The Finance Option provides students with opportunities in a variety of disciplines including banking, insurance, corporate finance, investment management, and risk management. Finance majors are in excellent demand. The goal of the finance option is to expose the student to all three major branches of finance: investments, corporate, and financial institutions. At the same time, the option allows the student some flexibility in choosing courses and tracks; the Financial Analysis track is a good choice for those students who wish to obtain a solid grounding in both Accounting and Finance. The option helps students planning to sit for the Charted Financial Analyst (CFA)* Level I exam and the Certified Financial Manager (CFM) exam. Finance professionals concern themselves with investments, financing and organizational restructuring decisions in business firms, financial institutions, pension funds and governmental entities. They also are responsible for monitoring the financial performance of firms to make sure other managers use capital effectively. Graduates with a strong financial background face a wide range of job opportunities in investment firms, banks, corporations, federal, state and local governments, public policy institutes, and international development institutions. The following courses are required for the option:  ACFI 701 Financial Policy ACFI 702 Investments Analysis In addition, students are required to take TWO of the following courses: ACFI 703 International Financial Management ACFI 704 Derivative Securities and Markets ACFI 705 Management of Financial Institutions Students are also encouraged to take one or more of the following classes: ACFI 751 Internships in Finance ACFI 753 Independent Study in Finance ACFI 640 Topics in Finance. Offered based on student interest and availability of lecturer; topics vary from time to time. Students desiring an even stronger focus in finance should consider taking additional courses in Accounting and Finance, and consult with the faculty coordinator of the finance option to discuss specific interests.  Faculty Coordinator: Stephen Ciccone, 862-3343, stephen.ciccone@unh.edu

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*The CFA designation is a significant professional certificate for individuals who plan to pursue careers in investment analysis and portfolio management.  Information about the exam can be obtained from the Association for Investment Management and Research at www.aimr.com.