The academic requirements for finance represent a specialized course of study within the larger context of a diverse liberal arts education. Not only are these requirements designed to provide a focused and rigorous approach to the core concepts of the discipline, but they also allow ample opportunities for exploration in other subjects and departments throughout the university. By studying finance at DePauw, you will develop comprehensive expertise in your field while enjoying the benefits of a well-rounded education.
Eleven
ECON 100, FIN 220, FIN/ECON 293, ECON 350, FIN/ECON 360, FIN 480 (or 485)
A total of 4 Elective courses.
Financial Economics and Financial Systems*:
ECON 470: Money, Banking and the Financial System (ECON 295 prereq), Topics in Financial Economics (ECON 350 and FIN 294 (or ECON 294) prereqs), International Finance (ECON 295 prereq), Financial and Macroeconomic Crises (ECON 295 prereq), and Behavioral Finance and Economics (FIN 294 (or ECON 294), ECON 350, and ECON 360 prereqs).
*These courses have an additional prerequisite beyond the core courses.
Completion of a Practicum Experience approved by the Department of Economics and Management is required. This might include any of the following: completing a finance elective designated as a course with experiential learning components, e.g., FIN 365, completing one summer or semester long finance-related internships approved by the Department of Economics and Management, presenting in an academic conference, or preparing for and taking the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) test
Four (can include core courses).
The senior requirement consists of completing FIN 480 or FIN 485 during the senior year. The senior requirement usually includes completion of FIN 480: Seminar. In exceptional cases, students may apply to complete an intensive, independent senior thesis which culminates in both a written thesis and a public presentation of the work. FIN 485: Independent Senior Thesis is a one-credit course that may be offered as 1 credit for one semester, or as 1/2 credit in each of two consecutive semesters.
Eight of the ten required courses must be taken on campus.
Writing in the Finance major represents an opportunity for students to effectively articulate critical reasoning. Writing in finance occurs in a variety of formats, some of these include empirical research papers, financial reports (e.g., annual reports and financial statements), analytical papers, and analyses of news articles or peer-reviewed journal articles. The discipline of finance also relies heavily on mathematics to add precision to arguments and hypotheses. At an advanced level, finance papers use theoretical mathematical models or statistical inferences using data as a way to conduct research. The ability to draw inferences from mathematical and statistical methods and communicate these inferences in writing is essential.
Finance majors are required to write an empirical research paper in ECON 350, Statistics for Economics and Management, and multiple analytical papers in the capstone course, FIN 480, Senior Seminar. Students are expected to demonstrate through their writing an understanding of finance theory and its practical applications and the role of financial decisions on the global financial system. Such writing should include effective/persuasive argumentation by distilling and analyzing essential elements of an argument to enhance decision making. This includes writing that reinforces student understanding of the core areas of the major: investments, corporate finance, and financial economics and financial systems. Students must pass these courses to satisfy this requirement.
Leveraging the resources of the School of Business and Leadership, the finance major at DePauw is housed in the Department of Economics and Management. This department provides valuable insight into contemporary issues that shape our society while developing leaders who can excel in our rapidly changing, interconnected world.
