MBA - Finance Concentration

The College of Business and Technology offers graduate work leading to the Master of Business Administration (MBA). MBA courses are offered by the Departments of Management and Marketing; Accounting and Finance; Economics and Decision Sciences; and the School of Computer Sciences. The WIU MBA is open to business graduates and those in liberal arts, engineering, mathematics, science, and other fields. Individual degree program requirement are based on previously completed coursework and may range between 33 and 54 semester hours.

In addition to three of the eighteen hours of MBA core course requirements being FIN 565 (Financial Management: Theory and Practice), students interested in finance as their area of concentration must select nine hours from the following graduate-level courses:

• FIN 496G Futures Options and Options Markets
• FIN 535 Real Estate Investment and Valuation
• FIN 555 Investment Management
• FIN 575 Advanced Portfolio Management
• FIN 585 International Financial Management
• FIN 595 Financial Derivatives
• FIN 600 Independent Research
• FIN 620 Finance Internship

Admission

Please view the Master of Business Administration (MBA) web page for degree requirements, admission detail, and more.

Integrated Baccalaureate and Master's Degree Program Bachelor in Finance/MBA

The Bachelor of Business in Finance/Master of Business Administration (MBA) integrated degree program provides an opportunity for outstanding undergraduate Finance majors to complete two degrees in just five years. The integrated degree allows a student to begin taking up to 6 semester house of MBA courses during the senior year and to count these courses toward both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Download the Brochure (pdf).

Please refer to the graduate catalog for detailed program information and course requirements.

Finance (FIN) Courses

FIN 496G Futures Options and Options Markets

The course presents a foundation in futures and options contracts examining the types of contracts, structure of the markets, pricing of contracts, and applications in risk management.

FIN 515 Finance for Managers

The development and study of financial concepts and practices employed by the financial manager in acquiring and administering capital. Topics include financial markets, time value of money, financial planning and analysis, working capital management, and long-term investment and financial decisions. Intended for graduate students with no previous background in finance.

FIN 535 Real Estate Investment and Valuation

A study of the real estate industry and markets. Concentration is on factors affecting the value of real estate and techniques for measuring value.

FIN 555 Investment Management

An introductory course in investment management designed to provide the conceptual basis for investment decision making. Topics will include how the security markets work, techniques of security analysis, valuation theory, and introduction to modern portfolio theory.

FIN 565 Financial Management: Theory and Practice

An advanced course in corporate financial management intended to provide a conceptual framework for analyzing the major types of decisions made by financial executives. Topics dealing with the acquisition and administration of corporate capital will be discussed in an applied setting stressing their relevance to practical problems in financial management. Case studies and team written reports are used to provide students with an opportunity to apply known concepts and principles to realistic situations.

FIN 575 Advanced Portfolio Management

This course allows students to manage an actual portfolio of money and stocks. Advanced fundamental analysis, corporate valuation, and portfolio management. Student teams make weekly presentations to buy/sell stocks that strategically fit within the portfolio of equities owned.

FIN 585 International Financial Management

An application of corporate finance and investment theory to the international arena. Special topics include the environment of international financial management, the management of foreign exchange risk, foreign investment analysis, and sources of international funds. Students will also be taught efficiency conditions of international markets, the international payment system, and international banking.

FIN 595 Financial Derivatives

An in-depth examination of financial derivatives including forward, future, and option contracts. Topics will include trading strategies based on fundamental analysis, pricing rules, valuation, and the swaps market.

FIN 600 Independent Research

Independent research and study of selected topics in finance.

FIN 620 Finance Internship

Integrates finance theories with application to actual business practice. Students are exposed to a variety of positions within the business firm during the semester.

College of Business & Technology (CBT)

Please view the Master of Business Administration (MBA) web page for degree requirements, admission detail, and more.