What Can I Do With a Finance Major?
Finance is a discipline that deals with allocation of resources on corporate, institutional and personal levels.
Although finance has traditionally consisted of three separate fields—corporate financial management, investments and financial institutions—this distinction has begun to blur with deregulation and globalization. Additionally, many other fields within finance, such as real estate and insurance, have an important impact within a financial education and also within a student’s career choices.
A student may focus in the areas of corporate finance, investment banking and analysis of financial markets. Students examine:
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Visit the Department of Finance website
Degree Requirements
Includes foundation courses required for Professional Admission, general education requirements, professional core courses, electives and a set of specific Finance courses. Available finance courses include:
Quantitative Financial Management
Corporate Finance
Investments
International Finance
Financial Modeling
Risk Management and Derivatives
Applied Investment Management
Financial Analysis with Bloomberg Certification
AI in Finance
* Students must achieve Professional Admission (a competitive and selective application process) to move from the pre-professional phase to the professional phase.
** Check the Degree/Academic Progress Report (APRR's) for your specific academic program requirements per the catalog.
Other Preparation
Internships and Work Experience
Career-related experiences are valuable for students to build professional skills and industry knowledge. Volunteering, summer internships and part-time jobs at financial institutions, and on-campus jobs are great ways to gain valuable work experience and develop skills.
Clubs and Organizations
The college has a wide variety of professional fraternities, honoraries and student clubs. Student organizations offer: career information; networking opportunities; social and professional activities; and provide leadership roles and skills building opportunities.
Student organizations for Finance majors include:
The Eller College has several finance-related student organizations where students meet to broaden their knowledge, gain real-world experience, and network with industry professionals. Visit the Federation of Eller Student Organizations website for more information.
Master of Science in Finance (Online and In-Person)
The Eller College Finance Department offers Master of Science in Finance (MSF) programs in person and online. These programs can be pursued after completion of a degree without any requisite work experience in the interim. For more information, please contact Celine Lucas at celinelucas@arizona.edu.
Accelerated Master of Science in Finance
For students looking to complete their master’s degree in just two semesters, the Accelerated Master if Science in Finance (AMP-MSF) is a great option. Interested students should email Celine Lucas at celinelucas@arizona.edu.
Career Opportunities
A finance degree opens doors to a wide range of high-demand careers. As global markets grow more complex and financial regulations evolve, companies need skilled professionals to help them navigate investments, risk, and growth.
Types of jobs include:
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Certification and Licenses
Financial managers may broaden their skills and exhibit competency in certain fields by attaining professional certification, such as:
- Chartered Financial Analyst (Association for Investment Management and Research)
- Credit Business Associate, Credit Business Fellow, Certified Credit Executive (National Association of Credit Management)
- Certified Cash Manager (Treasury Management Association)
- Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
- Certified Financial Manager (CFM)
- Chartered Financial Consultant
The Series 7 is the NASD/NYSE exam required by most broker-dealers for their registered representatives.
Salaries
Starting salaries vary by size and type of employer, location, and experience. In addition, finance positions often include bonuses and commissions. The mean noted below is from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
- National mean starting salary, Finance/Financial Management: $72,227 (Spring 2023 - NACE)
Professional Associations
Recruitment Opportunities
Finance graduates obtain jobs through various avenues, leading to placements with a wide range of firms and organizations. On-campus recruitment opportunities include the fall and spring Eller Expo and Career Showcase, hosted by the Eller College, and the fall and spring "Career Days", hosted by the University of Arizona Student Engagement and Career Development.
A sample of employers that have hired Eller Finance majors for full-time placement through the Eller Professional Development Center:
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Accenture ADP Altria Arizona Public Services (APS) AXA Advisors Bank of America Merrill Lynch Barclays BDO BlackRock Bloomberg BNP Paribas Boeing BP Oil Capital Group Capstone Headwaters CBRE CDW Charles Schwab Cigna Citigroup Comcast NBC Universal Comerica Bank Costco CyraCom International Deutsche Bank Edward Jones |
Equity Methods Exxon Mobil Goldman Sachs HBO Hewlett-Packard HFF Honeywell Intel Intuit JP Morgan Chase Jefferies KPMG Lazard L’Oreal Marcus & Millichap Mass Mutual Mercer Morgan Stanley National Bank of Arizona Northern Trust Oracle PwC Raytheon Siemens T.Rowe Price Texas Instruments Tucson Electric Power |
Vanguard Wells Fargo Yelp |
Eller and UArizona Resources
Major Advisor
Christopher Butler
Undergraduate Programs
Eller College of Management
McClelland Hall 204
520-621-2505
Department of Finance
Eller College of Management
McClelland Hall 315R
520-621-7554