Finance Concentration

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The program in finance starts with an integrative perspective of the role of the global financial manager within the corporation, and it addresses the manner in which finance interacts with the other business disciplines in performing core functions of financial planning and control, analyzing investment alternatives, and raising funds. Finance concentrators learn to value projects and firms in a variety of contexts including, for example, private equity and distressed debt. The program also offers students an opportunity to learn about asset management and sales and trading including the construction of quantitative equity strategies and the construction and evaluation of endowment and private wealth portfolios. The program is designed to prepare students for a diverse set of possible career paths in finance. Recent McIntire graduates with a finance concentration have gone on to work, for example, for investment banks, private equity firms, hedge funds, asset management firms, and endowment funds. International financial topics are incorporated throughout the finance concentration.

Academic Requirements

Students concentrating in finance are required to complete COMM 3110, 3720, 3721, 4710 and at least one specialized advanced course (COMM 4720, 4721, 4722, 4730, 4731, 4732).

Third Year - Required

COMM 3110 - Intermediate Accounting I Credits: 3
COMM 3720 - Intermediate Corporate Finance Credits: 3

Fourth Year - Required

COMM 4710 - Intermediate Investments Credits: 3 (Students interested in the QF track or internships in asset management or sales & trading may take in spring of their third year; cannot take COMM 3720 and 4710 at the same time)

Capstone

Select one capstone course from the following list: Enrollment in multiple capstones is possible, but discouraged, and unfortunately a students’ first choice is not guaranteed. Priority in capstone enrollment will be given to students who have not fulfilled the capstone requirement, and a student who is enrolled in a second capstone may be required to leave that course to make room for a student who will needs the capstone requirement.

COMM 4720 - Advanced Corporate Finance: Valuation and Restructuring Credits: 3 (fall 2021 sections are prerequisites for COMM 4760: Private Equity in spring of 2023)
COMM 4721 - Advanced Corporate Finance: Investment Banking Credits: 3
COMM 4722 - Corporate Restructuring & Distress Investing Credits: 3
COMM 4730 - Advanced Investments: Derivatives and Fixed Income Credits: 3
COMM 4731 - Advanced Investments: Principles of Securities Trading Credits: 3 (COMM 3720 & 4710 are prerequisites for this course)
COMM 4732 - Advanced Investments: Quantitative Equity Portfolio Management Credits: 3 (COMM 3720 & 4710 are prerequisites for this course)
COMM 4733 - Advanced Investments: Asset Management in the Global Economy Credits: 3 (COMM 3720 & 4710 are prerequisites for this course)
COMM 4579 - Global Commerce Immersion: Topics in Finance Credits: 3 (Courses are subject to change)