Investments, Undergraduate Certificate

Overview

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Please note that you may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Purpose Statement

The mission of the Northern Arizona University undergraduate Finance Program is to educate skilled and well-trained finance professionals. The graduates with a major in finance will be well positioned to understand important issues and tools in the fields of investments, corporate finance, financial institutions, risk management and international finance. They will be prepared for their first position in the field of finance and prepared to continue to progress throughout their careers.

Consistent with this goal, the Finance Area seeks to continuously improve the curriculum to ensure that our graduates possess those core competencies which are most closely aligned with the values of finance professionals. While knowledge requirements will change with time, these core competencies have long-term value and will support a variety of career opportunities in the fields of investments, corporate finance, banking, and risk management.  Coursework provides students with professional preparation focusing on the concepts and principles involved in four core skill areas common to many careers in the field of finance: asset valuation, risk assessment and management, analysis of financial statements, and forecasting financial statements.  Students also have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and apply course concepts while managing a real-dollar portfolio of stocks and bonds by participating in the Student Management Investment Fund.  At the completion of the Investments Certificate, students will be able to demonstrate competency in designing, implementing, monitoring, and managing investment portfolios that are appropriate given an investor’s profile.  Students are also prepared to enter a master’s program in business if they choose to continue in an academic track.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Value Assets: When valuing stocks, bonds, projects or other assets, students can identify and use the correct inputs and understand how they affect value and understand how value changes in an international setting.
• Assess Risk: Students should fully understand the causes of risk, how risk can be measured in various ways and how risk affects value and decision making.
• Analyze Financials: Students should be able to accurately analyze an income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.  Students should be able to use them correctly to identify strengths and weaknesses of a company.
• Forecast Financials: Students should be able to accurately forecast an income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.  Students should be able to use these forecasts to help a firm prepare for future changes.