Finance, B.S., Entrepreneurship Concentration

Department Contact:

Chair: Dr. Angela Seidel, aseidel@francis.edu, 814-472-3076

Program Description:

The Finance program educates students in the art and science of managing resources, at both the personal and corporate levels. Specifically, the program is designed for students who seek careers in the financial services industry, such as investment and commercial banking; careers in corporate finance or real estate; and/or wish to pursue graduate study in finance or other areas of business. The program begins with a foundation in accounting, corporate finance and investments. Students then expand their critical thinking and decision-making skills with advanced courses in financial management, portfolio management, and other current topics in finance.

The Entrepreneurship Concentration is designed to inform, inspire, and empower students to engage in entrepreneurial thinking and related activities. Such activities range from using critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving as a future employee within an existing enterprise as an intrapreneur; to solving broader social and economic problems deploying entrepreneurial thinking in communities through Social Entrepreneurship; and to be an active participant in the creation of a business start-up. Entrepreneurship effectively blends theory with practice to create a meaningful and relevant value proposition, taking into account both risk and return, that integrates a number of different academic perspectives such as economics, philosophy, law, finance, politics, and marketing together.

Accreditation Statement:

Saint Francis University has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11374 Strang Line Road, Lenexa, Kansas, 66215; (913) 631-3009; http://iacbe.org/accredited-programs.asp. 

Student Learning Outcomes:

The Shields School of Business will graduate students who have the knowledge, skills, love of learning, confidence, drive, and ethical and moral values needed to be spiritually fulfilled in life and successful in professional careers. Upon completion of this program, students are able to:

• Demonstrate, in the Spirit of Saint Francis in the Marketplace, knowledge of the ethical value choices and responsibilities of businesses and business leaders;
• Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental principles in business in the functional areas of accounting, information systems, finance, management, and marketing;
• Demonstrate knowledge of the legal, social, economic environments of business;
• Demonstrate knowledge of the global dimension of business;
• Integrate the functional areas of business in the process of decision making;
• Demonstrate the ability to professionally communicate.

Estimated Completion Time:

Typically 4 years of full-time study

Capstone Requirement:

All students complete the 3-credit course, MGMT 401 Strategic Management, which serves as the capstone for all undergraduate business programs. Among other learning experiences, this course includes a simulation that requires students to synthesize and apply learning from across the business domains of accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, and information systems.

As well, students earning a B.S. in Finance are required to complete the 3-credit course, FIN 405 Finance Seminar, which is an integration of all major knowledge from the undergraduate finance courses.

Total Credits Required:

129 credits minimum