The finance major offered through the Department of Finance is designed to provide the student with a broad knowledge in business finance, investments, financial institutions, international finance, risk management and insurance, and real estate. The program provides the student with the theoretical background and tools of analysis required for making effective financial decisions.
Curricular Plan of Study
Prior to orientation or 1st day of classes: Take Math Placement Test (MPT) and place into MAC 1105.
Freshman
Fall (15 hours)
- ENC 1101 Composition I
- MAC 1105C College Algebra
- ECO 2013 Macroeconomics
- Cultural Foundation I
- General Elective
Milestones
- Successful completion of MAC 1105
Spring (15 hours)
- ENC 1102 Composition II
- ECO 2023 Microeconomics
- Social Science Foundation
- General Elective
- General Elective
Milestones
- Successful completion of ECO 2023
Summer (X hours)
- General Elective
- General Elective
Milestones
- Successful completion of ECO 2023
Sophomore
Fall (15 hours)
- ACG 2021 Principles of Financial Accounting
- SPC 1608 Fundamentals of Oral Communication
- Historical Foundation I
- Biological Science Foundation
- General Elective
Milestones
- Successful completion of ACG 2021.
Spring (15 hours)
- ACG 2071 Principles of Managerial Accounting
- Historical Foundation II
- QMB 3003 Quantitative Business Tools I
- Physical Science Foundation
- CGS 2100C Computer Fundamentals for Business
Milestones
- Successful completion of General Education Requirements.
- Successful completion of Gordon Rule Requirements.
- Successful completion of Common Program Prerequisites.
Junior
Fall (15 hours)
- QMB 3200 Quantitative Business Tools II
- MAR 3023 Marketing
- FIN 3403 Business Finance
- MAN 3025 Management of Organizations
- ACG 3173 Accounting For Decision Makers
Milestones
- Completion of Primary Business Core at UCF with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and no grade lower than a “C”.
- Completion of FIN 3403 and ACG 3173 with a “B” or higher.
- Successful completion of GEB 3006.
- Admittance into the College of Business after completion of the admission requirements. Admittance automatically occurs for those students meeting admission requirements after grades officially post for the semester.
Spring (15 hours)
- QMB 3602
- FIN 4243 Debt and Money
- FIN 3414 Intermediate Corporate Finance
- GEB 3005 Career Search Strategies
- Business Elective
- General Elective (2 credit)
Milestones
- Successful completion of FIN 3414 and GEB 3005.
Senior
Fall (16 hours)
- BUL 3130 Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
- MAR 3203 Supply Chain and Operations Management
- FIN 4504 Equity and Capital Markets
- FIN Restricted Elective
- FIN Elective
- GEB 4223 Business Interviewing Techniques
Milestones
- Successful completion of FIN 4504 and GEB 4223.
Spring (13 hours)
- FIN 4424 Adavanced Topics in Financial Management
- MAN 4720 Strategic Management (Capstone)
- FIN Restricted Elective
- FIN Elective
- GEB 4004 Executing Your Career Plan
Milestones
- Successful completion of all degree requirements for graduation.
Pre-Major
Admission to UCF does not equate to admission to the College of Business Administration (CBA). After receiving admission to UCF, students must qualify to be admitted to CBA and therefore all students enter the University as a ‘pre’ business major. This applies regardless of the specific business major a student intends to pursue. As a ‘pre’ business major, students will:
- Complete the General Education Program
- Complete the Gordon Rule requirements
- Complete the Business Common Program Prerequisites with a grade of “C” or better
- MAC 1105 College Algebra
- ACG 2021 Financial Accounting
- ACG 2071 Managerial Accounting
- ECO 2013 Macroeconomics
- ECO 2023 Microeconomics
- CGS 2100 Computer Fundamentals for Business
- QMB 3003 Quantitative Business Tools I**or STA 2023 Statistical Methods I and MAC 2233 Concepts of Calculus
- Complete the Primary Business Core at UCF (per major specific GPA requirements)
- MAN 3025 Management of Organizations
- MAR 3023 Marketing
- FIN 3403 Business Finance
- QMB 3200 Quantitative Business Tools II
- ACG 3173 Accounting for Decision MakersAdmission to the Finance major requires a minimum Primary Core GPA of “3.0” and a “B” or better in FIN 3403 Business Finance, ACG 3173 Accounting for Decision Makers or ACG 3131 Intermediate Accounting I. (For students double majoring or minoring in Accounting)
- Complete GEB 3006 Career Development & Financial Planning. This is the first course in the Career Professionalism Series; it is designed to help students align their major and career interest.
