Finance

Bachelor of Science in Finance

The constantly evolving business world requires successful leaders to possess an ever-increasing range of knowledge and skills. Alvernia's Finance program gives students the tools they need to access and utilize financial information and understand how markets operate. Developed with the input of faculty members with academic and practical business experience, Alvernia’s program teaches students how to think strategically while delving into vital topics such as accounting, marketing, business data and information analysis, business law, corporate finance, strategic management, international business and investment analysis.

Finance majors at �鶹��Ƶ’s Header School of Business will develop professional skills which will help prepare for a career in management or public accounting. The learning experience expands far beyond textbooks, strengthened by a state-of-the-art business lab featuring the Bloomberg Terminal, and the O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, which offers resources to students and businesses to assist with economic development.

Getting Started

General Notes

A minimum of 123 credits are required for graduation.
Credits earned for COM 100 and MAT 100 do not count toward the 123 credits required for graduation; however, COM 100 students may petition for elective credit.
Where appropriate, courses required for the major can be used to satisfy General Education requirements. However, the credits earned for these courses are applied to either Gen Ed requirements or the major, not both.
Paths of Knowledge coursework may count towards major or minor requirements, but may not fulfill a second Mid-Level Liberal Arts Exploration requirement.
Students are expected to follow the catalog requirements for General Education, the major, and additional requirements.
A minor or second major within the areas listed under Paths of Knowledge automatically fulfills that area of the Gen Ed requirements.

Application Instructions

Through a rolling admission process, prospective undergraduate students — including first-year, transfer, and international students — may apply via the or . To learn more about how to complete your application, please visit our application page.

Financing Your Education

There are options to assist in financing your education and making the tuition affordable. Visit our Student Financial Services page for a detailed overview of the process, including a link to complete the FAFSA application, as well as more information about tuition, the tuition payment plan and the tuition deferment program we offer. Alvernia’s Title IV code for the FAFSA is 003233. The Office of Student Financial Services is available to help with any questions you may have. Call 610-796-8201 or email sfs@alvernia.edu.

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In This Section

College of Business, Communication and Leadership

Program Overview

Major Notes

To graduate with a Business degree, students must:

Have earned and maintain an overall grade point average of 2.0
Have earned 60 credits
Earn a “C” or higher in BUS 101, BUS 206, BUS 207 and the math course taken to fulfill the Liberal Arts General Education.
There is a 75 Hour Experiential Learning Graduation Requirement for all business majors. Please consult with your academic advisor for more information.

Curriculum: Major Requirements

Business Core (30 credits)

• BUS 101: Financial Accounting*
• BUS 200: Managerial Accounting or BUS 250: Accounting Principals
• BUS 206: Management Principles*
• BUS 207: Marketing Principles*
• MAT 208: Introductory Statistics or MAT 209: Probability & Statistics
• BUS 315: Business Data and Information Analysis
• BUS 342: Business Law
• BUS 410: Financial Markets
• BUS 411: Corporate Finance
• BUS 426: Strategic Management

* must earn a grade of "C" or better

Finance (18 credits)

• BUS 205 Fraud Examination
• BUS 225 Insurance & Risk Management
• BUS 227 Financial Services
• BUS 312 International Business I
• BUS 406 Investment & Portfolio Management
• BUS 412 International Business II

Related Area (9 credits)

• ECON 248: Macroeconomics
• ECON 249: Microeconomics
• COM 344: Writing for the Workplace

High Performer Development Series (3 credits)

• BUS 251: High Performer Development Series I
• BUS 351 High Performer Development Series II
• BUS 451 High Performer Development Series III*

*With department chair approval, transfer and/or adult education students may take BUS 452 to fulfill this requirement.

