Business Administration — Finance Concentration, BA

Introduction

The Business Administration program has been designed to prepare students for leadership roles in business and the community. One program objective is to provide students with the perceptual and analytical skills necessary in making decisions and evaluating policy in business; another is to develop student understanding of the social, economic and regulatory environment of business. The program is designed for students with a variety of career goals, including opportunities with financial institutions, manufacturing and retail firms, service industries and the public sector.

Why Consider a Finance Concentration in the Business Administration Major?

The field of finance encompasses many different areas including investments, financial institutions, corporate finance and real estate. Coursework is offered in each of these areas as well as courses in derivatives multinational finance and insurance. A graduate with a concentration in Finance may work as a securities or credit analyst, a business financial manager, a portfolio manager, a financial planner, or a stockbroker.

Student Resources

Department website: Finance and Marketing

Contact information: Molly Baumann, Parks Hall 415 360-650-2578, Molly.Baumann@wwu.edu

Degree Works: Current students should also log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.

Career Services Center: Connect major to a career

Sample careers: Mutual Fund Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Investment Banker, Financial Planner, Claims Adjuster/Examiner, Actuary, Financial Analyst, Appraiser

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

Category of Major: Major with minimum requirements

All new students are eligible for direct admission to the major at the time of admission to the university, subject to space availability. Currently enrolled students with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher in all WWU coursework may declare by completing the Student Academic Declaration & Change Form.

Retention Standards

To remain in the major, students must meet the following academic requirements:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 in all WWU coursework.
  • Students whose GPA falls below 2.50 will receive a CBE academic warning and have one quarter to raise their GPA to 2.50 or higher.
  • Students whose cumulative WWU GPA remains below 2.50 for two or more consecutive quarters will be dropped from CBE and will not be readmitted into CBE until their cumulative WWU GPA is 2.50 or higher.
• Students whose GPA falls below 2.0 will be dismissed immediately from CBE and will not be permitted to register for CBE courses until their cumulative WWU GPA is 2.50 or higher.

Transfer students admitted without a WWU GPA (i.e., no graded coursework at WWU at the time of admission) are admitted to both WWU and CBE. They must maintain the GPA retention standards described above to remain in the major.

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors.