Finance Certificate
31 Total CreditsThis certificate comprises a concertration of ten courses dealing with economics, accounting and banking. It provides a basic knowledge about finance and management operations. All of the courses can be applied to a degree in Financial Services Management or to the Individual Studies degree.
Goals & Outcomes
To prepare the students for an entry level position in the field of financial services.
- Graduates seeking a job secure a position in the field of financial services within two years.
- Graduates seeking further education transfer to a degree program in financial services management or accounting.
To prepare the students to interact effectively within a diverse business population.
- Students will interact effectively within a diverse student population by completing collaborative projects.
To prepare the student to communicate effectively.
- Students will communicate appropriately with instructors and peers in classroom assignments and projects.
To train students to solve problems specific to the financial services industry.
- Students will demonstrate the use of computers as a problem-solving tool.
- Students shall analyze and solve accounting problems.
To introduce students to a variety of international business scenarios.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of worldwide issues related to business.
To prepare students to gather, organize, manage, and interpret data electronically.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to derive information from data.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of finance and management operations.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of relationships between economic accounting and banking systems.
To prepare students to demonstrate information literacy.
- Students will use traditional and contemporary information technology.
- Students will identify, access, and appropriately use authoritative sources of information.
AC115 Financial Accounting 3 cr
This course is the first of a sequence that explores fundamental accounting principles, concepts, and practices as a basis for the preparation, understanding, and interpretation of accounting information. It covers the complete accounting cycle for service and merchandising businesses through the adjustment and closing of the books and the preparation of the income statement, the statement of owner equity, and the balance sheet.The details of accounting for cash, receivables, inventory, long-lived assets, and current liabilities are investigated.
AC116 Managerial Accounting 3 cr
This course is the second of a sequence that explores fundamental accounting principles, concepts, and practices as a basis for the preparation, understanding, and interpretation of accounting information. It covers corporate equity (including the statement of retained earnings), long-term debt, time-value concepts, capital budgeting, cost-volume-profit analysis, and financial statement analysis. Prerequisite: AC115 Financial Accounting.
Choose one of the following:
AC230 Financial Management 3 cr
This course develops the role of the finance function and financial decision-making as it relates to the entire business organization. It stresses the financial planning of the requirements for funds, the effective acquisition of these funds (from internal sources and from capital markets), and the control of the use of these funds within the business. Prerequisite: AC116 Managerial Accounting.
BM108 Personal Finance 3 cr
This course teaches the fundamentals of personal finance through the creation of a financial plan, management of personal finances, and reaching personal financial goals. Topics include the establishment of financial objectives (home ownership, education, and retirement), budgeting and savings, personal income tax, investments (stocks, bonds, and mutual funds), retirement, and estate planning. The effective use of and management of credit is covered.
IS200 Spreadsheet Concepts & Applications 3 cr
This course expands the knowledge of those already familiar with the basic elements of electronic spreadsheets. It examines the various uses for a spreadsheet in business. Intermediate and advanced spreadsheet techniques are examined, including the power of functions, formatting, analytical graphics, and macros. Prerequisite: IS101 Computer Applications & Concepts 1.Corequisites:MA110 Elementary Statistics or MA115 Intermediate Mathematics.
BM110 Principles of Microeconomics 3 cr
This course studies the behavior of the individual and firm in allocating resources in a market system under various the degrees of competition. Topics include the nature of economics, scarcity choice, market pricing and applications, theory of consumer choice, business cost measurement, forms of competition, antitrust and regulations of business, factor pricing, externalities, and pollution. Poverty-income distribution, labor economics, or agricultural economics may also be discussed.
BM115 Principles of Macroeconomics 3 cr
This course studies the theory and operation of the economy and how government attempts to achieve domestic and international economic goals using monetary and fiscal policies. Topics include are: the nature of economics, the economizing problem, capitalism and the circular-flow, overview of the public sector, measuring output and income, macroeconomic instability, aggregate demand and supply, Keynesian employment theory, fiscal policy and its applications, money, banking, and monetary policy applications, and international trade and finance.
BM230 Money and Banking 3 cr
This course examines the functions of money and credit and their roles in the economy through the variety of financial intermediaries or financial institutions. Topics include the determination of interest rates; the role, functions and forces that shape and change financial institutions; the operation of the money, capital and debt markets; and the role and functions of the Federal Reserve in the financial system. Prerequisites: AC115 Financial Accounting and BM115 Principles of Macroeconomics.
BM129 Business Mathematics 3 cr
This course reviews basic arithmetic processes to develop speed and accuracy in working with decimals, fractions, and percentages. Calculators and computers are used to solve business problems, including simple and compound interest, discounting promissory notes, present value, installment purchases, and mortgages. Retail mathematics covers the areas of purchase and cash discounts, trade discounts, and markup of merchandise. Topics may also include the mathematics of sales and property taxes and payroll. Problem-solving exercises are completed through using computer spreadsheet applications and exercises. Prerequisite: An appropriate Math Placement test result or MA045 Basic Math Skills or MA050 Introductory Mathematics.
MA115 Intermediate Mathematics 4 cr
This course introduces intermediate algebra-level knowledge and skills. Topics include exponents and radicals, polynomial and rational expressions, functions and relations and their graphs, inequalities, and systems of linear equations. Linear, quadratic, rational, and radical equations are solved. Applications are included. Prerequisite: An appropriate placement test result or MA045 Basic Math Skills or MA050 Introductory Mathematics.
IS101 Computer Applications & Concepts 1 3 cr
This course provides knowledge of relevant computer skills and a solid foundation in the terminology and concepts of computer technology. Experience is provided with a variety of microcomputer software applications, including word processing, electronic spreadsheets, graphics, file management, and integrated software. Concepts and terms focus on preparing for a technologically oriented society and using the computer as a tool for productivity, research, and communication.






