Business Administration, Finance Major, B.S.

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The Finance major (15 credits) prepares students for careers in corporate finance, investments, financial services, banking, and related fields. Students learn a blend of theoretical and practical concepts and apply this knowledge to real-world settings. The program develops analytical and critical thinking skills that will aid students throughout their careers. The flexibility of the major requirements allows students to create self designed specializations within the major. For example, students interested in pursuing a career in financial services might select FIN 321 Personal Financial Planning and an internship at a financial services company.

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USM’s Board Registered CFP (Certified Financial Planner) Program
The School of Business maintains a CFP Board Registered Financial Planning Program that satisfies the
coursework requirement to sit for the CFP certification exam. Students who successfully complete the
Program will receive a certificate of completion that can be presented to the CFP Board.

For more information: click here .

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Program Requirements

In addition to meeting all University requirements, students must earn a minimum grade of C- in all Pre-Business Core Classes and a C in all 300-400 level courses in the Business Core, Thematic Core, major, and required Business electives (or a Business minor). To ensure that students graduate with a current understanding of their field, upper-level courses taken more than 10 years before the degree is awarded must have Departmental approval for use in the Business Core, Thematic Core, the major, or the remaining 9 credits, whether taken as upper level Business electives or a Business minor.

Students may declare or change a major by completing a form available at the Registrar’s office or on their website. Double majors are possible as long as no more than one course (3 credit hours) applied toward one major is applied toward the second major. Under no circumstances can more than one course (3 credit hours) be double-counted for two majors within the School of Business.

School of Business majors may count up to two specified business courses (6 credits) in both the Business Core and a Business minor. (See minor requirements.) The remaining minor courses (9 credits) cannot double count in the minor and the Business major courses or between two Business minors. School of Business majors are allowed to declare more than one business minor.

At least 50 percent of classes in the Business Core and Thematic Core (4 out of 7) have to be taken at USM. In addition, at least 50 percent of classes in the major (3 out of 5) must be taken at USM.

Students can take no more than 12 credits of upper level business classes until they have successfully completed the pre-business core with a grade of C- in each course.

Overview of course requirements:

Core Curriculum
Pre-Business Core
Business Core
Thematic Core
One Global Business course
Major requirements
Additional 9 credits at 300-level or above beyond the major taken either as electives (ACC, BAN, BUS, FIN, RMI) or 2nd Business major or as 15-credit School of Business minor
General University Electives as needed

USM Core Curriculum Requirements

Please see the USM Core Curriculum section of this catalog for details. School of Business specific Core courses are noted below.

Writing, Reading, and Inquiry (WRI) 1
Writing, Reading, and Inquiry (WRI) 2
Writing, Reading, and Inquiry (WRI) 3
Quantitative Reasoning: MAT 108 College Algebra or ECO 101 Introduction to Macroeconomics or ECO 102 Introduction to Microeconomics or BUS 241 Applied Business Modeling (credits counted in the Pre-business core).
Creative Expression
Socio-cultural Analysis: ECO 101 Introduction to Macroeconomics or ECO 102 Introduction to Microeconomics (credits counted in the Pre-business Core).
Cultural Interpretation
Science Exploration
Ethical Inquiry, Social Responsibility, and Citizenship; May be fulfilled and double counted with BUS 347 - Triple-Bottom-Line Business or BUS 339 Business Ethics
Culture, Power, and Equity
International: May be fulfilled and double counted by the Global Business course by successful completion of BUS 335 - International Business or BUS 361 - International Marketing or BUS 373 Project Management
Engaged Learning & Capstone: BUS 450 - Business Policy and Strategy (credits counted in the Thematic Core)

