Undergraduate Finance Tracks

While students are free to choose the 12 hours of electives that are the best fit for them, below we have identified some typical career paths and provided some strongly recommended and suggested elective choices that would be the best preparation for those paths. Any 5000-level courses are open only to those students in the Analytic Finance Academy. Courses for which there is both a traditional undergraduate and an AFA section have the number for the AFA section shown in parenthesis.

Investment Management

Professionals in the investment management industry typically are working to define strategies that manage risk and return for clients. To achieve these objectives, these professionals have extensive training in measuring and forecasting risk and return, constructing portfolios, and managing risk. These professionals are also typically working toward professional certifications such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Financial Risk Manager (FRM), or Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).

Strongly recommended courses

FIN 4013 (5045): Portfolio Management
FIN 4021 (5042): Derivatives
FIN 4014 (5037): Fixed Income
FIN 4085: JIC Student-Managed Fund
FIN 5046: Alternative Investments
FIN 5073: UC Capital Fund

Suggested courses

FIN 4045: Python for Finance
FIN 4052 (5052): Markets and Trading
FIN 4007 (5055): International Finance
FIN 5072: Behavioral Finance

Corporate Finance

Professionals in corporate finance usually begin their careers as financial analysts, business analysts, or treasury analysts with career paths leading toward financial managers and ultimately chief financial officer.

Strongly recommended courses

FIN 4004: Advanced Corporate Finance
FIN 4005: Cases in Corporate Finance

Suggested courses

FIN 4014 (5037): Fixed Income
FIN 4007 (5055): International Finance
FIN 4021 (5042): Derivatives
FIN 5062: Advanced Capital Budgeting
FIN 5063: Mergers and Acquisitions

Banking

Many large national and regional banks hire Finance graduates into leadership programs that give them broad exposure to all areas of banking, or into credit analyst positions that ultimately lead to commercial lending careers. If one works on the investments side of the bank or in the private bank, then you are likely pursuing CFA or CFP designations and looking to be portfolio managers or wealth managers.

Strongly recommended courses

FIN 4053: Financial Markets and Institutions
FIN 4021 (5042): Derivatives
FIN 4014 (5037): Fixed Income

Suggested courses

FIN 4007 (5055): International Finance
FIN 4004: Advanced Corporate Finance
FIN 4045: Python for Finance

Financial Planning/Wealth Management

Those students that are seeking a client-facing career track are a good fit for the Financial Planning sub-plan. These professionals provide advice on investments, insurance, retirement planning, estate planning, taxes, and educational savings. In all likelihood these professionals are typically seeking the CFP designation. Our Financial Planning sub-plan prepares you to sit for the CFP exam upon graduation.

Required courses (in addition to those required of all Finance majors)

FIN 4160: Fundamentals of Financial Planning
FIN 4161: Financial Planning Capstone
IRM 4110: Health and Life Insurance
IRM 4155: Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits
ACCT 3072: Introduction to Tax
ACCT 5146: Estate and Gift Tax

Investment Banking

Professionals in investment banking are usually highly trained in the principles of risk, return, and valuation. This career path caters to highly motivated students willing to tackle a very heavy workload. Professionals in investment banking are often involved in constructing deals for mergers, takeovers, or buyouts and thus need to be able to construct and pitch deal books.

Strongly recommended courses

FIN 4013 (5045): Portfolio Management
FIN 4021 (5042): Derivatives
FIN 4014 (5037): Fixed Income
FIN 5063 Mergers and Acquisitions
FIN 5073 UC Capital Fund

Suggested courses

FIN 5046: Alternative Investments
FIN 4045: Python for Finance
FIN 4052 (5052): Markets and Trading
FIN 4007 (5055): International Finance
FIN 5072: Behavioral Finance