Finance majors are encouraged to take FIN 2100 – Personal Finance and Investments as an elective to better prepare them for upper level finance classes.
The above five requirements are to be completed before beginning any Business major.
Bloomberg Terminals
Upper level finance classes integrate Bloomberg terminals into their curriculum. Bloomberg terminals are used extensively by the financial services industry to analyze companies and various securities (e.g. equity, fixed income, options). Finance majors can become “Bloomberg Certified.”
FinTech
Financial Technology is an emerging field where the world of technology and finance are come together (e.g. online banking). UCF has one of the first programs in the country to prepare students for high demand jobs in financial technology. Students can earn a certificate or minor in FinTech. The faculty includes Dr. Cuneyt Akcora, who is the only Computer Science Ph.D. in the country to be embedded with the finance department as a tenured professor.
Certificates
The following Certificates are restricted to finance majors only. These certificates do not require additional hours beyond the finance major program. They are intended to allow students to develop specializations in a specific area of interest. No course grade lower than a C will be accepted for the certificate requirements, and the average GPA for the 12 credits must be a 3.0 or higher. Certificates will be awarded only at the time of degree completion.
Banking (12 Credits)
MAR 3391 Professional Selling
Corporate Finance (12 Credits)
FinTech (9 credits)
Investments (12 Credits)
* An internship must be a paid internship with a financial services firm. Must be approved by the department.
Internships
All internships are now housed within the Office of Professional Development. Learn More
Finance majors are encouraged to have internships within the financial services industry. A three-credit hour elective is available for pre-approved internships once a student is admitted to the major and maintains a 3.0 GPA.
Professional Designations
The finance curriculum will prepare majors for post-graduate professional designations, including Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP). CFAs manage large investment portfolios for pensions and mutual funds, while CFPs provide wealth management services to individuals. Students wishing to pursue a CFA should take FIN 3461, which uses the Level 1 exam textbook.
What can I do with this major?
General Information and Strategies
- Quantitative skills are extremely important. Take additional courses in math, statistics, and accounting.
- Many positions in finance require the ability to analyze and interpret data.
- Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills. Cultivate an eye for detail.
- Gain experience through internships, summer and part-time positions.
- Read the Wall Street Journal and other financial news magazines to stay abreast of current events and to learn more about the industry.
- Join student professional associations in the field of finance.
- Several professional designations and licenses, e.g. Chartered Financial Analyst or Certified Financial Planner, are available to finance professionals working in a particular area. Earning these designations may help one obtain advanced positions.
- Recent salary surveys on the “My Florida Future” tool reflect a median starting salary for finance majors of $57,200 with a high end salary of $68,100.
What can I do to stand out?
- Build your technical and analytical skills.
- Complete certificates and/or classes toward professional certifications.
- Build your resume through volunteering
- Explore opportunities on campus or off.
- Join a major-related club/organization.
- See a complete list of student business organizations at UCF.
- Join other clubs/organizations.
- Challenge yourself by leading in the organization through running for office.
