environmental conduct.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-09, GE-10
Consideration of the basic philosophical approaches to the idea of justice and how this idea relates to other fundamental ideas in political philosophy, ethics, and law.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-06, GE-09
Prerequisites to the Major
The accounting process, financial statement preparation, and analysis. Includes the accounting cycle, asset, liability, and equity accounting. Emphasis on the use of accounting data.
- Prerequisites:
- MATH 112 or MATH 115or MATH 121 or MATH 130 or MATH 181
This course is required for admission to the College of Business for all business majors. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an overview of COB majors, allow students to create an academic plan for graduation, and develop professional skills needed for future job placement. Topics include cover letter and resume writing, interviewing skills, the process of networking, the internship program, etiquette skills, and requirements for graduation.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Introduction to the personal computer as a productivity tool for business majors. Using Microsoft Office suite, students learn to be productive with document processing, spreadsheets, electronic presentations, and databases. Cannot be used toward any major or minor in Computer Information Science.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Major Common Core
Required of all College of Business majors - Choose 34 Credit(s).
Preparation and analysis of cost-based management reports: use of cost information to make short-term operating decisions and long-term capital decisions.
- Prerequisites:
- ACCT 200
Application of law to business settings; the American court system; alternative dispute resolution; ethics and the social responsibility of business; fundamentals of legal reasoning; sources of law; constitutional, criminal, tort, and contract law; business associations.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Examines decision making by the individual firm, the determination of prices and wages, and current problems facing business firms.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-05
Basic statistical methods including measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability, probability distributions, sampling, problems of estimation and hypothesis testing in the case of one and two sample meaans and proportions. Chi-Square, one-way analysis of variance, simple regression and correlation analysis, and brief introduction to multiple regression analysis. Use of computer statistical packages required.
- Prerequisites:
- MATH 112 or equivalent
- Goal Areas:
- GE-02, GE-04
An introduction to finance relating to problems, methods, and policies in financing business enterprise.
- Prerequisites:
- ACCT 200
International dimensions of business: global business environment (economic, cultural, legal, political) and international business functions (management, marketing, finance, exporting, importing).
- Prerequisites:
- none
This course examines basic management concepts and principles, their historical development, and their application to modern organizations. Topics covered include planning, organizing, decision making, leadership, control, and organizational change. In addition, the course includes an introduction to business ethics and social responsibility, human resource management, organizational design and organizational behavior.
- Prerequisites:
- none
This course is designed to introduce students to the Management Information Systems and its application in organizations. The course will present to the students the information systems role to support the various managerial activities, and to help the students identify and evaluate various options in Management Information Systems.
- Prerequisites:
- ISYS 101 or CIS 101
This course engages students in the study of the operations management function in manufacturing and service organizations. Students learn how to apply the basic analytical models to operation decisions involving topics such as scheduling, production technology, inventory management, quality assurance, just-in-time production, and others.
- Prerequisites:
- ECON 207 or STAT 154
MGMT 481 is an integrative course for COB majors. Its emphasis is on understanding the role of a general manager, which should include an operations and international component.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362, MRKT 210, MGMT 230, MGMT 346
This course provides a basic understanding of marketing concepts with emphasis on the pricing, promotion, and distribution of need satisfying products and services in domestic and international markets. The format of the course consists of lectures, case discussions, application exercises, projects, exams, and in-class group assignments.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Required of all Finance majors - Choose 12 Credit(s).
