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 Business Analytics concentration prepares students to apply models, methods, and tools to data to produce insights that lead to informed business decisions. Business is becoming increasingly data-driven and requires business professionals to understand how analyzing data can be utilized to produce an organizational competitive advantage. Along with completing foundation business course work and upper-level coursework in a specific business domain, students earning this concentration will also develop competencies in the art and science of data analytics. Specifically, students in this program will complete courses to build skills and expertise in the areas of programming, statistics, data management, and data transformation and visualization.
Accreditation Statement:
Saint Francis University has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), located in Lenexa, Kansas.
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.
Admission Deadline:
This program has rolling admission.
Estimated Completion Time:
4 Years, Full time
Graduation Requirements:
Undergraduate:
A candidate for graduation must satisfy the following requirements:
- Complete all requirements for an approved program of study;
- Complete the minimum number of credits (128 for a bachelor’s degree; 64 for an associate’s degree);
- Repeat for an acceptable passing grade any course required for the major in which the grade of “F” has been received;
- Complete the last 30 credits for the degree at SFU;
- Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better in all courses taken at SFU;
- Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better in all major or collateral requirements;
- Satisfy the requirements of the General Education core curriculum;
- Satisfy the capstone requirement as specified by the major department(s);
- Submit a completed Application for Degree form at least one semester prior to graduation date; and
- Satisfy financial obligations to the University.
Graduate:
A candidate for graduation must satisfy the following requirements:
- Complete all requirements for an approved program of study;
- Complete the minimum number of credits as specified in this publication;
- Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better
- Submit a completed Application for Degree form at least one semester prior to graduation date; and
- Satisfy financial obligations to the University.
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:
128 credits minimum
Progression and/or Retention Criteria
- Over the past 5 years, over 98% of School of Business graduates have been gainfully employed or enrolled in graduate school within one year of graduation.
- Exit survey results indicate that over 99% of School of Business graduates feel prepared for their respective careers upon graduation.