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Bachelor of Science in Finance

DSU recently added a Bachelor of Science degree in finance as part of its ongoing commitment to the educational needs of its students and the economic needs of the region.

DSU is one of only three institutions in the North Dakota State University to offer a major in finance. The program is designed to produce graduates skilled in personal and corporate finance, areas that are critical to economic development.  Completing the program also prepares students for graduate study in financial analysis and financial planning. 

The Department of Business and Management at DSU has carefully created a track that permits students to take the same required core courses for finance and accounting until they split off into their respective majors. This provides flexibility and gives the student more options. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks both professions in the top ten for growth and starting salary over the next 10 years for college graduates. Either degree prepares students for a great career in the exciting and lucrative fields of accounting and finance.

What's the Difference?
If you ask those in the industry for a specific definition of accounting or finance, you would probably get several different answers. Accounting involves the accumulation of historical information. Webster’s dictionary defines it as “the occupation of maintaining and auditing records and preparing financial reports for a business." Finance, on the other hand, involves analyzing that historical information and using it to plan and make future decisions.
This includes budgeting, forecasting, strategic planning and due diligence. However, because Finance is so vast, it’s difficult to define in one simple term.

 

Choose accounting, finance or both!
Accounting
CPA                Working in the public or private sector as an auditor, prepare and analyze financial statements, assist clients with tax returns
CMA               Work as a Management Accountant assisting employers or clients to maximize efficiency
CIA                 Work as an Internal Auditor assisting firms with control systems
CFE                Analyze and protect clients or employers from fraud within their business environment
CISA               Control, monitor and assess an organization’s information technology and business system
CGFM            Work in the public sector, maintaining and examining the records of government agencies and auditing private businesses

 

Finance
CFA                Work as a Financial Analyst for investment firms, banks, trust companies and mutual funds
CFP                Provide personal financial planning for individuals or small employers; assist with insurance, tax, and retirement planning
CBA/ASA      Appraise small and mid-size businesses to ascertain proposed value
Banker          Work as a Credit Analyst, Lending Officer; working with mortgages and customer relations
Corporate     Aspire to become a Chief Financial Officer in a firm; includes all financial decisions

 

Core classes required for either major:

General Education Requirements:
  • MATH 146 – Applied Calculus

3
  • ECON 201 – Principles of Microeconomics

3

Select one course from the following:
  • Comm 216 – Intercultural Communication

3
  • Span 250 – Hispanic Civilization and Culture

3
  • Geog 262 – Geography of North America

3

Spanish Cultural course accepted with approval of department chair

Accounting and Finance Major Courses:

  • ACCT 200 – Elements of Accounting I

3
  • ACCT 201 – Elements of Accounting II

3
  • ACCT 315 – Business Law I

3
  • BADM 336 – Management and Leadership

3
  • BADM 356 – Organizational Behavior

3
  • BADM 369 – Business Ethics and Critical Thinking

3
  • BADM 388 – Management Information Systems

3
  • BADM 485 – Business Policy

4
  • BOTE 210 – Business Communication

3
  • ACCT 240 – Accounting Information Systems or

BOTE 247 – Spreadsheets (Finance Majors only)

3
  • ECON 202 – Principles of Macroeconomics

3
  • ENGL 300 – Technical Writing

3
  • FIN 326 – Managerial Finance

3
  • MRKT 301 – Principles of Marketing

3
  • MATH 305 – Probability and Statistics

4

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS

47

             
CHOOSE ONE of the following TWO tracks.
Both degrees require a minimum of 128 semester hours

Accounting Major Courses:
  • ACCT 301 – Computerized Accounting

3
  • ACCT 305 – Cost Accounting I

3
  • ACCT 310 – Government & Nonprofit Accounting

3
  • ACCT 316 – Business Law II

3
  • ACCT 331 – Intermediate Accounting I

4
  • ACCT 332 – Intermediate Accounting II

4
  • ACCT 333 – Income Tax I

4
  • ACCT 406 – Advanced Accounting

3
  • ACCT 407 – Auditing

4

Select three courses from the following:
  • ACCT 334 – Income Tax II

3
  • ACCT 351 – Fraud Examination

3
  • ACCT 412 – Audit II

3
  • ACCT 497 – Accounting Internship

3

Limited to one course from the following:
  • ACCT 408 – CPA Review – Regulation

3
  • ACCT 409 – CPA Review – Financial Acct. & Report

3
  • ACCT 410 – CPA Review – Audit

3
  • ACCT 411 – CPA Review – Business Env. & Concepts

3

Or course(s) with prior approval from acct. advisor or dept. chair

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS

40

           


Finance Major Courses:
  • ACCT 331 – Intermediate Accounting I

4
  • ACCT 333 – Income Tax I

4
  • ACCT 422 – Business Valuation

3
  • AGEC 387 – Commodity Futures & Options

3
  • BADM 360 – Real Estate Principles

3
  • BADM 455 – International Business or

    FIN 430 – International Finance

3
  • FIN 300 – Financial Institutions and Markets

3
  • FIN 320 – Personal Finance

3
  • FIN 328 – Investments

3
  • FIN 426 – Corporate Finance

3
  • FIN 468 – Cases in Finance

3

select two courses from the following:

 
  • ACCT 332 – Intermediate Accounting II

4
  • ACCT 305 – Cost Accounting

3
  • ACCT 406 – Advanced Accounting

3
  • ACCT 351 – Fraud Examination

3
  • AGEC 246 – Introduction to Agricultural Finance

3
  • BADM 330 – Business Challenge

3
  • BADM 497 – Business Internship

3
  • ENTR 316 – Financial & Legal Issues – Entrepreneur

3

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS

41-42