| Area | Employer | Information |
|---|---|---|
| • Financial Analysis • Cash Management • Credit Management • Budget Analysis • Investment Management • Investor Relations • Financial Reporting • Payroll • Benefits • Real Estate • Risk Management |
• Private businesses of all sizes and types • State and local government entities • Federal agencies including: • Internal Revenue Service • Treasury Department • Schools and universities • Non-profit organizations • Foundations • Hospitals |
• Complete a related internship. • Develop strong computer skills, including spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software. • Sharp analytical skills are crucial in this industry. • Earn an MBA to reach the highest levels of corporate finance. |
| Area | Employer | Information |
|---|---|---|
| • Corporate Credit Analysis • Commercial Lending • Trust Management • Capital Services and Mergers & Acquisitions • Mortgage Loans • Originations and Packaging • Branch Management • Operations • Cash Management • Credit Scoring and Risk Management • Private Banking |
• Commercial banks • Credit unions • Savings and loan associations • Savings banks • Mortgage banks • Captive finance companies • Regulatory agencies including: • Federal Reserve, FDIC, OCC, OTS |
• Gain a solid background in business including marketing and accounting. • Get experience through part-time, summer or internship positions in a financial service firm. • Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills in order to work well with a diverse clientele. |
| Area | Employer | Information |
|---|---|---|
| • Claims Analysis • Underwriting • Risk Management • Sales • Actuarial Science • Loss Control |
• Life insurance firms • Property and casualty insurance firms • Commercial banks • Savings banks |
• Complete an internship with an insurance agency. • Talk to professionals in the industry to learn more about claims, underwriting, and risk management. • Initiative and sales ability are necessary to be a successful agent or broker. • Develop strong communication skills, as many positions require interaction with others and the ability to explain information clearly and concisely. • Take additional statistics classes to prepare for a career in actuary science. |
| Area | Employer | Information |
|---|---|---|
| • Sales • Customer Service • Operations • Portfolio Management |
• Brokerage firms • Trust companies • Financial partnerships • Multi-line insurance firms • Sole practitioners |
• Gain experience in sales. • Demonstrate a highly motivated and entrepreneurial personality. • Research how one obtains the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. • Develop a solid personal network. |
| Area | Employer | Information |
|---|---|---|
| • Residential Brokerage • Commercial Sales • Appraisals • Property Management • Real Estate Portfolio Management |
• Real estate brokers • Commercial banks • Appraisal firms • Apartment and condominium complexes • Developers • Large corporations: real estate departments • Real estate investment trusts • Mutual funds |
• Obtain sales experience through part-time, summer or internship positions. • Research how to become a real estate broker through the National Association of Realtors. • Develop an entrepreneurial spirit. • Research apprenticeships in appraisal. |
| Area | Employer | Information |
|---|---|---|
| • Corporate Financial Analysis • Mergers and Acquisitions • Equity and Debt • Underwriting • Institutional Bond and Equity Sales • Retail Bond and Equity Sales • Business Valuation • Business Sale Transactions • Currency Trading • Derivatives, e.g. options • Trading • Venture Capital Fund Management • New Venture Analysis |
• Investment banking firms (Changes in laws have created a fluid situation in this industry; Mergers and acquisitions continue to take place.) • Financial services firms • Insurance firms (The Gramm Leach Bliley Act of 1999 allowed financial services firms to acquire or build investment banking subsidiaries and vice versa.) |
• An M.B.A. is required to move beyond the entry-level analyst position in investment banking. Investment banking is highly competitive. • Be prepared to work many hours of overtime per week, start at the bottom, and pay your dues. • Develop strong analytical and communication skills. • Cultivate personal ambitiousness. • Obtain a Series 7 License for both institutional and retail broker sales positions. • Work toward the CFA designation. |
| Area | Employer | Information |
|---|---|---|
| • Research • Trading • Marketing • Portfolio Management |
• Portfolio management firms • Commercial banks • Investment banks • Federal Reserve banks • Insurance firms |
• Most positions require an advanced degree in economics, finance or business and many years of financial |
| Area | Employer | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate or Government Including: • Financial Management • Financial Reporting • Cost Accounting • Tax Planning • Research |
• Companies of various sizes, in all industries • Federal agencies and departments including: • Federal Bureau of Investigation • Internal Revenue Service • Department of the Treasury • Office of Management and Budget • Securities Exchange Commission • State and local agencies |
• Sometimes opportunities in accounting exist in government and corporate settings for finance students. • Take more than the required amount of accounting classes to supplement finance curriculum. • Maintain a strong GPA. • Complete an internship in a government agency and become familiar with the government application process to work in the public sector. |
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