Finance
We stress hands-on learning. When you graduate, you’ll be eligible to sit for the Certified Financial Planner, Certified Valuation Analysis and Certified Financial Analyst exams.
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 by teaching students how to evaluate and control risk. 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
Tailor this major to your interests by taking courses in one of these areas:
- Risk Management and Insurance
Careers
Recent graduates have been employed by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), First United, WesBanco, AXA Advisors, Aldi, Mylan and State Street
Finance graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Financial Planner, Certified Valuation Analysis and Certified Financial Analyst exams.
Wondering what you can do with a degree from WVU's Finance major? Check out these ideas from WVU Career Services and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). A median salary is the midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.
- Bright Outlook
- Green Occupation
- Requires a Graduate Degree
Budget Analysts
Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports. Possible job titles for this career include: Analyst.
$73,840 Median Salary
Credit Analysts
Analyze credit data and financial statements of individuals or firms to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money. Prepare reports with credit information for use in decision making. Possible job titles for this career include: Analyst.
$69,930 Median Salary
Financial Managers, Branch or Department
Direct and coordinate financial activities of workers in a branch, office, or department of an establishment, such as branch bank, brokerage firm, risk and insurance department, or credit department. Possible job titles for this career include: Banking Center Manager (BCM).
$121,750 Median Salary
Financial Managers, Branch or Department
Direct and coordinate financial activities of workers in a branch, office, or department of an establishment, such as branch bank, brokerage firm, risk and insurance department, or credit department. Possible job titles for this career include: Banking Center Manager (BCM).
$121,750 Median Salary
Loan Officers
Evaluate, authorize, or recommend approval of commercial, real estate, or credit loans. Advise borrowers on financial status and payment methods. Includes mortgage loan officers and agents, collection analysts, loan servicing officers, and loan underwriters. Possible job titles for this career include: Branch Manager.
$63,650 Median Salary
Personal Financial Advisors
Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate. Duties include assessing clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, and financial objectives. Possible job titles for this career include: Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
$90,530 Median Salary
Risk Management Specialists
Analyze and manage risk management issues by identifying, measuring, and making decisions on operational or enterprise risks for an organization. Possible job titles for this career include: Chief Risk Officer.
$69,470 Median Salary
Sales Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers. Possible job titles for this career include: District Sales Manager.
$117,960 Median Salary
Securities and Commodities Traders
Buy and sell securities and commodities to transfer debt, capital, or risk. Establish and negotiate unit prices and terms of sale. Possible job titles for this career include: Broker.
$67,310 Median Salary
This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Employers
Graduates from this major have gone to work at:
Cost 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
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Visit the Net Price CalculatorStudent Managed Investment Fund
The West Virginia University Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) was initiated with an investment portfolio of $250K and has an overall goal of $1M for students to actively manage. The SMIF, which is connected to a course in Applied Investment Analysis, 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.
The inaugural group of SMIF students recently took a trip to New York City where they participated in an academic conference on asset management, toured the NYSE and met with investment bankers and valuation experts connected to Wall Street. At the end of the course, students participated in a Stock Pitch Day where they presented their findings and provided recommendations for asset allocation and security selection.
To bridge the gap between the academic and professional spheres, the Student Managed Investment Fund was established through a mini-campaign, which was spearheaded by investment executive and 1970 finance graduate Fred Tattersall, who serves on the West Virginia University Foundation Board.
Tattersall rallied 10 friends and alumni of the College, many of whom also serve on the WVU Foundation Board and B&E Visiting Committee, to form what is known as The Founder’s Club. In addition to Tattersall, the Founder’s Club members are W. Marston “Marty” Becker, Doug Van Scoy, E.G. “Ken” Kendrick, Robert “Bob” Orders, Jr., Vince Anido, Jr., Phil Rosenthal, Penelope “Penni” Roll, Robert Reynolds and Stuart “Stu” Robbins. Each member provided a generous gift of $25,000, which allowed for the minimum threshold of $250,000 to initiate the student managed investment fund.
For more information on the WVU Student Managed Investment Fund and how to be involved, please contact Dr. Naomi Boyd, Chair of the Department of Finance at Naomi.Boyd@mail.wvu.edu.
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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