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Finance

A finance degree that takes you beyond the numbers.

A career in finance involves more than just mathematics and accounting knowledge. When you’re handling other people’s money, you need to be well prepared with skills ranging from financial savvy to relationship-building, from analysis to leadership.

A bachelor’s in Finance from York College gives you a head start working on real-world projects well before graduation. Our NASDAQ Trading Lab familiarizes students with industry technology and offers opportunities to become certified in software like Bloomberg and Morningstar. We also encourage senior Finance majors to pursue professional designations, such as certified financial planner (CFP) and chartered financial analyst (CFA). 

At YCP, we understand that the best colleges for finance combine academic resources with access to networking. When you become a Spartan, you’ll join a vast network that includes experienced faculty, successful alumni, and a variety of industry leaders and professionals.

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Three students take notes while listening to a professor lecture at the front of the class. Background shows a NASDAQ ticker screen on the wall.

Majoring in Finance

  • Key Courses

    Finance Degree Courses

    The Finance major offers a wide variety of required classes, electives, and real-world learning opportunities. These include:

    • FIN 320: Investments
    • FIN 330: Risk Management and Insurance
    • FIN 340: Financial Institutions and Markets
    • FIN 410: Managerial Finance II
    • FIN 420: Derivative Securities
    • FIN 430: Security Valuation

    4+1 Graduate Degree Opportunities

    As a major in Finance, you may also choose to pursue a 4+1 program during your time at York College. This option allows you to complete both a B.S. in Finance and an M.A. in Strategic Leadership and Management in as few as five years.

    NASDAQ Trading Lab

    The NASDAQ Trading Lab at York College allows students to get hands-on practice with the same software, devices, and services they’ll encounter in the workplace after graduation. All upper-level Finance classes meet in the Trading Lab, where majors are able to bring their understanding beyond classroom theories into real financial markets.

    Housed in the WIllman Business Center on Main Campus, the NASDAQ Trading Lab includes all of the following, in addition to other standard office software and classroom equipment: 

    • A NASDAQ-sponsored ticker displaying real-time financial data and market information
    • Four Apple TV screens displaying financial news
    • 32 retractable student work stations and an instructor station
    • An interactive Eno smart board
    • A four-tiled touchscreen market wall
    • Bloomberg terminals
    • Morningstar Direct
    • ProBanker
    • StockTrak
  • Career Opportunities & Benefits

    Careers in Finance

    Wondering if finance is a good career path for you? With a degree in finance, you can work in corporate finance, commercial and investment banking, financial planning, financial analysis, or risk management. Consider these careers in finance:

    • Financial or Budget Analysts
    • Personal Financial Advisors and Financial Managers
    • Loan Officers and Credit Analysts
    • Real Estate Brokers and Real Estate Sales Agents
    • Stock Brokers and Portfolio Managers
    • Investment Bankers
    • Financial Planners
    • Insurance Agents
    • Chief Financial Officers

    York College Finance alumni have gone on to work for Aerotek, Glatfelter Insurance Group, T Rowe Price Associates, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Finance Degree Salary Information

    A degree in finance can help you to qualify for rewarding roles at all stages of your career. According to Glassdoor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average entry-level financial analyst salary is $50,058 with the median annual salary for analysts reaching $83,660.

    For professionals with a finance degree, salaries are often high. Here are just a few of the median salaries for common careers in finance (Bureau of Labor Statistics):

    • Financial Manager - $151,510
    • Logistician - $79,830
    • Budget Analyst - $82,690
    • Personal Financial Advisor - $122,490
    • Actuary - $123,180
    • Statistician - $97,170
    • Financial Examiners - $92,730

    Benefits of a Finance Degree

    In addition to extremely competitive salaries, finance careers have a number of other benefits. This area of business expertise offers some of the strongest career outlooks, highest-earning wage potential, and abundant leadership opportunities for those entering the profession. 

