Finance

The Finance program at Illinois State University emphasizes effective teaching and student involvement in the educational process, with special attention to the concept of linking theory with financial practice. We prepare students not only for entry-level positions, but also help them develop the skills necessary to adapt and advance in a changing world.

Finance is concerned with the management of money and with investments in various financial instruments, often through financial institutions such as banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies, and real estate firms. Even though these areas may seem to involve quite different ideas and applications, concepts such as risk and the time value of money play important roles in all financial ventures.

Graduates of the Finance program are hired to manage financial functions for banks, investment firms, non-financial companies, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. People working in the Finance field often pursue such professional certifications as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA ®) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP ®), and many eventually complete Master of Business Administration (MBA) or other advanced academic degrees.

FIL 370: Educational Investment Fund (EIF)

Students who participate in the EIF gain practical experience in buying and selling equity shares, interact with accomplished investment managers, and develop stronger critical thinking and professional presentation skills. Students work with state-of-the-art financial technology and data in the Financial Markets Lab in the State Farm Hall of Business Building. Students are also paired with a mentor working in financial services to better understand workplace expectations.

FIL 346: Fixed-Income Analysis and Portfolio Management

The course focuses on fixed-income security portfolio management and offers a hands-on opportunity to link theory and financial practice. Students in the elective course research fixed-income mutual funds and exchange-traded funds throughout the semester and decide on the best allocation of an actual fixed-income portfolio valued at more than $1,000,000. Performance is benchmarked against the Barclay’s U.S. Aggregate Bond Market index. Student recommendations are presented to a governing board at the end of the semester.

Plan of Study

Suggested plans of study are developed by academic advisors to show students what a typical semester by semester progression might look like for majors in the College of Business.

Graduation Checklist

Checklists are created by academic advisors to show the academic requirements for each major in the College of Business. Checklists are listed by major and catalog year.