Finance, B.A.
The finance major provides you with an immersive experience learning everything from financial decision-making in the private and public sectors to how financial markets operate, methodology and theory, personal finance, corporate finance and portfolio management.
You begin your studies with the business core finance course as well as other important classes such as business statistics, mathematics and accounting.
The major in finance requires you to take nine additional credits in accounting, along with courses in Investments and in money and banking. The structure of the major is designed to make it easy for you to double major in finance and accounting. Upper-level courses that can be chosen as major electives include Personal Finance, Business Law II, International Business and International Economics. A student may also undertake an internship for elective credit in the major.
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You may complete a major in Finance with a B.A. degree. Additionally, you may double major (with faculty advisor approval) within most programs in the College of Business and Economics by completing an additional 15 credit hours or more beyond the requirements for the first major. A double major with Accounting furnishes you with exceptional preparation for business professions and for sitting for the exams required to become a Certified Public Account (CPA).
Courses in the Finance major follow the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) Institute Investment Foundations® Program curriculum. This means that the essentials of finance, ethics, investment roles and institutions are covered and provides you with a broad-based understanding of the global investment industry.
Students who successfully complete the program's online exam will earn a Claritas Investment Certificate. Learn more about the .
Learning Outside the Classroom
You have opportunities to apply your skills and knowledge in internships in the area or region, including in Charlotte, one of the financial centers of the world.
Finance majors have access to the many out-of-class opportunities in business, including student organizations, study abroad, community outreach and research (working within a course or independently with a faculty mentor).
In addition, qualified Ó£»¨¶¯Âþ finance students may be part of the portfolio management student team that oversees the ongoing investment of $200,000 of the university’s actual endowment funds.
As members of the team, students are required to study companies and make recommendations for buying and selling and are required to understand and comply with the requirements of their client, the university, in terms of investment goals.

Pairing my finance degree with a management degree will provide a well-rounded and broad business education, which will benefit me in my future and allow me to choose from a variety of career paths.
Career Opportunities
Graduates may find opportunities in financial management and consulting, personal financial planning, investment analysis and planning, commercial and investment banking, insurance and risk management and real estate. These options may be found in both the private and public sectors in both domestic and international settings.
Our alumni who majored in finance have gone on to work at firms such as T. Rowe Price, Wells Fargo Securities, Bank of America, Credit Suisse, Oppenheimer, Voya, Cantor Fitzgerald and Amazon.
Accreditation
Lenoir-Rhyne is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The B.A. in Finance is also accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Major Requirements
The major in Finance prepares students for entry level positions and professional careers in various branches of Finance. Courses introduce students to Commercial and Investment Banking as well as concepts that will facilitate management of a company's assets. Strategies are developed that will help in the creation and maintenance of personal and/or corporate investment portfolios. The Finance major earns a B.A. degree.Ìý
Transfer Policy
A student may transfer in the following:
- the common business core courses except for BUS 450Ìý- Business Policy and no more than 6 credit hours from BUS 320, BUS 340, BUS 344, BUS 360, and BUS 370.
- no more than 6 credit hours from the required major courses.
Honors
Students in the College of Business & Economics may elect to pursue honors work. To be eligible for honors, students must:
- have a 3.2 cumulative GPA;
- have a 3.5 GPA in the major; and
- have completed ACC 231Ìý²¹²Ô»å BUS 300, BUS 340, BUS 360Ìý²¹²Ô»å CSC 175Ìýor have been invited to apply by the faculty of the College of Business & Economics;
- have successfully complete BUS 320Ìý²¹²Ô»å BUS 344Ìýas honors courses;
- have successfully complete BUS 499Ìýconcurrently with BUS 450, which includes a specific business written analysis report and an oral presentation to the faculty of the College of Business & Economics.
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Earning two or more majors in Charles M. Snipes College of Business andÌýEconomics
Students seeking two or more majors in the Charles M. Snipes College of Business & Economics must complete 15 hours of unique course work in the Major Requirements section of each major. All required course work for the major must be completed. The unique course work will come from the required courses and elective courses prescribed for the additional major. Some courses may require substitutions approved by the dean.
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General Education Requirements (37 hours)
ÌýGraduation Requirements (4 hours)
General Education RequirementsÌý
- Technical Requirements (3 Hours)
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Business Core Courses (42 Hours)
- ACC 231Ìý-ÌýAccounting Principles
- BUS 320Ìý-ÌýManagement Information Systems
- BUS 340Ìý-ÌýBusiness Management
- BUS 344Ìý-ÌýBusiness Finance
- BUS 346Ìý-ÌýBusiness Statistics
- BUS 360Ìý-ÌýMarketing
- BUS 370Ìý-ÌýBusiness Law I
- BUS 450Ìý-ÌýBusiness Policy
- ECO 121GÌý-ÌýPrinciples of Economics Macroeconomics
- ECO 122Ìý-ÌýPrinciples of Economics Microeconomics
- CSC 175Ìý-ÌýInformation Technology
Transformative Competencies -
Major Requirements (21 Hours)
- BUS 341Ìý-ÌýInvestments
- BUS 438Ìý-ÌýCorporate Finance
- BUS 443Ìý-ÌýPortfolio Management
- ECO 325Ìý-ÌýMoney and Banking
Major Electives: Choose three courses from the following:- ACC 331Ìý-ÌýAccounting Principles-Intermediate I
- ACC 332Ìý-ÌýIncome Tax Accounting
- ACC 334Ìý-ÌýAccounting Principles-Intermediate II
- BUS 339Ìý-ÌýInternational Financial Markets
- BUS 342Ìý-ÌýPersonal Finance
- BUS 458Ìý-ÌýAlternative Investments
- BUS 459Ìý-ÌýFixed Income Analysis
- BUS 461Ìý-ÌýInternship in Business
- BUS 465Ìý-ÌýInternship in Business
- BUS 472Ìý-ÌýFinancial Derivatives
- ECO 323Ìý-ÌýIntermediate Price Analysis
- ECO 324Ìý-ÌýIntermediate Macro-economic Theory
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General Elective Credits
General Electives (13 hours) as needed to reach 120 hours overall.
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Total Credit Hours - Minimum 120 hours
On occasion, technical and/or program requirements may also meet specific General EducationÌýrequirements. Please confer with your program advisor to determine which courses, if any, may be counted accordingly.
All bachelor's degree programs at Lenoir-Rhyne require at least 120 credit hours. If, in combination, General Education, technical, and program requirements do not generate at least 120Ìýhours, additional credits must be completed to achieve 120Ìýhours. These classes may be general electives, or a student may complete a minor or additional major.
Ó£»¨¶¯Âþ & Financial Aid
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Undergraduate Ó£»¨¶¯ÂþOur admission team is here to assist you in making the college search process as easy as possible. Our counselors are happy to provide the information and guidance you need to submit your application, apply for financial aid and scholarships, visit and tour our campus.
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Financial AidWe recognize that paying for college is a top concern for students and their families. Our financial aid staff is here to provide you with financial aid options and assistance to help you achieve your educational goals.
News & Events

The university gave the investment club a $50,000 endowment to manage, which the club used to buy stock in companies such as Amazon and Gilead. At one point, the club had more than tripled the initial investment.
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Lenoir-Rhyne will honor the Class of 2025 with commencement ceremonies in Columbia on May 8, Hickory on May 9 and Asheville on May 10.
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