Recommended Courses (Optional)

• BUS 441: Cooperative Education in Business I
• BUS 442: Cooperative Education in Business II

Experiential Learning Opportunities

In the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, our business lab and Bloomberg Terminals provide financial real time, historical data, market moving news and analytics.
The provides a support system that can elevate aspiring and existing entrepreneurs as well as provide experiential learning opportunities for students, clients and mentors. Services
are delivered through an integrated network of partners, mentors, staff and student expertise. Fields include accounting, business development, communications, digital design, engineering and marketing.
The Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA) is the largest business career and technical student organization in the
world. FBLA Collegiate is the collegiate division of FBLA and is dedicated to inspiring and developing the next generation of
leaders by preparing members for careers in business and business-related fields.
Business faculty at Alvernia conduct research in a variety of areas, including leadership, management, organizational development, strategy, market research, international marketing, time management, conflict resolution, international leadership and hiring of part-time employees. As a business major, there may be an opportunity for you to assist in faculty research, and to benefit from the knowledge gained through faculty research.

Accreditation Statements

�鶹��Ƶ's Finance program is accredited by the and by the .
Alvernia is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Career Outlook

After earning your Bachelor of Science in Finance, you can pursue a variety of careers, including:

Financial planner
Wealth management advisor
Commercial real estate agent
Risk or financial project manager
Credit officer
Underwriter
Broker of stocks, bonds, and commodities
Positions at federal agencies such as the Federal Reserve, Treasury Department or Internal Revenue Service

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in financial occupations is projected to grow 8 percent from 2022 to 2032. The median annual wage for this group was $76,850 in May 2022.

Opportunities for Majors

Phi Beta Lambda

Phi Beta Lambda provides opportunities students to develop vocational competencies for business and office occupations and business teacher education. The specific goals are to promote competent, aggressive business leadership, understand American business enterprise, establish career goals, encourage scholarship, promote sound financial management, and develop character and self-confidence and to facilitate transition from school to work. The Alvernia College PBL Chapter has won many awards on both state and national levels. In competitions, the Alvernia PBL Chapter regularly participates in state and national workshops and conferences, is active in campus projects and completes community service projects.

The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)

IMA is the world's largest organization devoted to management accountants, financial management and information management professionals. IMA Student Chapters promote careers in those areas and helps to develop leadership skills.

Internship Opportunities

Internship placements for our students have included Citizen’s Bank, Walt Disney World, Rohm & Haas, Vanguard, GVA Smith Mack, Haines & Kibblehouse, US Department of Treasury, US Department of Finance, Stroehmann/Maier’s Bakery, Webb Insurance, InRoads, Reading Royals, Olsen/DeTurck, Philadelphia Eagles, Cott Beverage, Four Seasons Produce, Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young and the Camden Riversharks.

The Washington Center Experience

Alvernia students have an opportunity to earn college credit by spending a semester or summer in Washington, D.C. where they serve as interns in a congressional office, government agency, major corporation, newspaper or news network, or agencies devoted to legal affairs, international relations, or business and economics. Participants are customarily juniors or seniors who have achieved grade point averages of 2.5 or better and who have the endorsement of the appropriate academic area. In addition to their internship, students select one seminar dealing with the arts and humanities, communication, public policy, the legal system, business, and government. Interested students should see their academic advisor.

Delta Mu Delta

Delta Mu Delta is a business honor society that recognizes and encourages academic excellence of students to create a community that fosters the well-being of its individual members and the business community through life-time membership.

Bloomberg Terminal

�鶹��Ƶ students have access to the Bloomberg Terminal, located in the CollegeTowne building. The Bloomberg Terminal provides real-time and historical data, market moving news, and analytics to help leading business and financial professionals worldwide make better informed investment decisions. The university’s subscription to the Bloomberg Terminal will enable students to become family with tools used in financial services while reinforcing classroom theory.

Get to Know Your Faculty

For more information about Alvernia’s Finance program contact the Admissions Office at 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to Header School of Business Chair Tufan Tiglioglu at 610-796-8278 or tufan.tiglioglu@alvernia.edu. To see a list of lecturers in the College of Business, Communication, and Leadership, click here.