Finance, BS

Program Introduction

The Finance program prepares graduates for career opportunities in corporate finance, banking, institutional investment management, real estate, and financial planning. The curriculum includes courses related to financial analysis, financial management, economics, and investments and financial markets, among other topics. 

Admission to the Program

The Finance program is open to any student with an active interest in finance or financial planning.  There are no specialized requirements for admission, with the exception of the dual degree program. 

Program Organization and Graduation Requirements

The Finance program offers a Bachelor of Science degree.  Students can also choose to concentrate in Financial Planning.  Highly qualified students can pursue an accelerated dual-degree program in which students may obtain an undergraduate degree (B.S.) and an MBA in a curriculum that can be completed in as little as five years. 

A student must obtain a grade of C or higher in all program courses required for graduation (including transfer courses counted towards business program requirements). 

Bachelor of Science Degree

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) curriculum engages students with. 

The B.S. Degree in Finance requires 20 program courses (80 credits) as follows:

• 12 business core courses

• 7 Finance courses

• 1 upper-level business elective 

The degree also requires 48 additional credits in General Studies/At-Some-Distance courses. 

Financial Planning Concentration

The Financial Planning Concentration prepares students to enter the financial planning and advising field. Students who complete the financial planning concentration are prepared to become investment advisors with knowledge in investment decision making, retirement planning, estate planning, insurance and taxation and will be eligible to take the CFP exam. 

Course Sequencing and Schedule Planning

It is essential that students develop sound skills and a conceptual foundation before attempting a concentration or degree program in business. The majority of business program courses are not offered to students until their sophomore or junior year, and the business major must carefully plan courses to develop the proper foundation of General Studies and lower-level Business Core courses.

In considering course selection and sequences, students should understand that Stockton University does not have an online or evening program. Consequently, there is no guarantee that all courses required for graduation will be offered every semester online or during the evenings. While some required business courses are offered online or during the evening and business faculty attempt to schedule required courses at night, it is highly likely that at some point students who only take evening courses will have to revise their schedules to allow them to take in-person, daytime course work in order to graduate.

Should the student be unable for any reason to take a prescribed course in the regular semester, it is his/her responsibility to take the course later. The student should not expect a waiver for the course at a subsequent date, nor should s/he expect that the course will be offered at an unusual time to meet personal needs.

Students should also understand that it is their responsibility to make sure that their academic records are in proper order at the time they apply for graduation.

Graduation with Distinction

A Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree with “Distinction” will be awarded to students who have completed at least 32 program credits at Stockton, have a GPA of 3.85 and above in the Business Administration, Accounting, Business Analytics, or Finance major, and rank in the top 10% of their program’s graduating seniors (based on their program GPA).

Career Opportunities

A nationwide trend in American industry is the demand for managers who are technically advanced, analytical, and skilled at working and communicating effectively within organizations. Demand remains strong for individuals with both baccalaureate and graduate education in business. The Stockton Business program is designed to develop graduates who are ready to enter today’s workforce, prepared for graduate-level study, and well-educated and prepared to adapt to the ever-changing external social climate.

Special Opportunities

The BSAD program offers the opportunity to gain University credit through independent study and “hands-on” work experience. Among these opportunities is the Washington Internship program. The Washington Internship program is an intensive para-professional and academic experience in which Stockton students live, work, and study in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. Stockton University is affiliated with the nation’s largest internship organization, The Washington Center. This organization provides all the major facets of a student’s internship experience, i.e., facilitating the application process; distributing the application to potential placement sites; providing program activities, advising, supervision, and evaluation; hiring faculty for the evening classes; and providing housing and residence life activities.

The School of Business offers the option to earn academic credit regionally for an internship experience (in place of an elective). This full semester experience enables students to gain the practical experience they need while making industry contacts. Previous placements have included: Regional Tax Assessors Offices, Shore Medical Center, Barrette Industries, Ocean County Government, Keller Williams, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Jersey Shore Federal Credit Union, Merrill Lynch, Enterprise Holdings, Target, Capaldi, Reynolds, and Pelosi CPAs, Dolan, Bell, and Marsella CPAs, Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, Edmunds Gov Tech, and AtlantiCare.

Students are permitted to double major in any of the following business-related disciplines: Accounting, Business Administration (B.S.), Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Hemp and Cannabis Management.

Full degree curriculum and transfer audits for the program can be explored using the Degree Works web-based tool. Full details about the curriculum are accessible on the website.