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Undergraduate Programs in Finance

Interested in the field of Finance as a possible career? If so, you are considering one of the most dynamic, exciting majors that exist today. From the world's stock exchanges to multinational corporations to highly competitive banking and financial service firms, finance has mesmerized the world during the past two decades. The demand for finance specialists has increased dramatically and employment in the field has skyrocketed. Magazine articles touting "the 10 best careers for the new century" invariably list one or two finance positions. Few career choices offer the combination of growth, high income and dynamism that finance extends to you. 

What is Finance Like?

  • It is analytical, it uses accounting information

  • It is based on economic principles

  • It is international in perspective

  • It is very dynamic and changes constantly

  • It provides good job opportunities

Finance Program at Murray State University

Murray State University offers two Area in Finance programs, both are accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

At Murray State University, we have a term that is a little tricky until you get used to it: an area in a subject. At Murray State, if you major in a field, you must have a minor in a field as well. (For example, you can major in Business Administration and minor in Psychology.) However, if you do not want a minor in a subject, you are said to pursue an area instead of a major. The requirements for an area are just as rigorous as the requirements for a major; the name assigned to it is just different - it simply means that you have chosen not to minor in a subject.

Note: The Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business strongly encourages students in its business programs to study abroad. The courses marked with an asterisk are commonly taught in summer study abroad programs such as KIIS and CCSA and each fall in the Semester in Regensburg program in Germany. BPA 396: Seminar in International Business, a business elective, is frequently taught in all these settings as well as in the International Business Seminar programs over the Christmas break and in the summer. ACC 586: International Experience in Accounting is routinely offered over Spring Break as an Accounting Elective. Consult your academic advisor to determine the study abroad opportunity which best fits your needs and schedule.

Area in Finance

Total Curriculum Requirements: 120 hours

  • Oral and Written Communication: 7 hours

    • COM 161 [or HON 165] — 3 hours

    • ENG 105 [or ENG 150] — 4 hours

  • Global Awareness, Cultural Diversity and the World's Artistic Traditions

    • BAB: 9 hours

      • Modern language course (single language), attaining a 202-level proficiency — 6 hours
        To reach proficiency at the 202-level, a student may have to complete up to six hours of 100-level prerequisites.

      • One University Studies elective in this category — 3 hours

    • BSB: 3 hours

      • One University Studies elective in this category — 3 hours

  • Scientific Inquiry, Methodologies and Quantitative Skills

    • BAB: 7-10 hours

      • One University Studies science course with lab — 4-5 hours

      • One University Studies mathematics course — 3-5 hours

    • BSB: 10-15 hours

      • One University Studies science course with lab — 4-5 hours

      • One University Studies mathematics course — 3-5 hours

      • One University Studies science or mathematics course — 3-5 hours

  • Social and Self-Awareness and Responsible Citizenship: 6 hours

    • One Ethics, Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement category course — 3 hours

    • One Social Science category course — 3 hours

  • World’s Historical, Literary and Philosophical Traditions

    • BAB: 9 hours

      • CIV 201 or CIV 202 [or HON 201 or 202] — 3 hours

      • HUM 211 [or HON 251] — 3 hours

      • One University Studies elective in this category - 3 hours

    • BSB: 6 hours

      • CIV 201 or CIV 202 [or HON 201 or 202] — 3 hours

      • HUM 211 [or HON 251] — 3 hours

  • University Studies Approved Elective

    • BAB: 3 hours

    • BSB: 6 hours

  • Business Core Requirement: 41 hours

    • ACC 200 Principles of Financial Accounting — 3 hours

    • ACC 201 Principles of Managerial Accounting — 3 hours

    • BAC 215 Business Communication — 3 hours

    • BAC 355 Information Systems and Decision Making — 3 hours

    • BAC 442 Business Ethics and Environments — 3 hours

    • CIS 243 Business Statistics I — 2 hours

    • CIS 343 Business Statistics II — 2 hours

    • ECO 310 Issues in the Global Economy — 3 hours

    • FIN 330 Principles of Finance — 3 hours

    • FTR 100T Transitions — 1 hour

    • LST 240 Legal Environment of Business — 3 hours

    • LSC 343 Fundamentals of Operations — 3 hours

    • MGT 350 Fundamentals of Management — 3 hours

    • MGT 590 Strategic Management — 3 hours

    • MKT 360 Principles of Marketing — 3 hours

  • Required Courses: 15 hours

    • ECO 305 Money and Banking — 3 hours

    • FIN 332 Financial Management — 3hours

    • FIN 333 Principles of Investment — 3 hours

    • FIN 334 Financial Institutions — 3 hours

    • FIN 480 Senior Seminar in Finance — 3 hours

  • Required Limited Electives: 12 hours
    Nine hours of finance electives from the following:

