Finance and Insurance
B. Benson, Department Chair
bsu.edu/finance-insurance
Major in Finance: The finance program provides students with the expertise to navigate the world of finance through a rigorous curriculum that develops practical skills and strategic insights in financial decision-making. Students will learn a conceptual framework for interpreting and analyzing financial statements, bank operations and regulatory systems, real estate valuation and financing, and analysis of the risk management process.
Our students learn by doing—digging into real-world problems alongside industry leaders. You might be asked to manage an investment portfolio worth $2.8 million or forecast a company’s financial risks. The A. Umit Taftali Center for Capital Markets and Investing is a state–of-the-art teaching, learning, and research hub that closely simulates Wall Street. The real-world financial environment empowers students to excel in navigating financial markets and work toward Bloomberg Certified credentials, a highly valued asset for finance professionals.
The finance program participates in the CFA Institute University Recognition Program and is approved by the CFP Board, allowing students to sit for the Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner examinations upon completion of the program. The finance program prepares students for a broad array of for finance related careers, ranging from banking, corporate treasurer, credit or investment analyst, to wealth management and Chief Financial Officer.
Major in Risk Management and Insurance: The risk management and insurance program helps you understand how people and companies need to manage risk. You will learn about corporate risk management, commercial insurance, life and health insurance, personal insurance, employee benefits and retirement planning, insurance company operations, and enterprise risk management. This can prepare you for opportunities in underwriting, claims, insurance agency marketing and operations, risk analysis, enterprise risk management, loss control, surplus lines, and other business-related positions that need an understanding of risk management and insurance. Students can earn industry course credit towards the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), and Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designations.
Minor in Banking, Financial Planning, and Risk Management: In addition to our majors, you can also choose to minor in banking, financial planning, and/or risk management & insurance. A minor is a smaller program that complements your major or lets you explore a different field. These minors give you basic knowledge and can help you decide whether to pursue a career in these areas.