Finance, Bachelor of Science

Program Purpose

The Bachelor of Science degree program in Finance is designed to prepare students for careers in: finance, both at the corporate and small business level; financial planning; stock brokerage firms; and financial institutions. The program focuses on providing the student with both practical and theoretical training in the field of finance.

Program of Study

Course offerings focus on skills and competencies that enhance students’ knowledge of finance. The program provides a balanced array of course work in finance at the junior and senior levels. Students also have opportunities to pursue internships in various areas of finance. In addition, the general education requirements provide a well-rounded academic foundation.

Wilmington University students benefit from the training and experience of finance professionals who serve as faculty. The classroom atmosphere is conducive to information sharing, creative thinking, and the exploration of areas of personal interest.

Cooperative Learning Experiences

Cooperative learning experiences (co-op) are available in the Finance program for FIN 301 Personal Finance and FIN 302 Financial Planning. Depending on the co-op experience available and the student’s course completion schedule, other courses such as BBM 301 Organizational Behavior may also be completed as co-ops. Elective courses may also be structured as co-ops. Each co-op experience is expected to last for two consecutive semesters and earn the student six credits toward their 120-credit degree.

To be eligible for the co-op the student must have completed 60 credits and have a minimum 2.5 GPA. The student must contact the office of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) one semester before they would like to begin their co-op assignment.  Once an opportunity description is secured, the WIL office will seek credit approval of the experience from the Finance Program Chair.

Program Competencies

In addition to achieving the Wilmington University undergraduate graduation competencies given in the Academic Information section of this catalog, this program will provide students a comprehensive curriculum in financial studies (both domestic and international) that includes the theories, principles, and applications of modern financial management.

Graduating students will:

  1. Demonstrate effective information literacy and communication with valid and reliable research.
  2. Apply ethical standards as required by finance professionals.
  3. Integrate financial terms, concepts and theories affecting corporations, brokerage firms, insurance companies and financial institutions (banks, credit unions, pension funds, etc.).
  4. Exercise critical thinking skills in the analysis and evaluation of financial information in order to formulate appropriate decisions and recommendations.

Minimum Grade Policy

Students pursuing a degree in Finance are required by College of Business policy to attain a minimum grade of “C” for all program core courses. For the purpose of this policy, program core courses are all finance courses. These courses are designated by the prefix “FIN.”

Curriculum - General Education Requirements (39 credits)

English Composition (12 credits)

ENG 121English Composition I

3

ENG 122English Composition II

3

ENG 131Public Speaking

3

ENG 310Research Writing

3

Humanities (6 credits)

VFP 313Aesthetics of Film

3

DSN 110Fundamentals of Drawing

3

TEC 215Basic Photography

3

COM 245Writing for the Media

3

Culinary Arts Elective

3

Drama Elective

3

Ethnic Studies Elective

3

Fine Arts Elective

3

Foreign Language Elective

3

History Elective

3

HUM Humanities Elective

3

Literature Elective

3

Music Elective

3

Philosophy Elective

3

Religion Elective

3

Social Science (6 credits)

ECO 101Economics I

3

PSY 101Introduction to Psychology

3

OR

SOC 101Introduction to Sociology

3

Mathematics (3 credits)

MAT 205Introductory Survey of Mathematics

3

Natural Science (3 or 4 Credits)

Natural Science Elective

3 or 4 credits

Computer Operations (3 credits)

CTA 326Integrating Excel into Business Problem Solving

3

Critical Analysis (3 credits)

PHI 100Introduction to Critical Thinking

3

Citizenship (3 credits)

HIS 381Contemporary Global Issues

3

Business Core (30 credits)

BAC 101Accounting I

3

BAC 102Accounting II

3

BBA 301Intro to Business Analytics

3

BBM 201Principles of Management

3

BBM 301Organizational Behavior

3

BBM 320Business Communications

3

BBM 402Strategic Management

3

BMK 305Marketing

3

FIN 305Financial Management

3

MAT 312Business Statistics

3

BBM 301: available as a co-op

FIN 305: Upper Level finance (FIN) courses are not offered every semester. Students should plan ahead by completing all pre-requisites as soon as possible in order to take the junior and senior level finance courses when they are offered.

Finance Program Core (33 credits)

BBM 319Business Ethics

3

BLA 305Business Law for Accounting and Finance Majors

3

ECO 102Economics II

3

FIN 101Financial Literacy

3

FIN 302Financial Planning

3

FIN 306Corporate Finance

3

FIN 320FinTech Fundamentals

3

FIN 410Financial Reporting and Analysis

3

FIN 301: available as a co-op

FIN 301, FIN 302, FIN 410: Upper Level finance (FIN) courses are not offered every semester. Students should plan ahead by completing all pre-requisites as soon as possible in order to take the junior and senior level finance courses when they are offered.

FIN 306: FIN 305 is the Prerequisite to FIN 306, with the exception of the Organizational Management program, which has the Prerequisite of FIN 300.

Select one of the following two courses:

BBM 411Operations and Systems Management

3

HRM 311Human Resource Management

3

Select one of the following two courses:

FIN 411Investments and Security Analysis

3

FIN 412Financial Institution Management

3

FIN 411, FIN 412: Upper Level finance (FIN) courses are not offered every semester. Students should plan ahead by completing all pre-requisites as soon as possible in order to take the junior and senior level finance courses when they are offered.

Select one of the following two courses:

FIN 308Financial Economics and Instruments

3

FIN 309Introduction to Global Derivatives

3

Business Electives (6 credits)

Suggested electives:

BAC 201 Intermediate Accounting I

BAC 301 Cost Accounting I

Business Elective

3

Business Elective

3

Certain courses may be available as a co-op

Free Electives (12 credits)

Free Elective

3

Free Elective

3

Free Elective

3

Free Elective

3

Students with less than 16 transfer credits are required to take FYE 101 as one of their electives.

