Finance Concentration

Why study Finance?

Through the Finance Concentration, students acquire knowledge about how firms make financial decisions and how these decisions affect individual organizations and society as a whole. Students also learn how firms acquire and allocate funds, how financial markets operate and the role these markets play in economic welfare. The study of finance includes the use of models to develop analytical approaches to problems. Students are trained to take positions in financial institutions such as commercial and investment banks, in finance departments of major corporations or with consulting firms.

Requirements to declare the concentration

Students must have completed BBUS 350 – Business Finance, to declare the Finance concentration.

Finance curriculum

Students in the Finance concentration must complete the following courses for graduation:

Course TypeCourse Numbers & Names
Core Courses (prerequisites in parentheses) BBUS 300 – Organizational Behavior, Ethics and Inclusivity, Diversity Designated Course
BBUS 307 – Business Writing, Writing Designated Course
BBUS 310 – Managerial Economics (BMATH 144, STMATH 124, or MATH 112)
BBUS 320 – Marketing Management
BBUS 340 – Operations & Project Management (310)
BBUS 350 – Business Finance (310)
Required Finance Courses (prerequisites in parentheses) BBUS 451 – Financial Policy & Practice* (350)
BBUS 453 – Financial Institutions & Markets* (350)
BBUS 454 – Investments* (350)
Finance Electives (prerequisites in parentheses)5 credits – Complete 1 course from this list:

BBUS 361 – Intermediate Accounting I**
BBUS 373 – Cost Accounting**
BBUS 455 – Financial Risk Management (454)
BBUS 456 – Entrepreneurial Finance (350)
BBUS 457 – Advance Valuation (454)
BBUS 459 – Special Topics in Finance (350)
BBUS 465 – Applied Finance Accounting (350)
BBUS 490 – Special Topics in Business (300, 310), Only counts when approved for concentration; see your advisor before registering.
BBUS 491 – Business Consulting
General Electives (any 300/400 level UW courses)30 credits
Capstone CoursesBefore you can register for the capstone courses, you must complete all core courses and meet with your advisor to file a graduation application.

BBUS 470 – Business Policy & Strategic Management
BBUS 480 – Global Environment of Business
Total Credits90 Credits

*Finance Concentration students who add an Accounting Option cannot count the following courses as part of the Finance Concentration requirements (i.e., no double-counting courses):

  • BBUS 451 – Financial Policy & Planning
  • BBUS 453 – Financial Institutions & Markets
  • BBUS 454 – Investments

**Finance Concentration students who add an Accounting Option cannot use the following courses as part of their Finance Concentration electives.

  • BBUS 361 – Intermediate Accounting I
  • BBUS 373 – Cost Accounting