Finance

To prepare for your career in finance, you will study investment analysis, corporate finance and portfolio management.

Sample Plan of Study

This is a sample plan of study for students starting at UD in the 2025-26 academic year. This is a recommended course sequence, but your schedule may vary depending on previously earned college credits, course availability, advisor recommendations, and your personal goals and interests. Please contact your holistic advisor if you have any questions.

Curriculum

• AACSB Accredited: Our accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB-International) represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide.
• Top 30 Business School: 2025 Poets&Quants ranked UD's School of Business Administration among the Top 30 in the nation for academic experience — and Top 50 overall.
• Flexibility: At 120 credits for graduation, students can pursue their business major and explore interdisciplinary classes, certificates, or minors that speaks to their passion or complements their business degree.
• CFA-affiliated Program: The UD Department of Economics and Finance is a member of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program. Our finance undergraduate program has been acknowledged as incorporating at least 70 percent of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) and placing emphasis on the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice within the program. Students graduate with much of the knowledge needed to pursue the Level I exam and, through participation in the CFA-affiliated program, we are eligible to sponsor up to six finance majors each academic year for CFA student scholarships.
• Road to Success: Tailor your academic journey to your interests and dive deep into finance topics beyond the traditional investment and corporate finance. While building a strong foundation, you can customize your learning with electives in banking, real estate, insurance and derivatives. When you graduate, you won't just be entering the real world, you'll already be a part of it — fully prepared for a dynamic career and in high demand.

Faculty and Staff Support

• 100% of Business Classes Taught by Faculty: All business courses are taught by faculty—never by graduate assistants or teaching assistants.
• Micro-Mentors: Connect with business micro-mentors for personalized guidance on careers, grad school, electives, and aligning your studies with your goals.
• Holistic Academic Advising: Build a lasting connection with your dedicated holistic academic advisor who supports you through your entire UD journey.

Career Development

• Required Career Flight Plan Curriculum: All business students complete four courses (50+ hours) of professional development through the Career Flight Plan — covering everything from CliftonStrengths and AI specializations to business etiquette, mock interviews, negotiation and more.

Experiential Learning

• Invest in Out-of-Classroom Experiences: Gain a practical education by applying your knowledge to real business situations. Through experiential learning, you can have opportunities to invest millions of the University's endowment with the Davis Center for Portfolio Management and dive into areas like sustainable investing with the Hanley Center for ESG Investing or build your financial modeling skills with Dayton Investment Banking Academy. You'll also have access to leading financial data services like Bloomberg, FactSet, Morningstar and industry-specific technology like Bloomberg terminals. This hands-on approach — combined with connections forged on campus and in major financial hubs like New York City through internships and co-ops — ensures you're truly ready for your career.
• Real-World Results Start Here: 100% of UD students complete a high-impact experiential learning opportunity — part of our University-wide commitment to hands-on, real-world education.
• BWISE (Business Wisdom through International, Service and Experiential Education) Requirement: Gets students out of the classroom and into companies, communities, and the world to lead, learn and gain real experience.
• Finance for Good Join Flyer Consulting to use your financial skills to support small businesses and nonprofits through pro bono consulting and microloans. 
• Global Perspective. Global Markets. Build cultural insight and experience global markets firsthand through study abroad and away.

Ready to take the next step? Explore admission options or schedule an academic visit to learn more about finance.

Additional Finance Programs

• Business Economics (B.S.B.A.)
• Business Economics (Minor)
• Finance (Minor)
• Finance (MFin)

Related ProgramS

• Accounting (B.S.B.A.)
• Business Analytics (B.S.B.A.)
• Business Economics (B.S.B.A.)
• Entrepreneurship (B.S.B.A.)
• Finance (B.S.B.A.)
• Marketing (B.S.B.A.)
• Management (B.S.B.A.)
• Management Information Systems (B.S.B.A.)
• Operations and Supply Chain Management (B.S.B.A.)
• Business Administration (MBA)
• Discover Business

Rooted in our Catholic, Marianist traditions, the University of Dayton is dedicated to being transparent and ensuring student success. And with high graduation and success rates, UD is an excellent value.

To help you cover your costs, a variety of scholarships, grants, loans and part-time work study are available. The University also accepts transfer credits and credit by exam for undergraduates, giving you more flexibility to add a double major or minor or participate in a transformational experience like study abroad or co-op.