PROGRAM
FEATURES:
The Christos
M. Cotsakos College of Business academic program leading
to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with
a concentration in Finance features a curriculum that is
balanced between general education, finance, and other related
business courses. The program
(a)
requires the completion of core courses in the concentration
of finance, thus preparing students to pursue careers in
either banking, government, or other financial institutions,
(b) mandates
the successful completion of related coursework that provides
coverage in all areas that form the basis of fundamental
business core competency, and
(c) stresses
a well diversified general education core, including specific
courses that enhance public speaking skills, introduce behavioral
sciences, increase competency in analytical and mathematical
sciences, and address issues of ethics and diversity in
organizations.
Consistent with
the College of Business undergraduate program objectives,
the finance program (1)
strives for academic excellence in addressing educationally
oriented learning components that will provide students
with the knowledge requisite to becoming competitive in
the professional arena or continuing with an advanced degree
in the area of study,
(2) familiarizes
students with issues related to dynamic and contemporary
organizations through coursework and professional enrichment,
(3) increases
students’ problem recognition and analysis skills, as well
as technological proficiency, and (4) encourages the enhancement
of presentation and communication skills.
The department
is also the home of the E*TRADE Financial Learning Center,
representing one of the few trading floors located within
an academic institution. Coursework, as well as related
seminars, are conducted from the center, where datafeeds,
databases, and software commonly utilized by the business
professional are leveraged to the benefit of the student’s
academic learning objectives. •
The contemporary graduate of the finance program will be
prepared for an entry-level career in any of the following
fields: Corporate Finance, Investments, Financial Institutions,
and International Finance. Our state of the art program
exposes graduates to capital markets, investment evaluation,
efficient allocation of resources, and international financial
management. Students are well equipped with cutting-edge
technological and analytical skills; are trained in efficient
portfolio management using simulation investment games with
real-time data of stocks, bonds and derivatives; are well-versed
in using financial software packages involving asset pricing
models, options models, etc.; and familiar with databases
like Compustat. College of Business finance graduates are
a select few that are exposed to the workings of a trading
room, where they develop decision-making skills by working
on research projects analyzing live data feeds from, for
example, Reuters, using various statistical and econometric
software packages. This real-world oriented unique
hands-on curriculum gives our graduates a distinctive edge
over their competitors.
DEGREE
REQUIREMENTS:
1.
Curriculum Requirements:
All students
enrolled in the Bachelor of Science program in Business
Administration, with a concentration in finance, must
satisfy the: |
a.
General Education (GE) Core and Upper Level Elective
requirement (68 credit hours), including:
- ECON
201 Macroeconomic Principles
- PSY
110 General Psychology, or SOC 101 Principles of
Sociology
- POL
110 Introduction to Politics
|
Business
Administration majors may utilize these courses in fulfillment
of the “social science” credit hour requirement.
- COMM
110 Communication in Action
|
Business
Administration majors may utilize this course in partial
fulfillment of the “arts and communication” credit hour
requirement.
- MATH
140 Quantitative Mathematics I
|
| Business
Administration majors may utilize this course in partial
fulfillment of the “Science” credit hour requirement. |
| b. Common
Business Program Core (33 credit hours)
|
c.
Major Requirement (18 credit hours): Students with
a concentration in finance must take:
- FIN
400 International Financial Management
- In
addition, five courses must be chosen from: 300
or 400 level Christos M. Cotsakos College of Business
finance courses, or those approved by the department
chair.
|
| Note:
Students pursuing the dual major in Business Administration
with a finance concentration and Accounting may not
utilize FIN 410 and FIN 411 to satisfy requirements
in both majors. |
d. College
of Business Directed Elective Course Curriculum Requirement
(9 credit hours): These courses are directed elective
courses, and are periodically updated to reflect current
trends in business education.
- MATH
145 Quantitative Mathematics II
- ECON
355 Diversity in Organizations: 1.5 credit hours
- MGT
350 Ethics and Business: 1.5 credit hours
- One
three-credit course 200-level or higher that is
offered by the Cotsakos College of Business
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|
2.
Professional Enrichment Requirements and Opportunities:
All College of Business majors are strongly encouraged to attend Professional Enrichment events. Bonus points may be awarded for attendance at such events or it may be part of the final grade for certain courses. Contact your instructor for more information. |
a.
Students interested in gaining professional work
experience should consider the (a) internship, (b)
practicum, or (c) job shadowing alternatives.
Internships are individualized structured work experiences
where a student is placed in an organization for
the purpose of working under a supervisor and gaining
hands-on experience in the area of interest. Alternatively,
a practicum is a guided work experience conducted
within a group framework, where groups provide consultation
to small businesses, under the mentorship of a faculty
sponsor. Job shadowing entails a one-to-one linkage
between a student and a business leader in the area
of interest. The student meets with the business
leader, on-site, and “shadows” the business leader
at the workplace for one day. This provides
the student with an inside glimpse of what the profession
of choice entails, and an opportunity to spend one
day in the company of a professional in the workplace.
Internship and Practicum experiences earn credit
hours, job shadowing contributes to enrichment
points.
b.
The College of Business and the department of Economics,
Finance, and Global Business offer numerous professionally
oriented activities for students to attend.
These activities promote the professional development
of the student, and many of these activities earn
enrichment points. These activities include:
Careers in Finance, the Business Leaders’ Symposium,
the Finance Symposium, and the Resume Writing Seminar,
among others.