This course is intended for students who have completed FINA 362 (Business Finance) and wish to apply the introductory finance concepts and theories to practical problems in corporate finance and valuation. In particular, the course will use Microsoft Excel to cover topics such as time value of money, stock and bond valuation, cost of capital, capital budgeting, financial statement and ratio analysis, and option pricing and strategies.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Formulation of investment policy of individuals and institutions, factors influencing the values of securities, and techniques of portfolio selection and management.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Applications of financial principles and analytical tools through the use of case studies and problems from local businesses.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Introduction to money and capital markets, instruments and institutions. Consideration of the management problems of financial institutions.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Emphasis Restricted Electives
Choose 0 - 9 Credit(s). Choose no more than 3 courses (9 credits) from the following:
Examination of the fundamentals of the insurance industry; the risk management process; and commercial insurance exposures and policies including commercial property, general liability, and workers' compensation.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Trading practices and procedures utilizing these contracts in hedging and risk management policies for business.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Fundamental concepts of commercial bank management, financial regulations, and risk management in financial institutions. Coverage includes the financial statements of commercial banks and their use in evaluating a bank¿s financial performance; bank¿s assets, liabilities, and off-balance sheet items management and different risk management approaches applied in financial institutions.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
The course provides a comprehensive discussion of debt securities. It discusses salient features of different debt securities, techniques used to value different types of bonds, measures of interest rate risk, asset-backed securities, fundamentals of credit analysis, modeling credit risk, the term structure of interest rates, the arbitrage-free valuation framework for debt securities, and the role of debt securities in a portfolio.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Emphasis Unrestricted Electives
Choose 2-5 electives from the following, with a total of 15 credits for this emphasis. At least 3 electives of this emphasis should be Finance courses.
An in-depth analysis of financial accounting concepts and procedures, and includes coverage of the income statement, balance sheet, time value of money, receivables and inventories.
- Prerequisites:
- ACCT 200
A continuation of Accounting 300. An in-depth analysis of long term liabilities, stockholders equity, leases, pensions, deferred taxes and the statement of cash flows.
- Prerequisites:
- ACCT 300
Emphasizes product and service costing, including job order and process costing systems. Other related topics are budgeting, pricing, cost-volume-profit analysis, standards and variance analysis.
- Prerequisites:
- ACCT 200, ACCT 210
BUS 397 provides students an entrepreneurial real-world learning opportunity. Students gain additional insight into business concepts by applying the material in a real-world environment and gaining insight into the integrated nature of business. The class focuses on learning to develop and operate a business entity. Student teams will operate their own company, obtain an actual bank loan, and sell their chosen products throughout the semester. The class provides an opportunity to practice business skills such as communication, problem-solving, and leadership. Students learn what it takes for entrepreneurs to succeed while giving back through community service.
- Prerequisites:
- Must be admitted to a major.
Current topics of significance in Finance. May be repeated repeated for credit.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Introduction to analytic tools and techniques using business applications.Grading Method
- Prerequisites:
- ECON 207, STAT 154
This course encompasses advanced principles and concepts concerning the nature and types of debt financing, the valuation and use of leases, the process and tools of risk management, the calculation and estimation of financial ratios, the financial planning and forecasting processes, and the understanding of working capital.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Tools and techniques to aid in individual and institutional portfolio management.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362 and FINA 460
Fundamental concepts of employee benefits in relation to pertinent legislation, modern management techniques, and financial constraints that affect the formulation and implementaion of a benefit plan.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 100 or FINA 362
This course introduces concepts and skills in unsupervised data mining, prescriptive analytics, and an introduction to unstructured data analytics (text). Students will learn basic coding in R, Python, database management using SQL, and visualization with Tableau.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 375
Students are responsible for generating investment ideas consistent with the Maverick Fund Investment Policy Statement.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362 and FINA 460
Supervised experience in business, industry, state or federal institutions.
- Prerequisites:
- Permission Required
4-Year Plan
The 4-Year Plan is a model for completing your degree in a timely manner. Your individual 4-Year plan may change based on a number of variables including transfer courses and the semester/year you start your major. Carefully work with your academic advisors to devise your own unique plan.
* Please meet with your advisor on appropriate course selection to meet your educational and degree goals.
First Year
Fall - 16 Credits
This course develops concepts and skills in algebra and introductory calculus needed to model applications in business, economics, social sciences and life sciences, using polynomials, exponentials, logarithms, linear systems, linear programming, sequences, series, derivatives and integrals.