    Some of the most desirable benefits of pursuing a degree in finance include: 

    • Opportunity to work with a wide range of employers, in a variety of industries
    • A stable career path with projected industry job growth
    • Transferable skills that prepare you for a number of real-world job responsibilities
    • A continually developing field that provides options for further learning, including specializations and certifications
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  • Internships & Work Experience

    Internships & Work Experience

    As you earn a bachelor’s in Finance at York College, you’ll have one-on-one support from your faculty and access to state-of-the-art professional tools in our NASDAQ Trading Lab.

    Real-world work experience with local, regional, or national organizations is also encouraged. Finance majors may complete up to two three-credit internships as electives that count toward their degree. The Graham School of Business at York College maintains close relationships with a variety of companies in the York area where our majors find internship placements.

  • Mentorship & Community

    Mentorship & Community

    Relationship-building is a hallmark of our programs in the Graham School of Business at York College. In addition to working closely with faculty members who care about helping you to achieve your goals, you’ll learn how to form good networking relationships with professionals in your industry.

    Students in the Finance program often choose to participate in the Student Managed Fund to gain additional experience and build connections in the financial industry. Other business-related student organizations include ENACTUS and the YCP Accounting Club.

    Student Managed Fund

    The Student Managed Fund is a student-run organization that provides members with the opportunity to invest with real money, allocated by the College’s endowment fund. 

    Student participants follow a value-driven strategy as they research and make strategic choices for their investments. The Student Managed Fund began in 2016 with $250,000 and now exceeds a value of $400,000.

    Learn More About the Student Managed Fund
  • High-Demand Skills

    Financial Skills and Degree Requirements

    In addition to the core finance and business skills you’ll learn as a Finance major at York College, your academic experience here will help you to become a well-versed professional. Successful finance professionals exhibit a wide range of essential skills, including:

    • Critical thinking and problem-solving
    • Attention to detail
    • Good communication skills
    • Qualitative and statistical analysis
    • Office Skills, especially Microsoft Excel
    • Knowledge of financial technology, software applications, and databases
    • Financial market forecasting techniques

    Finance Certifications

    We encourage senior Finance majors to consider pursuing professional designations to help boost their employability ahead of graduation. You may be interested in one or more of the certifications below. 

    • Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Certification - those who earn the CFP® designation have demonstrated competency in all areas of financial planning.
    • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Certification - CFA charterholders have demonstrated their competence, integrity and extensive knowledge in accounting, ethical and professional standards, economics, portfolio management and security analysis.
    • Financial Risk Manager (FRM) Certification - Financial risk management is one of the top skill sets to have in the financial services industry today and offers excellent visibility and outstanding earning potential. FRMs have demonstrated their knowledge and skills through rigorous examination and relevant professional experience. The FRM Program ensures that Certified FRMs have mastered the critical competencies necessary to manage risk in the global financial markets.

    (Source: Financial Management Association International)

    Finance students may also become certified on Bloomberg and Morningstar in the NASDAQ Trading Lab.

    Best Minors for Finance Majors

    Students who pursue a Bachelor's in Finance are required to complement their degree with another area of study for a well-rounded education, including:

    View All Minors
  • Accreditation & Professional Recognition

    ACBSP-Accredited Finance Degree

    ACBSP Global Business Accreditation Official Logo The Finance, B.S. program is accredited by ACBSP.


    This accreditation focuses on recognizing teaching excellence, determining student learning outcomes, and a continuous improvement model. ACBSP’s student-centered teaching and learning approach, which is measured and analyzed for quality, ensures that students gain the right skills from their educational investment. Institutions with programs accredited by ACBSP are committed to continuous improvement that ensures their business program will give students the skills employers want.

    Visit ACBSP

Program Requirements

Required Courses and Degree Requirements for Graduation
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2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

Related Programs

Contact Us
Graham School of Business
Pawan Madhogarhia, Ph.D., CFA,
Chair, Department of Accounting, Finance and Business Analytics
Willman Business Center, Room 222
Phone: 717.815.2045
pmadhoga@ycp.edu