Clark University’s School of Management (SOM) continues to expand its offerings to students with two new undergraduate programs – a bachelor of arts in finance and a minor in finance. Both programs are available for the current fall 2022 semester.

The programs are a perfect fit within SOM, as they will attract students who plan to pursue careers in finance or related to finance, and provide a path to those interested in earning a master’s in finance at the business school, which has notably been a member of the prestigious CFA Institute University Affiliation Finance Program since 2020.  The undergraduate degree will cover key areas in finance, including investments, capital markets, and corporate finance, as well as grow students’ skills in financial statement analysis, statistics, and business management. The finance minor will allow students interested in other areas of study to complement their major and expand their career choices.

Launching the finance major and minor was driven by two important factors. There are an increasing number of undergraduates who have a strong interest in finance and finance-related career opportunities, evident by the enrollment growth in multiple finance and related courses.  In addition, the student-run finance club, called the Clark University Investment and Trading Society, continues to be one of the most active groups at Clark. A second factor in the launch was the finance job market, which according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has remained strong and at attractive compensation levels.

“Enhancing the career opportunities for all of our students is always a goal with the launch of new programs, and the finance major will do just that,” SOM Dean Dr. Alan Eisner said. “Our faculty and staff worked hard over the summer to make this available for our students this fall and we are already seeing them declaring finance as their major.”

One such student, sophomore Ethan Quinn, was among the first. “When I first started at Clark, I was looking to be an Economics major, but I have loved finance for a long time and been into personal investments since I was 16,” he explained. “When I took a corporate finance course, the professor had told the class that there would be a finance major and I thought that it would be the perfect opportunity for me.”

Quinn is looking forward to gaining more skills in quantitative finance as he prepares to apply for Clark University’s fifth-year BA/MBA program. “I know the program will not only prepare me for leadership and future employment but will better help me understand my own future financials,” he added.

SOM finance professor, David Tang, was a key contributor to the curriculum of the new programs.  “Given the specific requirements of today’s financial industry and the level of competition our students face, we sought to create a rigorous finance major that will impart the skills our students need to get ahead in the industry, while also developing key aspects of a Clark liberal arts education around problem solving, critical thinking, and teamwork,” he stated.

Undergraduates can expect to complete 12 units of courses for the finance major, which will include 7 business core courses, 3 specific finance courses, 1 capstone course, and 1 elective course. The minor requires 6 units of courses, including 4 required core courses and 2 electives.

—

Meredith Galena
Communications Specialist
School of Management