    • FIN 331 Principles of Insurance — 3 hours

    • FIN 336 Employee Benefits and Retirement — 3 hours

    • FIN 338 Estate Planning — 3 hours

    • FIN 421 Financial Models — 3 hours

    • FIN 488 Cooperative Education/Internship — 3 hours

    • FIN 489 Cooperative Education/Internship — 3 hours

    • FIN 520 Risk Management — 3 hours

    • FIN 522 Portfolio Management and Theory — 3 hours

    • FIN 537 Commercial Banking — 3 hours

    • FIN 505 Internship in Finance — 3 hours

    • FIN 595 Special Problems — 3 hours

  • Business Electives: 3 hours (B.S.B. only)

  • Unrestricted Electives: 0 - 11 hours

Area in Finance | Commercial Banking Track

Total Curriculum Requirements: 120 hours

  • Oral and Written Communication: 7 hours

    • COM 161 [or HON 165] — 3 hours

    • ENG 105 [or ENG 150] — 4 hours

  • Global Awareness, Cultural Diversity and the World's Artistic Traditions

    • BAB: 9 hours

      • Modern language course (single language), attaining a 202-level proficiency — 6 hours
        To reach proficiency at the 202-level, a student may have to complete up to six hours of 100-level prerequisites.

      • One University Studies elective in this category — 3 hours

    • BSB: 3 hours

      • One University Studies elective in this category — 3 hours

  • Scientific Inquiry, Methodologies and Quantitative Skills

    • BAB: 7-10 hours

      • One University Studies science course with lab — 4-5 hours

      • One University Studies mathematics course — 3-5 hours

    • BSB: 10-15 hours

      • One University Studies science course with lab — 4-5 hours

      • One University Studies mathematics course — 3-5 hours

      • One University Studies science or mathematics course — 3-5 hours

  • Social and Self-Awareness and Responsible Citizenship: 6 hours

    • One Ethics, Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement category course — 3 hours

