Finance, B.B.A.

Program Coordinator: Aaron Burgess, Ed.D.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The primary focus of the Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) program is to prepare students for career tracks in banking, accounting, and tax preparation, ideally in a corporate, government, ministry, or non-profit setting. The Finance major contains the most fundamental business courses for graduate study, with a focus on investments, markets and institutions, business finance, risk and insurance, and personal financial planning. This course of study equips students for high-powered, in-demand roles in finance, investment, and insurance industries, with an emphasis on a biblical worldview that frames students' ethical decision-making skills. This program also provides students with a well-rounded foundation and focus on real-world applications, and addresses a number of important topics, including business finance, personal finance, markets, and risk management.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) program, students should be able to:

• understand how financial institutions work, including assets, liabilities, and risk management;
• articulate elements of the securities market, including investment strategies and planning;
• apply advanced financial management concepts, including capital structure, working capital, financial analysis, and behavioral finance;
• understand financial risk management and the role that insurance plays in decreasing business risks;
• discuss personal financial planning, including taxes, savings, credit management, and investment issues. 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission requirements for the Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) program include the following:

• submission of official transcripts of all previous college or university courses completed to date;
• completion of at least 56 transferable credit hours from a regionally-accredited institution(s) of higher learning with a grade of C- or better for each course;
• an overall GPA of 2.00 or higher (on a 4.00 scale) for all previous college or university coursework completed to date (an applicant with a GPA less than 2.00 may apply for probationary admittance);
• completion of an online application and Registration Agreement Form.

Applicants from foreign countries and U.S. territories must also provide recent evidence of proficiency in English by: 1) scoring 80 or above on the Internet-based TOEFL with subscores in writing, reading, speaking and listening of at least 20; 2) scoring 550 or above on the written TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with subscores in writing and reading of at least 50; or 3) scoring 6.0 or above on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). All tests of English proficiency must have been taken in the last two years to be considered for acceptance.

College-level courses from regionally-accredited institutions will be evaluated for transfer credit; credit is granted only if applicable grades were obtained. Equivalence of course content and transfer credit is determined by the Program Coordinator.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The student must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours (with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00) including:

1. Successful completion of the GPS General Education Core (39 hours):
   • 15 credit hours in Arts and Humanities (Minimum of 3 credit hours in an English composition course with a research writing component; minimum of 3 credit hours in Bible/Theology)
   • 15 credit hours in Natural and Social Sciences, and Mathematics (Minimum of 3 credit hours in Mathematics; minimum of 3 credit hours in Social Science; and minimum of 3 credit hours in Natural Science with laboratory)
   • 9 credit hours in Liberal Arts electives
2. Completion of at least 30 credit hours of upper division course work (3000 level or higher);
3. Successful completion of the 55-credit hour Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) curriculum with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50. A student who receives a grade below "C-" in any course that is part of the 55-credit hour curriculum will be required to repeat that course until a grade of "C-" or better is earned. All repeated coursework to replace grades of D+, D, F, W, or X is at the student's expense.