Program Overview

A major in finance trains students to apply financial principles and create financial models to formulate solutions to case studies and current events in both personal and corporate finance. This program has two concentrations to choose from: Financial Analysis or Financial Planning. These concentrations focus on practical application using state-of-the-art techniques that will uniquely prepare and equip students to be effective leaders in the field of finance.

The Financial Planning concentration is registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) and meets the CFP Board education requirement for students to be able to sit for the CFP^® exam. Students earning this certificate will be prepared to take the Certified Financial Planning Exam. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from Messiah’s Finance program can:

1. Students will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the required professional conduct and regulation for financial professionals. (ULO 4, ULO 5, ULO 6)
2. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop a comprehensive financial plan for potential clients. (ULO 2, ULO 3)
3. Students will use Microsoft Excel to create detailed budgets and long-term savings projections intended to achieve client retirement funding goals. (ULO 2)
4. Recall, recognize, and interpret foundational content related to ACBSP accreditation Common Professional Component—disciplinary areas in which all business majors need to be proficient regardless of their major including Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Management, Law, Economics, Ethics, Information Systems, Global, Quantitative and Integrative (ULO 2)
5. Apply business concepts, strategies and tactics (ULO 2)
6. Conduct methodological secondary research into business issues. (ULO 3)
7. Articulate how the Christian faith informs one’s work life, career, and daily business practices (ULO 4, ULO 5, ULO 6)

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

ACCT 141	Financial Accounting	3
ACCT 242	Managerial Accounting	3
ACCT 301	Intermediate Accounting I	3
BUSA 102	Opportunities in Business	1
BUSA 120	Principles of Management	3
BUSA 381	Business Law	3
BUSA 501	Business Strategy and Execution	3
CIS 190	Strategic Use of Information Technology	3
ECON 120	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
ECON 220	Principles of Microeconomics	3
ECON 307	Money and Financial Markets	3
	OR
FINA 307	Money and Financial Markets	3
FINA 305	Financial Management	3
FINA 351	Investments	3
MRKT 130	Marketing Principles	3
STAT 281	Applied Statistics for Management	3

Three to four credits from the following:

MATH 107	Applied Mathematics for Management	3
MATH 108	Intuitive Calculus with Applications	3
MATH 111	Calculus I	4

Financial Planning Concentration (15 credits)

ACCT 347	Federal Individual Income Taxes	3
FINA 340	Estate Planning	3
FINA 345	Education and Retirement Planning	3
FINA 440	Insurance and Risk Management	3
FINA 445	Financial Planning Capstone	3

General Education Requirements

Experiential Learning requirement		0
General Education requirements		Credits
First Year Seminar	IDFY 101/102H	3
Written Communication	ENGL 110/110H	3
Oral Communication	COMM 105	3
Mathematical and Scientific Ways of Knowing	Mathematics (MATH 107, MATH 108, MATH 111)	met/major
	Science with Lab	3 or 4
Social Scientific Ways of Knowing	Social Science (ECON 120)	met/major
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing	24GE History	3
Literary & Aesthetic Ways of Knowing	Literature or Arts	3
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing	Philosophy or Religion	3
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing	1st and 2nd Level Language	6
Intercultural Perspectives	Intercultural Global or International Cross-cultural or 3rd Level Language	3
Bible	24GE Bible	3
Christian Beliefs	24GE Christian Beliefs	3
Holistic Wellness	WELL 1xx	1
Ethics and the Common Good	24GE Ethics and the Common Good	3
Intercultural Perspectives	Intercultural U.S. or Domestic Cross-cultural	3
Common Learning	Experiential Learning
General Education requirements		43-44
Major requirements (inclusive of concentration)		61-62
Free Electives		17-19
Total credits		123