74%

Students hold an internship while at the College of Business

Based on 2019-2020 First Destination Reports
91%

Job or educational placement rate within 180 days of graduation

$53k

Average starting salary for Finance graduates

Finance is where every branch of business connects

Every business has a distinct set of resources to consider — such as raw materials, human resources, products, or marketing — but everyone has one unifying resource they need to manage before they can pursue any of their goals: money.

By studying finance at the CSU College of Business, you’ll learn how to measure and analyze the ways that organizations grow and help them navigate through risks and toward success. If you’re interested in understanding how all the functions of a business are tied together and are a passionate problem-solver, a concentration in finance allows you to put your interests to work.

“Just because opportunity is there doesn’t mean it’s going to do anything for you. It’s an opportunity for you to take advantage of.”

— Vladimir Munoz, ‘20, Finance Graduate

“I think what I’ve taken away from [this] is, first and foremost, work ethic and time management.”

— Aaron Avery, Summit Fund Student Analyst

“CSU students work hard in the classroom, but the effort they bring to the competitive setting is above and beyond of what I have seen before”

— Hilla Skiba, Department Chair and Associate Professor, Finance and Real Estate

Careers in Finance 

Financial analysts, investment managers, and mortgage brokers all have a nuanced sense of financial literacy that every business can benefit from. Finance is a career field that’s always in demand, and with the right connections and skills, you could find yourself working in any number of fields and across organizations.

What can you do with a concentration in Finance?

Outstanding Graduate Vladimir Munoz
“[Graduating from the College of Business] means I fulfilled my end of the promise to my younger self about wanting a different life when I grow up."

— Vladimir Munoz, 2020 Outstanding Graduate, Read his story

The Career Management Center keeps your career ambitions in mind. With a dedicated career counselor, you’ll explore the job market and develop strategies to help you find the right career. A service that’s available exclusively to College of Business students, the Career Management Center has a variety of resources and programs that are designed to help you find a meaningful job in your field. Throughout each school year, you’ll be able to take part in networking events, internship opportunities, and professional mentoring opportunities.

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Finance for a Better World 

Finance students put their values to work in very real ways, demonstrated by their innovation in case competitions as well as involvement in the student-run Summit Fund, which provides hands-on investment experience to nearly two dozen undergraduates. Students have roughly $500k actively invested and are restructuring this diverse portfolio using cutting-edge financial tools to direct investments toward companies that demonstrate social responsibility, including the stewardship of human and natural resources. Giving our Biz Rams an opportunity to take part in this growing investment trend prepares them to pursue similar goals after graduation and use business for a better world.

"[The Summit Fund] is intense, and it's good fun, and it's a great learning experience, but you have to be driven and want to succeed."

— Aaron Avery, Summit Fund Student Analyst

 

Courses Worth Investing In

Finance Icon

Making savvy, long-term financial decisions requires you to synthesize a variety of information and data. Similarly, your education encourages you to take a variety of ideas into account. Throughout the finance program, you’ll work with students and faculty from other College of Business concentrations. You’ll explore how finance impacts hiring decisions, supply chain management, accounting and much more.

Within the finance concentration are three options for you to explore — corporate finance, investment analysis, and real estate finance. When you select the finance concentration, you’ll take 24 credits of finance-specific coursework, along with business courses, electives, and general education classes as part of the All-University Core Curriculum (AUCC). You can also take business courses to meet AUCC requirements.

Full Curriculum Details

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Engage with Faculty Setting the Standard 

22- 1

Faculty to Student Ratio

40

Average Class Size

275

Faculty and Staff

Experience is the best teacher, and our faculty bring years of experience to the classroom. As both industry professionals and accomplished academics, the faculty at the College of Business frame their instruction around the best ways to put their lessons to use. Our faculty are dedicated to empowering students with the knowledge they’ll need to pursue a rewarding career in finance, fully aware of everything the field has to offer them.

The College of Business underscores the value of real-world experience. The finance faculty bring their experience in solving complex business issues and share these unique insights with students in the classroom. You’ll hear about their work in fields like:

  • Investing - Using money strategically to achieve certain returns
  • Corporate finance – Empowering the goals of a business
  • Risk management and measurement - Recognizing how to best leverage resources amid uncertainty
  • International finance - Making sound decisions about working with international partners

Join the College of Business

A business degree is one of the most valuable resources to have as you begin your career in finance. Explore what CSU and the College of Business has to offer you. Sign up for one of our upcoming information sessions to connect with an academic advisor and hear from current business students. After that, you’ll be ready to begin your application and become a part of the CSU community.

If you’re already a business major, contact your academic advisor to learn more about the finance concentration.

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Upcoming Events

2/3/2024 10:00 AM - 4/6/2024 2:00 PM
Saturdays at CSU's College of Business from Feb. 3 to April 6
4/11/2024 - 4/13/2024
Save the date - more information coming soon