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COURSES:
Unless otherwise
noted, all courses are 3 credit hours.
FIN
310 Money and Banking (also listed as ECON 310)
A study of
the key concepts, theories, processes, and interrelationships
that link money and banking to the workings of the U.S.
economy. This course analyzes how banks and other
depository institutions serve as a conduit for the implementation
of monetary policy. The structure, functions, powers,
and monetary tools of the Federal Reserve are also examined.
Prerequisite: ECON 201
FIN
320 Corporate Finance
A study of
the basic principles and practices of the financial management
of private business corporations. The course provides
an operational framework for financial analysis, planning
and forecasting, along with profit analysis and financial
control for today’s business world.
Prerequisites: ACCT 211, ECON 202
FIN
350 Financial Markets and Institutions
This course
is an introduction to the dynamic structure of the financial
markets’ environment in which financial institutions as
well as other participants operate. The course explores
the concepts and measurement of risk and return, explains
how market interest rates are determined, analyzes the spread
between various rates across major capital markets’ participants,
and analyzes strategies to manage and modify return and
risk in an uncertain environment. The emphasis is
on identifying the characteristics of participants that
give rise to basic similarities and/or differences in their
behavior, rather than on their detailed operating business
activities.
Prerequisites: FIN 320, ACCT 211, ECON 202
FIN 360 Personal Finance
An introductory course that surveys the principles, processes, and decision-making tools of finance as they apply to individuals throughout their life cycles.
Prerequisites: ACCT 211, ECON 202
FIN
399 Selected Topics
A topic not
covered by an existing course.
Prerequisite: Permission of the department Chairperson and
the Christos M. Cotsakos College of Business Dean (1-6 credits)
FIN
400 International Financial Management
Financial
management of a multinational enterprise. Topics include
foreign exchange risk, political risk, long-run investment
and financing decisions, working capital management, and
valuation of operations and taxation.
Prerequisites: FIN 320, ACCT 211, ECON 202
FIN
403 Capital Budgeting
Examines the
firm’s investment decisions in projects within the context
of value creation. Covers investment decision making
under certainty and under risk. Certainty equivalent,
CAPM and risk adjusted return, sequential decision making,
and sensitivity models are discussed. Problems and
cases are assigned for analysis and class presentation.
Prerequisites: FIN 320, ACCT 211, ECON 202
FIN
410 Taxation I (also listed at ACCT 410)
A study of
the U.S. Internal Revenue Code with emphasis on income taxation
of individuals. Provides practice in the preparation
of tax returns and the solutions of case problems.
Concentrates on the problems of U.S. individual income tax,
but taxation of corporations and partnership is also examined.
Prerequisites: ACCT 212, ACCT 211
FIN
411 Taxation II (also listed as ACCT 411)
A study of
the U.S. Internal Revenue Code with emphasis on the taxation
of corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts.
Federal payroll, gift and estate, and New Jersey taxes are
also covered.
Prerequisite: (1) FIN 410 or ACCT 410, (2) ACCT 212, and
(3) ACCT 211
FIN
415 Managerial Economics (also listed as ECON 415)
The application
of economic analysis to the solution of individual business
problems. Among the primary areas covered are demand
forecasting, cost and profit analysis, and capital budgeting.
Prerequisites: ECON 210, ECON 202, ECON 201, MATH 140
FIN
430 Advanced Managerial Finance
Presents an
in-depth overview of the most recent developments in the
field of finance and its applications. The topics
include optimal capital structure and dividend policy, option
valuation models and the application of option pricing theory
to the theory of corporate finance, valuation of risky debt
and term structure of interest rates, warrants and convertibles,
and the analysis of mergers and acquisitions. Prerequisite:
FIN 320, ACCT 211, ECON 202
FIN 440 - Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting (same as ACCT 440)
This course covers accounting and financial reporting for governmental and not-for-profit entities. The emphasis is on teaching students the significance of reported information and how both users and preparers can interpret and analyze governmental and not-for-profit accounting information.
Prerequisites: ACCT 212, ACCT 211
FIN
435 Principles of Investment
A disciplined
application of financial analysis to the valuation and selection
of corporate securities for individual as well as institutional
investment. The course emphasizes, among other topics,
both the fundamental and technical analysis of common stocks
in light of the modern portfolio theory. Prerequisites:
FIN 320, ACCT 211, ECON 210, ECON 202, MATH 140
FIN
485 Practicum in Finance
A course of
study designed especially for the supervised practical application
of previously studied theory in a group setting. Done
under the supervision of a faculty sponsor and coordinated
with a business organization.
Prerequisites: (1) FIN 320, (2) ACCT 211, (3) ECON 202,
(4) Junior status, (5) Minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and in
the major, and (6) permission of the department Chairperson
and the Christos M. Cotsakos College of Business Dean
FIN
490 Internship in Finance
This is a
cooperative education/field work experience. The mission
of the internship program is to provide students with a
valuable employment experience by working, uninterrupted
for a significant amount of time with a public, private,
or governmental entity located in the student’s geographical
area. Prerequisites: (1) FIN 320, (2) ACCT 211, (3) ECON
202, (4) Junior status, (5) Minimum GPA of 2.5 overall and
in the major, and (6) permission of the department Chairperson
and the College of Business Dean
FIN
499 Independent Study
A special
project supervised by a faculty adviser.
Prerequisites: Minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and in the major,
with the approval of the department Chairperson and the
College of Business Dean (1-6 credit hours)
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