Finance and Economics

Website: www.iup.edu/financelegal and www.iup.edu/economics
Stephanie Jozefowicz, Chair

B.S. – FINANCE

The Finance program, leading to a degree of bachelor of science, is designed to educate students who are interested in pursuing one of the many career opportunities within the areas of corporate and personal ﬁnancial management, banking, insurance, other ﬁnancial institutions, and investments.

The objective of the Finance program is to provide students with a broad base of knowledge, both theoretical and practical, as well as the analytical and technical skills necessary to build a successful career in an exciting and rapidly changing ﬁeld.

Corporate Finance Specialization
The corporate finance specialization provides a foundation in financial concepts, analytics, and decision-making skills essential for success in a wide variety of careers in financial management, banking, insurance, other financial institutions, and investments.

Financial Planning Specialization
The financial planning specialization addresses a full range of topics within financial planning, including wealth management, estate planning, and retirement planning. The financial planning track will help prepare students seeking careers in financial planning by emphasizing the topics necessary for obtaining the Certified Financial Planner designation.

B.A. – ECONOMICS

Economics provides a background and educational base that open a broad range of professional, educational, and vocational opportunities. A bachelor of arts degree program in economics provides a liberal arts education, as well as professional and technical training. Indeed, many students completing an undergraduate major in economics do not pursue careers as professional economists; they enter such fields as law, management, finance, and labor relations. By helping to develop a student’s ability to think and communicate, economics provides a firm foundation upon which the student can build any one of a large number of possible careers.

The bachelor of arts program in economics prepares students for immediate employment or graduate school in economics, business, policy analysis, and law. Students interested in law are encouraged to complete the Pre-law Interdisciplinary Minor .

Either ECON 101 or ECON 121 counts as a Liberal Studies social science course. However, ECON 101 is intended for students who will take only one course in the field. Students who anticipate taking more than one economics course should schedule ECON 121 . ECON 101 will not count toward either a major or minor in economics and may not be taken after the successful completion of, or in concurrent registrations with, any other economics course.

Economics majors are encouraged to minor in one of the other business fields, social sciences, mathematics, or applied statistics.

ECONOMICS HONORS PROGRAM

The honors program is open by departmental permission to economics majors with a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA and a 3.25 GPA in economics courses. Students complete ECON 355 *, ECON 356 /H/, and ECON 456 /W/. In addition, students must choose one class from the following: CRIM 306 , FIN 310 ,FIN 315 , GEOG 316 /RGPL 316 , HIST 487 /H/, MATH 371 , MATH 411 , MATH 412 , MATH 416 , PLSC 370 , PLSC 422 , or SOC 460 . Students must earn at least a grade of “C” in each course completed for the track. Students should consult their advisors to determine how Honors Track courses may be integrated into existing requirements for the economics majors.

*In practice, MATH 214 , MATH 216 , or MATH 217 can be substituted for ECON 355 .

To apply, complete the Economics Honors Program form, which is available in the Department of Finance and Economics office. In addition, a change of major form must be filed.