- Prerequisites:
- Satisfy Placement Table in this section, or grade of "C" (2.0) or better in either MATH 112 or MATH 115.
- Goal Areas:
- GE-04
Emphasis on forces influencing employment and inflation. Current problems of the economy are stressed along with tools government has to cope with them.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-05
Spring - 15 Credits
Introduction to the personal computer as a productivity tool for business majors. Using Microsoft Office suite, students learn to be productive with document processing, spreadsheets, electronic presentations, and databases. Cannot be used toward any major or minor in Computer Information Science.
- Prerequisites:
- none
The accounting process, financial statement preparation, and analysis. Includes the accounting cycle, asset, liability, and equity accounting. Emphasis on the use of accounting data.
- Prerequisites:
- MATH 112 or MATH 115or MATH 121 or MATH 130 or MATH 181
Examines decision making by the individual firm, the determination of prices and wages, and current problems facing business firms.
- Prerequisites:
- none
- Goal Areas:
- GE-05
Second Year
Fall - 15 Credits
Application of law to business settings; the American court system; alternative dispute resolution; ethics and the social responsibility of business; fundamentals of legal reasoning; sources of law; constitutional, criminal, tort, and contract law; business associations.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Basic statistical methods including measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability, probability distributions, sampling, problems of estimation and hypothesis testing in the case of one and two sample meaans and proportions. Chi-Square, one-way analysis of variance, simple regression and correlation analysis, and brief introduction to multiple regression analysis. Use of computer statistical packages required.
- Prerequisites:
- MATH 112 or equivalent
- Goal Areas:
- GE-02, GE-04
Preparation and analysis of cost-based management reports: use of cost information to make short-term operating decisions and long-term capital decisions.
- Prerequisites:
- ACCT 200
This course is required for admission to the College of Business for all business majors. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an overview of COB majors, allow students to create an academic plan for graduation, and develop professional skills needed for future job placement. Topics include cover letter and resume writing, interviewing skills, the process of networking, the internship program, etiquette skills, and requirements for graduation.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Spring - 15 Credits
This course provides a basic understanding of marketing concepts with emphasis on the pricing, promotion, and distribution of need satisfying products and services in domestic and international markets. The format of the course consists of lectures, case discussions, application exercises, projects, exams, and in-class group assignments.
- Prerequisites:
- none
This course examines basic management concepts and principles, their historical development, and their application to modern organizations. Topics covered include planning, organizing, decision making, leadership, control, and organizational change. In addition, the course includes an introduction to business ethics and social responsibility, human resource management, organizational design and organizational behavior.
- Prerequisites:
- none
An introduction to finance relating to problems, methods, and policies in financing business enterprise.
- Prerequisites:
- ACCT 200
BUS 397 provides students an entrepreneurial real-world learning opportunity. Students gain additional insight into business concepts by applying the material in a real-world environment and gaining insight into the integrated nature of business. The class focuses on learning to develop and operate a business entity. Student teams will operate their own company, obtain an actual bank loan, and sell their chosen products throughout the semester. The class provides an opportunity to practice business skills such as communication, problem-solving, and leadership. Students learn what it takes for entrepreneurs to succeed while giving back through community service.
- Prerequisites:
- Must be admitted to a major.
Third Year
Fall - 15 Credits
International dimensions of business: global business environment (economic, cultural, legal, political) and international business functions (management, marketing, finance, exporting, importing).
- Prerequisites:
- none
Formulation of investment policy of individuals and institutions, factors influencing the values of securities, and techniques of portfolio selection and management.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Introduction to money and capital markets, instruments and institutions. Consideration of the management problems of financial institutions.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Spring - 15 Credits
This course is designed to introduce students to the Management Information Systems and its application in organizations. The course will present to the students the information systems role to support the various managerial activities, and to help the students identify and evaluate various options in Management Information Systems.
