Finance Curriculum

The Department of Finance and Real Estate is committed to delivering cutting-edge education in finance and real estate. It values strong connections to the community and offers excellent opportunities to interact with businesses at all levels.

What Do Professionals in Finance Do?
Investment analysts and corporate finance specialists make decisions about how best to invest money to maximize returns or obtain funds at least cost in light of organizational goals. As part of this process they analyze financial market conditions and evaluate the tradeoff between the risks and the potential returns of a particular financial decision. Personal financial planners help individuals establish personal financial goals and create ways to achieve those goals, while other finance professionals such as corporate and bank managers engage in financial planning at the institutional level. Finance professionals at all levels routinely work with people and numbers, and become adept at evaluating and managing risk. An understanding of economics and the business environment is essential in finance careers.

Potential Careers in Finance
Careers in finance fall roughly into the three broad categories listed below. Note, however, that there is a considerable amount of overlap among the various functional responsibilities, and completing the requirements for any one option would not confine you exclusively to the career areas listed for that option.

Corporate Finance Option

• Financial Analyst
• Treasury Manager
• Credit & Collections Manager
• Risk Manager
• Business Analyst
• Investor Relations Manager
• Controller
• Financial Reporting Manager

Investment Analysis Option

• Fund Manager
• Equity Analyst
• Portfolio Manager
• Asset Allocation Analyst
• Quantitative Financial Analyst
• Investor
• Venture Capitalist
• Stock Broker

Financial Planning Option

• Financial Planner
• Mortgage Lender
• Entrepreneur
• Loan Officer
• Bank Examiner
• Insurance Agent
• Insurance Underwriter
• Benefits Manager

Common Traits and Skills of Successful Finance Students and Professionals

• Enjoys problem solving
• Strong quantitative abilities
• Comfortable working with structure and regulations
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Strong analytic and planning skills
• Communicate complex info to non-technical audiences
• Manages time well and meets deadlines
• Keeps delicate and classified information strictly confidential
• Understands and enjoys working with technology
• Detail-oriented
• Understands how all functions of business are related
• Keeps abreast of market trends and financial innovations

More Information
Department of Finance/Real Estate
333 Rockwell Hall
(970) 491-0610
Chair: Dr. Sanjay Ramchander

Academic Advising
178 Rockwell Hall
(970) 491-5103
www.biz.colostate.edu
Career Counselor
Melissa Luna
163 Rockwell Hall
(970) 491-0706
Melissa.Luna@colostate.edu

Shawn Utecht
164 Rockwell Hall
(970) 491-7377
Shawn.Utecht@colostate.edu

Online Resources
www.dora.state.co.us/securities
www.dora.state.co.us/insurance
www.dora.state.co.us/real-estate
www.acinet.org


Tips for Researching Careers in Finance

• Join the Finance Club and run for an office
• Search the web for job profiles and position descriptions
• Talk to alumni of the Finance program
• Attend the Career Fair and ask recruiters about finance jobs
• Take an online assessment (see Career Center website)
• Participate in the Summit Investment Fund
• Finance Concentration

Internship Coordinator
Jennifer Coats
337 Rockwell Hall
(970) 491-0883
FRE-internships@business.colostate.edu