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2026-2027 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog [In Progress]

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Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance

The finance program provides students with an understanding of financial definitions, concepts, relationships, and strategies involving individuals, financial institutions, and non-financial business activities. This 19 credit hours program is designed to provide fundamental knowledge for careers in banking, financial management, investments, portfolio management, and financial planning. It recognizes that finance is becoming an increasingly complex and critical area in the overall management and success of all types of organizations, institutions, business, and others, and for individuals as well.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Generally, 80 to 90 percent of finance graduates report finding jobs directly related to their major, giving them one of the highest placement rates among new Grand Valley State University graduates. Graduates obtain careers in business and personal finance, investments, banking, insurance, real estate, government, and international financial management. You may become a financial analyst, credit analyst, commercial lender, bank branch manager, mutual fund/pensions manager, finance project manager, cash manager, capital budgeting manager, or personal financial planner.

Website: gvsu.edu/finance

Accreditation

All BBA programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Participating Programs

Financial planning certificate program: gvsu.edu/seidman/fp

The Seidman financial planning certificate (SFPC) program is a noncredit program that fulfills a growing demand among financial planning professionals for the certified financial planner CFP® certification. Those who successfully complete this CFP board-registered program will be qualified to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.

The SFPC program consists of six noncredit courses that cover insurance, investments, retirement, personal income tax, estate planning and a capstone case course. All of the courses in the program follow guidelines established by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. Texts are selected from the bibliography provided by Certified Financial Planner Boards of Standards Inc. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Requirements for the B.B.A.

Core Courses (51-52 credits)

All business core courses acquaint students with various fields in business and help students learn to communicate, interact, and assume responsible positions in their chosen field.

For the B.B.A., students must complete the following courses.

Non-Business Required Courses (6 credits):

Quantitative group - choose one (3-4 credits):

Upper-Division Economics group- choose one (3 credits):

Required Business Courses (36 credits):

Students are required to select one class from the Ethics group. Only one course can count toward their major or minor from the following list.

Ethics group-choose one (3 credits):

Required Business Electives

Three upper-division business courses are not applied to the major or minor (nine credits total). However, these courses can be applied toward a second business major if one is declared. Students may apply up to six hours of internship and independent research credit, in any combination, toward their degree requirements. Business majors may not take any of the major courses on a credit/no-credit basis, except the internship and study abroad courses.

Requirements for a Major in Finance

Business Core

Additional Courses

Include three additional finance courses at the upper level (at least one at the 400-level) that is not an internship.

Note: Some financial institutions require a minimum of 12 credits of accounting for students who plan to seek positions as credit analysts.

Suggested Order of Coursework for Finance

Year 1:

Fall

Winter

  • Life Science with Lab (GE) (4 credits)
  • MTH 108 and MTH 109, or MTH 110, or fulfillment of MTH 110 through Math Placement.
  • Foundation - Writing OR WRT 120 (Fall) (3 credits) AND WRT 130 (Winter) (3 credits)
  • Arts (GE) (3 credits)

Year 2:

Fall

Winter

Year 3:

Fall

Winter

Year 4:

Fall

Winter

Seidman College of Business

Finance Program Description

Click here for the program description.


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