Finance
If you're interested in finance, it's not out of reach. Our Finance department provides you with experiential learning opportunities so you're ready for a life in banking, insurance, financial planning, and more, after graduation.
Can you manage money like it’s your job? Learn the skills to turn it into one. Whether it’s personal, corporate, or public, our finance program teaches you how to evaluate and control risk for positions in the real-world after graduation.
Finance is the study of the creation and management of wealth. Our program prepares students for positions in the financial and non-financial enterprises. The curriculum is modeled on the interrelationships among the functional areas of business as they occur in the real world. Finance majors find job opportunities with a variety of companies, both domestic and abroad.
A finance major learns how to evaluate and control risk. The finance program prepares students for a variety of positions in financial and non-financial enterprises. Career opportunities exist in commercial banking and financial institutions and in the regulatory agencies that oversee them. Additional opportunities exist in corporate finance including positions in financial analysis, cash management, and credit management. Investment-oriented students can explore opportunities in brokerage, bank trust and institution portfolio management. People with degrees in finance have careers as commercial bankers, investment bankers, loan officers, financial analysts, insurance underwriters, stockbrokers, institutional portfolio managers, credit managers, insurance and risk managers, and financial planners.
Areas of Emphasis
Banking Area of Emphasis
A minimum grade of C- is required for all courses.A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for this Area of emphasis.
- FIN 460 Bank Management, 3 hours
- FIN 461 Advanced Bank Management, 3 hours
- FIN 493 Special Topics (Advanced Financial Statement Analysis), 3 hours
Select one of the following (3 hours):
- FIN 411 Derivatives
- FIN 420 Business Valuation
- FIN 421 Mergers and Acquisitions
- FIN 480 International Finance
- FIN 485 Advanced Topics in Financial Planning
Total Hours: 12
Energy Finance Area of Emphasis
- FIN 411 Derivatives
- FIN 430 Energy Financial Economics
- FIN 431 Energy Law and Regulations
- FIN 432 Energy Financial Accounting
- FIN 433 Energy Financial Risk Management
Total Hours: 15
Corporate Finance and Valuation Area of Emphasis
A minimum major GPA of 2.5 is required for this area of emphasis.-
FIN 420 Business Valuation (minimum grade of B-), 3 hours
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FIN 421 Mergers and Acquisitions (minimum grade of B-), 3 hours
Select two of the following (minimum grade of C-):
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FIN 470 Advanced Finance, 3 hours
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FIN 480 International Finance, 3 hours
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FIN 493 Special Topics (Advanced Financial Statement Analysis), 3 hours
Total Hours: 12
Financial Planning Area of Emphasis
A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for this Area of emphasis.A minimum grade of C- is required for all courses.
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FIN 370 Personal Financial Advising, 3 hours
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FIN 452 Employee Benefit Plans, 3 hours
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FIN 453 Life Insurance and Estate Planning, 3 hours
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FIN 485 Advanced Topics in Financial Planning, 3 hours
Select one of the following (3 hours):
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FIN 410 Security Analysis and Portfolio Management
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FIN 493 Special Topics (Applied Investment Management I)
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FIN 493 Special Topics (Applied Investment Management II)
Total Hours: 15
Risk Management and Insurance Area of Emphasis
A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for this Area of emphasis.
A minimum grade of C- is required for all courses.
Select four of the following (12 hours):
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FIN 451 Life and Health Insurance
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FIN 452 Employee Benefit Plans
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FIN 453 Life Insurance and Estate Planning
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FIN 454 Property and Liability Insurance
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FIN 455 Risk Management
Total Hours: 12
Wealth Management Area of Emphasis
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FIN 410 Security Analysis and Portfolio Management, 3 hours
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FIN 411 Derivatives, 3 hours
- FIN 420 Business Valuation, 3 hours
Select two of the following (6 hours):
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FIN 470 Advanced Finance
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FIN 480 International Finance
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FIN 485 Advanced Topics in Financial Planning
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FIN 493 Special Topics (Applied Investment Management I)
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FIN 493 Special Topics (Applied Investment Management II)
Total Hours: 15
General Finance Area of Emphasis
Finance (FIN) Coursework: 12 hoursCost and Aid
How much does Finance at WVU cost? And how can you save?
Tuition and Fees
Estimated rates for the 2018-19 academic year. Rates are subject to change. Anyone that is not a current West Virginia resident will be charged non-resident rates. That includes international students.
West Virginia Resident
Per Credit - $428
Per Semester - $5,136
Fall and Spring Semesters - $10,272
Non-Resident
Per Credit - $1,126
Per Semester - $13,512
Fall and Spring Semesters - $27,024
International
Per Credit - $1,126
Per Semester - $13,812
Fall and Spring Semesters - $27,624
Scholarship Calculator
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Visit the Net Price CalculatorStudent Managed Investment Fund
The Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) was created in Spring of 2017 as an actively managed student investment portfolio of $250K to help bridge the gap between the academic and professional spheres. With an overall goal of $1 million, the fund hopes to continue to grow and give back to students through scholarship opportunities. The effort to initiate the Student Managed Investment Fund was spearheaded by Fred Tattersall, a 1970 WVU finance graduate. Mr. Tattersall, along with the help of nine other Founders Club members, were able to establish the fund.
The SMIF, which is connected to a course in Applied Investment Management taught by Dr. Naomi Boyd, teaches students technical and fundamental analysis, development of successful trading strategies, industry analysis and communications skills, while providing them with the analytical tools to make sound investment decisions.
Donate to the Student Managed Investment Fund
On the giving page, select "Department of Finance" from the Designation drop down menu and mention that you'd like your donation to go toward the Student Managed Investment Fund in the Comments section.
The Bloomberg Lab
What is Bloomberg?
The Bloomberg Lab is a dedicated resource for all business students free of charge. The Bloomberg Terminal software provides real-time market data, breaking news, in-depth research, and powerful analytics.
Where to start?
For new students, we highly recommend taking the Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) Tutorial. This allows students to gain a knowledgeable foundation of financial and economic literacy, key Terminal navigation concepts, and data interpretation skills applicable for academic and personal uses. Also, it is a great resume builder!
Who can help?
The lab is staffed with MS Finance students to help students navigate the Bloomberg Terminal and are always willing to answer questions.
Finance Seminar Series
The WVU Department of Finance invites speakers to present academic research through the Finance Seminar Series. All questions regarding the series should be directed to Jonathan Fluharty.
Spring 2019
March 1: Yongqiang Chu from University of North Carolina at Charlotte
April 5: Dmitriy Muravyev from Boston College
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