Pre-Business Core

MAT 108 - College Algebra Credits: 4 with C- or higher grade (Substitutes include a C- or higher grade in MAT 140 or approved higher level math course or passing a CLEP exam)
ECO 101 - Introduction to Macroeconomics Credits: 3 with C- or higher grade
ECO 102 - Introduction to Microeconomics Credits: 3 with C- or higher grade
ACC 110 - Financial Accounting Information for Decision Making Credits: 3 (C- or higher)
ACC 211 - Managerial Accounting Information for Decision Making Credits: 3 (C- or higher)
BUS 260 - Marketing Credits: 3 (C- or higher)
BUS 280 - Legal Environment of Business Credits: 3 (C- or higher)
BUS 241 - Applied Business Modeling Credits: 3 (C- or higher)

Business Core*

*At least 50 percent of classes in the Business Core and Thematic Core (4 out of 7) have to be taken at USM.

BUS 301 - Business Analytics Credits: 3 (C or higher)
BUS 340 - Managing Organizational Behavior Credits: 3 (C or higher)
BUS 375 - Production/Operations Management Credits: 3 (C or higher)
FIN 320 - Basic Financial Management Credits: 3 (C or higher)

Thematic Core*

*At least 50 percent of classes in the Business Core and Thematic Core (4 out of 7) have to be taken at USM.

BUS 300 - Entrepreneurial Thinking Credits: 3 (C or higher)
BUS 345 - Technology Management Credits: 3 (C or higher)
BUS 450 - Business Policy and Strategy Credits: 3 (C or higher)

Global Business Course

Select one of the following courses:

BUS 335 - International Business Credits: 3 (C or higher)
BUS 361 - International Marketing Credits: 3 (C or higher)
BUS 373 - Project Management Credits: 3 (C or higher)
BUS 382 - International Business Law Credits: 3 (C or higher)
BUS 388 - Launching a Global Social Enterprise Credits: 3 (C or higher)
FIN 330 - International Financial Management Credits: 3 (C or higher)

Major Requirements (15 credits)

At least 50 percent of credit hours applied to the major must be taken at USM. No more than 3 credits of internship can count toward the major. Double majors are possible as long as no more than one course (3 credits) applied toward one major is applied toward the second major. Students must earn a grade of C or higher in each major course.

Required class (3 credits)

FIN 327 - Investment Management Credits: 3

Finance Electives (12 credits)

(12 credits, at least three courses must be FIN courses)

FIN 315 - Estate Planning Credits: 3
FIN 321 - Personal Financial Planning Credits: 3
FIN 323 - Financial Engineering Credits: 3
FIN 326 - Financial Modeling Credits: 3
FIN 328 - Financial Markets and Institutions Credits: 3
FIN 330 - International Financial Management Credits: 3 (cannot be counted in core)
FIN 395 - Internship I Credits: 3
FIN 490 - Independent Study in Finance Credits: 1-3
ACC 413 - Concepts and Strategies of Taxation Credits: 3
ACC 302 - Financial Reporting II Credits: 3
RMI 320 - Introduction to Risk Management and Insurance Credits: 3

Additional 9 credits at 300-level or above beyond the major

Satisfied in one of the following three ways:

9 credits in any 300- or 400-level ACC, BAN, BUS, FIN, RMI courses;
2nd Business major;
15-credit minors in approved School of Business topics. Up to two specified courses (6 credits) may count for credit in both the Business Core and the Minor. Up to two specified upper division Accounting classes may count for credit in both the Accounting major and the advanced accounting minor. Minors are available in the following areas: Advanced Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Risk Management and Insurance, and Sustainable Business.

General Electives (remaining credits for 120 credit minimum)

The exact number of general elective credits varies and is dependent upon choices made in University core requirements.

USM Core Requirements

The USM Core Curriculum is a coherent, integrative, and rigorous liberal education that enables our graduates to be world-minded, intentional, life-long learners and captures your general education degree requirements.

Please Note: Core requirements may be part of your major and/or minor, and Core may have been fulfilled with transfer credit. Please consult your MaineStreet Degree Progress Report (DPR) and review your degree progress with your Advisor. For additional information, access the USM Core webpage.