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Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025
Financial Economics (BA)
Description
Financial economics concerns the interrelation of financial variables, such as prices and interest rates, from the perspectives of both the providers and users of capital. It offers a framework for analyzing the use and distribution of resources in markets in which decisions are made under uncertainty. It provides the theoretical and practical underpin for much of the fields of finance.
The Bachelor of Arts with a major in Financial Economics focuses on economic principles and on putting these principles to work in the various fields of finance such as investment management, portfolio formulation and financial assets pricing. It applies the academic study of economics to the realm of financial institutions and markets with a strong foundation in the theory and application of financial economics principles. The program provides rigorous coverage aimed at assisting undergraduate students to understand the principles and practical applications of financial economics theory. It centers on decision making under uncertainty in the context of the financial markets. The program applies quantitative and qualitative techniques on making financial decisions in practice. The program also prepares the students to think critically and to evaluate the moral and ethical issues that they would encounter in the realm of financial markets.
The program curriculum includes:
- Fundamental and intermediate economic models;
- Financial economics theory and its applications in the context of financial markets;
- The functioning of financial instruments within financial institutions, industry and government;
- Quantitative and qualitative methods;
- International finance and how it relates to the U.S. economy; and
- Application of basic moral and ethical principles in the analysis of economic systems and financial issues.
The major consists of 30 credit hours. The credit hours earned for the completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Financial Economics may not be counted toward the completion of either the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Economics or for earning additional minors in Economics or Financial Economics.
Individuals interested in pursuing an advanced degree may want to consider the 5-Year Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program in Financial Economics. Students who wish an understanding of the field but are not majoring in it should consider a Financial Economics minor or an Economics minor.
Degree Requirements - Bachelor of Arts with a major in Financial Economics (120 credits)
To obtain this undergraduate degree, the candidate must successfully complete the University's Core Curriculum and all department-designated program courses and requirements.
A minimum of 120 total credit hours is required for graduation. A minimum of 2.0 GPA must be maintained, although students should be aware that admission to graduate programs usually requires a minimum of 3.0 GPA for their undergraduate coursework.
Students majoring in Financial Economics are required to earn a minimum of 120 credits to graduate which includes 30 credits of Economics courses listed below, the Core Curriculum requirements and the general electives..
- ECN 2950 Microeconomic Principles (3 credits)
- ECN 2960 Macroeconomic Principles (3 credits)
- ECN 3050 Wealth Management and Financial Markets (3 credits)
- ECN 3150 Intermediate Microeconomics (3 credits)
- ECN 3160 Intermediate Macroeconomics (3 credits)
- ECN 4100 Data Analytics Foundations (3 credits)
- ECN 4460 Money and Capital Markets (3 credits)
- ECN 4660 International Finance (3 credits)
- STA 2250 Statistics (3 credits)
Electives - choose one from the following (3 credits):
- ECN 4150 Econometrics I (3 credits)
- ECN 4160 Advanced Money and Capital Markets (3 credits)
- ECN 4200 Labor Economics (3 credits)
- ECN 4300 Performance of United States Industry (3 credits)
- ECN 4355 Comparative Economic Systems (3 credits)
- ECN 4400 Economics of The Public Sector (3 credits)
- ECN 4480 Business Forecasting (3 credits)
- ECN 4640 Financial Economics (3 credits)
- ECN 4650 Economics of International Trade (3 credits)
- ECN 4700 Special Problems in Economics (3 credits)
- ECN 4705 Economic and Human Development (3 credits)
- ECN 4850 Monetary and Fiscal Policy (3 credits)
- ECN 4990 Senior Seminar (3 credits)
Admission Requirements
In order to be admitted to the undergraduate Financial Economics program, the applicant must meet Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà entrance requirements. Transfer students must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.0 to be considered for admission.
Program Contact Information
Yu Peng Lin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Economics
Briggs Building, Room 323
McNichols Campus
Email: linyp1@udmercy.edu
Telephone: 313-993-1096
Fax: 313-993-1166