- Prerequisites:
- ISYS 101 or CIS 101
This course engages students in the study of the operations management function in manufacturing and service organizations. Students learn how to apply the basic analytical models to operation decisions involving topics such as scheduling, production technology, inventory management, quality assurance, just-in-time production, and others.
- Prerequisites:
- ECON 207 or STAT 154
Examination of the fundamentals of the insurance industry; the risk management process; and commercial insurance exposures and policies including commercial property, general liability, and workers' compensation.
- Prerequisites:
- none
Fourth Year
Fall - 15 Credits
MGMT 481 is an integrative course for COB majors. Its emphasis is on understanding the role of a general manager, which should include an operations and international component.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362, MRKT 210, MGMT 230, MGMT 346
Spring - 15 Credits
Applications of financial principles and analytical tools through the use of case studies and problems from local businesses.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Transfer Pathways
A Transfer Pathway is a partnership between the Minnesota community colleges and Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Pathway suggests a plan for students with a specific associate degree to complete the last two years for a designated bachelor’s degree.
Students who are transferring to Minnesota State Mankato from a Minnesota community college should meet with an advisor in your college advising office to ensure the Pathway is an appropriate option for completing your degree.
More information on Transfer Pathways is available at https://www.mnsu.edu/transfer-pathways/
Third Year
Fall - 15 Credits
This course develops concepts and skills in algebra and introductory calculus needed to model applications in business, economics, social sciences and life sciences, using polynomials, exponentials, logarithms, linear systems, linear programming, sequences, series, derivatives and integrals.
- Prerequisites:
- Satisfy Placement Table in this section, or grade of "C" (2.0) or better in either MATH 112 or MATH 115.
- Goal Areas:
- GE-04
This course is required for admission to the College of Business for all business majors. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an overview of COB majors, allow students to create an academic plan for graduation, and develop professional skills needed for future job placement. Topics include cover letter and resume writing, interviewing skills, the process of networking, the internship program, etiquette skills, and requirements for graduation.
- Prerequisites:
- none
An introduction to finance relating to problems, methods, and policies in financing business enterprise.
- Prerequisites:
- ACCT 200
International dimensions of business: global business environment (economic, cultural, legal, political) and international business functions (management, marketing, finance, exporting, importing).
- Prerequisites:
- none
Spring - 15 Credits
This course is designed to introduce students to the Management Information Systems and its application in organizations. The course will present to the students the information systems role to support the various managerial activities, and to help the students identify and evaluate various options in Management Information Systems.
- Prerequisites:
- ISYS 101 or CIS 101
Formulation of investment policy of individuals and institutions, factors influencing the values of securities, and techniques of portfolio selection and management.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Fourth Year
Fall - 15 Credits
This course engages students in the study of the operations management function in manufacturing and service organizations. Students learn how to apply the basic analytical models to operation decisions involving topics such as scheduling, production technology, inventory management, quality assurance, just-in-time production, and others.
- Prerequisites:
- ECON 207 or STAT 154
Introduction to money and capital markets, instruments and institutions. Consideration of the management problems of financial institutions.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Spring - 15 Credits
This course is intended for students who have completed FINA 362 (Business Finance) and wish to apply the introductory finance concepts and theories to practical problems in corporate finance and valuation. In particular, the course will use Microsoft Excel to cover topics such as time value of money, stock and bond valuation, cost of capital, capital budgeting, financial statement and ratio analysis, and option pricing and strategies.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
Applications of financial principles and analytical tools through the use of case studies and problems from local businesses.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362
MGMT 481 is an integrative course for COB majors. Its emphasis is on understanding the role of a general manager, which should include an operations and international component.
- Prerequisites:
- FINA 362, MRKT 210, MGMT 230, MGMT 346
Degree
Bachelor of Science
Major Credits
69
Total Credits
120
Locations
Mankato
Career Cluster
Finance