Finance with a Concentration in Applied Economics

In the business world, today’s economic environment is both changing and challenging.  Business professionals, armed with a working knowledge of current economic principles and issues, have a competitive advantage over their peers who lack such understanding.  This five-course concentration, building upon the principles taught in macro and micro economics, is not a theoretical, quantitative or research program, but rather it fosters an applied approach. It seeks real-world answers to real-world challenges: inflation, foreign trade, economic strategy and competitiveness, land use, sustainability, crime, transportation, etc. Whether your career path involves profit or non-profits, local or regional government, banking or investments, this concentration in Applied Economics adds real value to your degree.

Studying economics can provide you with a deeper understanding of how the world works, particularly in terms of how people make decisions and allocate resources. Here are some reasons why studying economics can be valuable:

  1. Economics is the study of how individuals, businesses, and governments make decisions about the allocation of scarce resources.
  2. Better citizenship: Economics provides a framework for understanding public policy issues, such as taxes, trade, and regulation. By understanding these issues, individuals can be better informed citizens and participate more effectively in the political process.
  3. Analytical skills: Studying economics can develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills that can be applied to a wide range of fields and professions.
  4. Solving real-world problems: Many real-world problems, such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, have economic dimensions. Studying economics can equip individuals with the tools to analyze and solve these problems.
  5. Career opportunities: Economics provides a strong foundation for a wide range of careers, including finance, business, government, and law.
  6. Global perspective: Economics provides a global perspective on economic issues, allowing individuals to understand how the global economy functions and how economic policies in one country can affect other countries.

Overall, studying economics can help you to make informed decisions, better understand the world around them, and contribute to economic progress and development.

Core Requirements (15 credits)

ECO 101Economics I

3

ECO 102Economics II

3

ECO 321Economics of Money and Banking

3

ECO 340Urban Economics & Sustainability

3

ECO 440International Economics

3

Total concentration courses are five courses equaling 15 credits

Finance with a Concentration in Nonprofit Management

The nonprofit industry is one of the fastest growing employers. The industry is seeking out marketers, HR professionals, and managers with an interest in strategic planning within the nonprofit industry. This nonprofit concentration will focus on the following content areas: Introduction to nonprofits, fiscal management, advocacy and public policy, and one specific identified nonprofit course in the student’s program. There are four core courses in the concentration and one specific program course or an internship. Two of the courses are shared between the College of Behavioral Science and the College of Business. This is a concentration for bachelor’s degrees in Business Management, Finance, Marketing, and Human Resource Management.

Core requirements (12 credits)

NFP 301Intro to Nonprofit Agencies

3

NFP 302Management of the Nonprofit Organization

3

NFP 303Foundations of Fiscal Management for Nonprofit

3

NFP 304Advocacy and Public Policy

3

Program specific requirements (3 credits)

Students can choose ONE of the following 4 courses:

FIN 331Finance for Nonprofit

3

HRM 361HRM in Public and Nonprofit Organizations

3

NFP 307Fundraising for Nonprofits

3

SPM 309Sport and Athletics Fundraising

3

Students may substitute any program specific course for an alternate NFP course of their choosing or an internship.

Total concentration courses are five courses equaling 15 credits.

Finance Completion Degree

What is a Completion Degree?

A completion degree is a personalized version of a bachelor's degree created exclusively for students who have completed an associate degree at an accredited institution. Completion degrees are available for most Wilmington University Bachelor of Science degrees. A student who expects to transfer a completed associate's degree should communicate with a Wilmington University academic advisor before registering for courses. A transcript with documentation of the conferred degree must be received by Wilmington University to confirm eligibility. 

Curriculum

Transfer students who hold an associate degree from a partner institution are required to take the following Finance courses.
The College of Business programs require a minimum grade of "C" for Business Finance Program Core Courses.  Students receiving a grade lower than "C" in any required program core course must retake that course.  For the purpose of this policy, program core courses are all Finance courses.  These courses are designated by the prefix "FIN."

Business Finance Program Core Courses

BBM 319Business Ethics

3

BLA 305Business Law for Accounting and Finance Majors

3

FIN 302Financial Planning

3

FIN 306Corporate Finance

3

FIN 308Financial Economics and Instruments

3

FIN 410Financial Reporting and Analysis

3

Choose one of the following two courses:
BBM 411Operations and Systems Management

3

HRM 311Human Resource Management

3

Choose one of the following two courses:
FIN 411Investments and Security Analysis

3

FIN 412Financial Institution Management

3

Completion Degree Required Courses

BBM 320Business Communications

3

BBM 402Strategic Management

3

FIN 301Personal Finance

3

FIN 305Financial Management

3

MAT 312Business Statistics

3

MIS 320Management Information Systems

3

Dual-Credit ADVANTAGE™ Accelerated Option

Through Dual-Credit ADVANTAGE™, this accelerated program option allows eligible College of Business students to take up to four selected graduate-level courses in place of selected undergraduate courses and provides the opportunity to be formally accepted into the M.S. in Management or MBA graduate program prior to completion of their bachelor’s degree.

In order to be eligible, students must have completed 75 undergraduate credits and obtained an overall GPA of 3.0 or better and have specific undergraduate courses remaining in their program.  Please schedule an appointment with an Academic Advisor to learn if you are eligible to participate in this program and determine your concentration-specific course substitutions and requirements.

Note: These graduate-level courses will fulfill requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Students are required to maintain a 3.0 in all graduate programs.