Optional Finance Concentration
The 15 hours of advised electives within the economics degree can be used to complete an optional concentration in Finance. This is the same concentration in Finance as found in the Business Administration Major, as employers hire students from both majors interested in this career area.
About our Program
Finance is at the core of every business in every industry. Whether an entrepreneur is developing a new business or growing an existing one, whether a corporation is launching a new product or a portfolio manager is considering new investments, finance provides tools to evaluate these decisions. At large, finance provides the framework for understanding how businesses, financial institutions as well as individual investors make decisions in accessing and deploying capital (money). As businesses are ever more complex, the tools to help make financial decisions become ever more important.
Poole College’s Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Bachelor of Science in Economics both offer the opportunity for a Concentration in Finance, by allowing students to use their 15 hours of advised electives to complete the concentration. The core economics curriculum explores economic theories, data analysis, and the impact of government policies on economies, gaining insights into issues like inflation, unemployment, and global trade. Students will develop a deeper understanding of market forces, price determination, and the impact of economic policies on individuals, firms, and financial markets.
The Finance Concentration explores the topics of financial analysis, capital markets and financial intermediaries, business and project evaluation, personal finance, and international finance, all of which prepare students to answer complex finance questions.
What Will I Learn?
Finance concentration graduates will understand how to:
- Organize and express ideas using appropriate language and grammar in a business context.
- Organize, analyze and apply information to make business decisions.
- Make financial decisions in numerous applications.
- Analyze investment choices and build portfolios.
- Integrate finance across functional areas of an organization.
- Value firms, projects and securities.
- Utilize key financial principles.
- Employ a framework for making business decisions.
Why Finance at NC State?
NC State’s finance program provides students with a strong quantitative background, along with solid technical skills. We give students real world data experience with practical applications to big data along with software skills that will allow them to thrive within the profession.
With NC State’s strong reputation in STEM subjects, graduates of the program will be highly sought after by recruiters.
From the Classroom to the Trading Floor
Curriculum Overview and Degree Requirements
Students start their time at NC State Poole College of Management as either a management first year student (if you are a freshman) or in a major (if you are a transfer student). Regardless of your path, you will have plenty of time to explore the different things you want to do in economics and finance.
The economics major requires that students complete 120 credits toward the degree, comprised of courses in humanities and social sciences, natural sciences, general electives and credits specific to the economics program. The finance concentration (requires 15 credits) rounds it out with specialized knowledge specific to the finance discipline.
If Interested in Finance, Why Major in Economics?
Students who find their introductory courses in economics interesting and enjoy using math and statistical tools to solve analytical issues and problems should take a deeper dive and consider an economics major. Students in economics will explore economic theories, data analysis, and the impact of government policies on economies, gaining insights into issues like inflation, unemployment, and global trade. They will also develop a deeper understanding of market forces, price determination, and the impact of economic policies on individuals, firms, and financial markets.
An economics major will be able to offer an employer a more in-depth set of microeconomics and macroeconomics skills. Students completing “Intermediate Microeconomics- EC 301” are able to demonstrate an understanding of the optimal pricing and profit solutions for specific firms and markets, while students completing “Intermediate Macroeconomics- EC 302” are able to evaluate an economy’s performance using indicators that include measure of output, inflation and unemployment, in addition to explaining how the actions of government agencies such as the Federal Reserve affect firms, financial markets, and the economy.
An economics major also includes econometrics courses, which provide the tools to analyze economic data, test economic theories, and make informed decisions in various fields. Econometrics uses statistical and mathematical methods to quantify economic relationships, which enables economists and policymakers to understand how the economy works, predict future trends, and evaluate the impact of policies.
The economics major also includes a choice of economics elective courses, which provide students the tools to understand and analyze the world around them, from individual markets to global economies. Students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, making graduates adaptable to various career paths. Furthermore, economics elective courses generally provide a framework for understanding how individuals, businesses, and governments make decisions and interact within a complex system.
To complete a B.A. or B.S. in Economics with a Concentration in Business Analytics, students will simply use their 15 credits of advised electives to complete the concentration.
For full degree requirements, visit the NC State Catalog. To view individual courses, descriptions and schedules, use the Course Search.
Economics: (BA) Finance Concentration
Economics: (BS) Finance Concentration
Career Opportunities
Many students are drawn to careers in finance because it is a high-paying and dependable profession. The average salary for a financial analyst in the U.S. is $62,108, according to payscale.com.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment in business and finance is projected to grow 8% from 2020 to 2030 – adding approximately 750,000 openings annually.
Careers include:
- Financial analyst
- Equity analyst
- Portfolio manager
- Risk manager
- Bank loan officer
- Financial consultant
- Investment banker
- … and more!
Launch your career –– the Career Center at Poole is here to support you. #PoolePackAlum
