Finance (BS) Quantitative Finance

Summary

The financial world has become increasingly complex due to new technology and advanced analytics. Quantitative finance emphasis is an area where students can learn the fundamental techniques in business analytics, financial risk management, and complicated financial instruments in derivatives market, while building on a good foundation of finance knowledge of student choice, such as corporate finance, investment, and financial institutions and markets.
Catalog Year

2022-2023

Degree

Bachelor of Science

Major Credits

120

Total Credits

120

Locations

Mankato

Update Your Major

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 

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 

Major Restricted Electives

3 required courses for this Major Emphasis in Quantitative Finance (9 credits)

Introduction to analytic tools and techniques using business applications.Grading Method

Prerequisites: ECON 207

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 

Major Unrestricted Electives

Choose 2 electives (6 credits) for this major emphasis of Quantitative Finance from the following:

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 

Current topics of significance in Finance. May be repeated repeated for credit.

Prerequisites: none

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 

Students are responsible for generating investment ideas consistent with the Maverick Fund Investment Policy Statement. Coreq: FINA 460

Prerequisites: FINA 362.

Supervised experience in business, industry, state or federal institutions.

Prerequisites: Permission Required

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://mnsu.edu/pathways/about/

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

General Education Course * 3 credits

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

Introduction to analytic tools and techniques using business applications.Grading Method

Prerequisites: ECON 207

Formulation of investment policy of individuals and institutions, factors influencing the values of securities, and techniques of portfolio selection and management.

Prerequisites: FINA 362 

General Education Course * 3 credits

Course in Emphasis * 3 credits

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 

Introduction to money and capital markets, instruments and institutions. Consideration of the management problems of financial institutions.

Prerequisites: FINA 362 

Trading practices and procedures utilizing these contracts in hedging and risk management policies for business.

Prerequisites: FINA 362 

General Education Course * 3 credits

Course in Emphasis * 3 credits

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 

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

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

General Education Course * 3 credits