Finance
- Department Office: CH 129
- Phone Number: 507-537-6223
- Website: https://www.smsu.edu/academics/programs/finance/
SMSU has broadened the scope of its business-related majors and minors. Building upon a solid reputation in business administration, SMSU now offers both a major and a minor in Finance at the baccalaureate level. This major will allow finance students to further strengthen and define their business skills and knowledge.
Student demand helped bring about the creation of SMSU’s new major and minor. The new curriculum is founded on a strong foundation of business core courses that are necessary for success in today’s competitive economic environment. The Finance Major allows business students to branch into one of two concentrations: a Financial Planning and Investments Concentration, or a Corporate Finance Concentration. These interesting and valuable concentrations provide finance students with real options to focus their course-work towards the career opportunities that best meet their individual goals and interests.
Students with other majors could also decide to earn a Minor in Finance. The minor is built around the same core competencies as the major, and can be a great addition to a student’s academic credentials.
SMSU’s Career Services Office has years of data that consistently demonstrate the strong job placements of our finance graduates. We also have a very successful and active internship program.
Our finance faculty are professionals who have industry experience and strong academic credentials. More importantly, our faculty are dedicated educators with a passion for teaching and learning. We care about our students, and we are constantly improving our programs to make sure that we are fully preparing our students for a globally-competitive business world where change is the only constant.
A grade point average of 2.50 in all major course work taken at SMSU including courses transferred from other institutions. A grade point average of 2.00 in all minor course work is required. Any exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the faculty of the Finance program.
Note: Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits in order to graduate with a Bachelor's degree.
Beginning statistical theory and procedures, including data collection, sampling techniques, organization and presentation of data, measurement of central tendency, probability concepts, discrete and continuous probability distributions, statistical estimation, hypothesis testing, and linear regression. Students use a computer to do some statistical analysis.
A study of more advanced topics in finance not normally provided as part of the curriculum.
Emphasis on the financial management functions and responsibilities necessary to the successful operation of a small business. Factors affecting financial management are studied, including forms of business organization, planning, accounting, leverage, valuation, investment decision-making, working capital, and sources of funding.
Financial planning and analysis, capital budgeting, management of working capital, management of long-term funds, promotion, expansion, and evaluation.
Comprehensive analysis of the financial strengths and weaknesses of a company by examining the companys financial statements and pertinent industry information. Topics include ratio, vertical, and horizontal analyses; interpretation of financial statement disclosures; and consideration of the impact of inflation and taxes on the financial statements.
This course is intended to help students analyze the financial principals, theories and concepts unique to healthcare organizations. It will review the historic development of healthcare finance. Students will review the sources and policies of financing from government and 3rd party payers. Students will analyze healthcare organizations expenses, revenues, cash flows, cost allocations, cost determinations, cost effectiveness and financial performance for healthcare organizations. Students will assess resources allocations as they relate to decision making, strategic planning and budget formulation.
Major theories and concepts of working capital management, including liquidity analysis; management of inventory, accounts receivable, credit and payables, cash collection, concentration, and disbursement systems; and multi-national cash flows.
This course is a general introduction to business and personal risk management. Risk has been defined as uncertainty about if, when, and how much loss you can have. Risk Management deals with this uncertainty as does some aspects of Finance, Accounting and Marketing. Risk Management offers some additional options. One of the most common methods in our culture is Insurance. It is purchased as one way to offset/manage risk by transferring the uncertainty resulting from perils that expose a person, or business, to loss. The Insurance Industry makes a profit by charging to take responsibility for other people and businesses risk.
A study of techniques and methods of effectively planning for the accomplishment of personal goals. Topics researched will consist of credit and borrowing, personal savings, risk management and insurance, investments, tax planning, estate planning, and others.
The objective is for the student to understand the basics of real estate law and financing, thus enabling the student to anticipate legal difficulties and avoid them. The student should have the ability to think critically about a situation and gather and apply information to deal with issues. This course covers the basics of buying, owning and selling real property and fixtures. Emphasis is also placed on the economic and tax considerations. For the accounting student this course prepares you to be a CPA. For the finance student this material is a topic on the licensing examination for being a Personal Finance Advisor. For any student this course is part of their individual personal finance.
Advanced analysis of a firms long-term investments. Coverage of net present value, internal rate of return, and related techniques. Topics include evaluation of long-term projects under uncertainty and capital rationing.
Principles of investments with emphasis on security appraisal and portfolio composition.
Provides an overview of managerial finance in the business world by investigating various forms of business organization and considers the goal of the corporate enterprise which includes a discussion on business ethics and social responsibility. The courses focuses on the analysis of financial statements, cash flow analysis, and obtaining a familiarity with financial institutions. Fundamental concepts in risk and return and the time value of money are reviewed to set the foundation for the study of bond and stock valuations. The final segment of the course deals with strategic investment decisions. The topics in this portion of the course include the study of the cost of capital and the basics of capital budgeting.
Although Corporate Finance I is not a prerequisite to this course, the financial topics covered in these courses complement each other. Corp. Fin. II begins with strategic financing decisions related to capital structure, dividend distribution theory and stock repurchases. Tactical financial decisions are dealt with in the topics associated with issuing securities and refunding operations. Lease financing, hybrid financing with preferred stock, warrants, and convertibles are included as topics in tactical financial decision making. The course ends with a review of working capital management and short-term financing.
Introduction to commonly used methods for forecasting business and economic activity; emphasis on real world applications to the economy, specific sectors or industries, and the firm.
Presents the theoretical principles and generally accepted practices of business valuation. Investigates the various valuation approaches and their underlying rationales. Examines the processes of internal and external data collection, financial statement analyses and assembly of the valuation report. Applicable to all forms of business organization.
To provide necessary knowledge and understanding about current issues in international finance and business. Topics include International Financial Environment, Exchange Rates and Purchasing Power Parity, International Money and Capital Markets, Risk Evaluation in an International Context, International Credit Management, and Financial Decision-Making Tools and Processes for Multinational Corporations.
A study of more advanced topics in finance not normally provided as part of the curriculum.
This course is designed to provide an integrative perspective of various topic areas within the context of business and society. It will require an in-depth analysis of issues through reading, discussion, and research.
Capstone course to Finance Majors. Provide integrative perspective in the areas of corporate finance, financial analysis and value creation. Focus on various topics in finance with emphasis on the financial decision making process at the top executive level.
Required for graduate students who have had no previous statistics courses. It presents concepts that are essential for the student to have in order to complete a research course. It also enables business managers to understand the research reports of others.
An approved project in an area of management of particular interest to the student with responsibility for formulation and oral defense of the required work under the guidance of a faculty member.
A comprehensive examination covering the Finance major.
The opportunity to pursue an internship is designed to supplement course materials with actual related work experience. Students are expected to integrate disciplinary knowledge into a real world setting. The student will submit weekly reports on work assignments as well as a report at the conclusion of the internship. The number of credits allowed will depend on the magnitude of the internship.