    • One Social Science category course — 3 hours

  • World’s Historical, Literary and Philosophical Traditions

    • BAB: 9 hours

      • CIV 201 or CIV 202 [or HON 201 or 202] — 3 hours

      • HUM 211 [or HON 251] — 3 hours

      • One University Studies elective in this category — 3 hours

    • BSB: 6 hours

      • CIV 201 or CIV 202 [or HON 201 or 202] — 3 hours

      • HUM 211 [or HON 251] — 3 hours

  • University Studies Approved Elective

    • BAB: 3 hours

    • BSB: 6 hours

  • Business Core Requirement: 41 hours

    • ACC 200 Principles of Financial Accounting — 3 hours

    • ACC 201 Principles of Managerial Accounting — 3 hours

    • BAC 215 Business Communication — 3 hours

    • BAC 355 Information Systems and Decision Making — 3 hours

    • BAC 442 Business Ethics and Environments — 3 hours

    • CIS 243 Business Statistics I — 2 hours

    • CIS 343 Business Statistics II — 2 hours

    • ECO 310 Issues in the Global Economy — 3 hours

    • FIN 330 Principles of Finance — 3 hours

    • FTR 100T Transitions — 1 hour

    • LST 240 Legal Environment of Business — 3 hours

    • LSC 343 Fundamentals of Operations — 3 hours

    • MGT 350 Fundamentals of Management — 3 hours

    • MGT 590 Strategic Management — 3 hours

    • MKT 360 Principles of Marketing — 3 hours

  • Required Courses: 15 hours

    • ECO 305 Money and Banking — 3 hours

    • FIN 332 Financial Management — 3hours

    • FIN 333 Principles of Investment — 3 hours

    • FIN 334 Banking and Financial Institutions — 3 hours

    • FIN 480 Senior Seminar in Finance — 3 hours

  • Required Specialty Courses: 12 hours

    • FIN 334 Principles of Lending and Financial Statements — 3 hours

    • FIN 350 Introduction to Counter Threat Financing Methodologies — 3 hours

    • FIN 354 Bank Compliance Issues — 3 hours

    • FIN 537 Commercial Bank Management — 3 hours

  • Unrestricted Electives: 0 - 11 hours

Area in Finance | Financial Planning Track

Total Curriculum Requirements: 120 hours

  • Oral and Written Communication: 7 hours

    • COM 161 [or HON 165] — 3 hours

    • ENG 105 [or ENG 150] — 4 hours

  • Global Awareness, Cultural Diversity and the World's Artistic Traditions

    • BAB: 9 hours

      • Modern language course (single language), attaining a 202-level proficiency — 6 hours
        To reach proficiency at the 202-level, a student may have to complete up to six hours of 100-level prerequisites.

      • One University Studies elective in this category — 3 hours

    • BSB: 3 hours

      • One University Studies elective in this category — 3 hours

  • Scientific Inquiry, Methodologies and Quantitative Skills

    • BAB: 7-10 hours

      • One University Studies science course with lab — 4-5 hours

      • One University Studies mathematics course — 3-5 hours

    • BSB: 10-15 hours

      • One University Studies science course with lab — 4-5 hours

      • One University Studies mathematics course — 3-5 hours

      • One University Studies science or mathematics course — 3-5 hours

  • Social and Self-Awareness and Responsible Citizenship: 6 hours

    • One Ethics, Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement category course — 3 hours

    • One Social Science category course — 3 hours

  • World’s Historical, Literary and Philosophical Traditions

    • BAB: 9 hours

      • CIV 201 or CIV 202 [or HON 201 or 202] — 3 hours

      • HUM 211 [or HON 251] -- 3 hours

      • One University Studies elective in this category — 3 hours

    • BSB: 6 hours

      • CIV 201 or CIV 202 [or HON 201 or 202] — 3 hours

      • HUM 211 [or HON 251] — 3 hours

  • University Studies Approved Elective

    • BAB: 3 hours

    • BSB: 6 hours

  • Business Core Requirement: 41 hours

    • ACC 200 Principles of Financial Accounting — 3 hours

    • ACC 201 Principles of Managerial Accounting — 3 hours

    • BAC 215 Business Communication — 3 hours

    • BAC 355 Information Systems and Decision Making — 3 hours

    • BAC 442 Business Ethics and Environments — 3 hours

    • CIS 243 Business Statistics I — 2 hours

    • CIS 343 Business Statistics II — 2 hours

    • ECO 310 Issues in the Global Economy — 3 hours

    • FIN 330 Principles of Finance — 3 hours

    • FTR 100T Transitions — 1 hour

    • LST 240 Legal Environment of Business — 3 hours

    • LSC 343 Fundamentals of Operations — 3 hours

    • MGT 350 Fundamentals of Management — 3 hours

    • MGT 590 Strategic Management — 3 hours

    • MKT 360 Principles of Marketing — 3 hours

  • Required Courses: 15 hours

    • ECO 305 Money and Banking — 3 hours

    • FIN 332 Financial Management — 3hours

    • FIN 333 Principles of Investment — 3 hours

    • FIN 334 Financial Institutions — 3 hours

    • FIN 480 Senior Seminar in Finance — 3 hours

  • Required Specialty Courses: 12 hours

    • ACC 302 Federal Income Tax — 3 hours

    • FIN 331 Principles of Insurance — 3 hours

    • FIN 336 Employee Benefits and Retirement — 3 hours

    • FIN 338 Estate Planning — 3 hours

  • Unrestricted Electives: 0 - 11 hours

Minor in Finance

  • ACC 200 Principles of Financial Accounting — 3 hours

  • ACC 201 Principles of Managerial Accounting — 3 hours

  • FIN 330 Principles of Finance — 3 hours

  • FIN 332 Financial Management — 3 hours

  • FIN 333 Principles of Investment — 3 hours

  • Three hours of business electives (may include FIN or ECO).

Six hours must be upper-level courses completed in residence at Murray State University.

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