Figuring out your Finance Degree
Smeal’s Finance Degree
It is a common misconception that the only thing that you can do with a finance degree… is finance. However, there are many interesting career paths and opportunities that open up when you get a degree in finance. Through Penn State Smeal College of Business, students gain many skills in that classroom that translate to the working world of this industry. It is important to take advantage of all the Penn State has to offer for students in the finance major in order to set yourself apart in the business world and make as many connections as possible.
Areas of Finance
Finance is a broad field that can prepare you for careers in different areas including corporations, banking, investments, insurance, and government. Penn State offers courses that can steer students towards the area that best suits them.
In order to prepare students for the field, Penn State requires certain “entrance-to-major” courses including Accounting 211, Management 301, Marketing 301, and Finance 301. For more information on courses for finance majors, What-if reports on Lionpath and recommended plans can guide you through!
Career Opportunities
Connections are extremely important in this industry. It is crucial to make a lasting impact on professionals that you meet while pursuing your degree in finance. There is plenty of opportunity at Penn State to make these connections through career fairs and on-campus interviewing that could lead to a future career after you graduate!
There are ample career opportunities for students who graduate with a finance degree. Students often go into financial advising, bank management, retail investment brokerage, and so many more.
“The smaller classes and hands-on learning about managing portfolios and stocks and applying them to real-world scenarios are what really helped me. After taking many of Smeal’s finance classes, I was able to apply all of those concepts to my internship and am excited to do the same thing in my future full-time position,” says Makayla Moses, Penn State Smeal Finance Major.
Transferable Skills Learned in Finance Courses
Smeal College of Business finance courses teach students skills that are essential to any type of career in the business world. Some of the skills that Smeal professors focus on in finance classes include interpersonal skills, communication, project management, analytical ability, and problem-solving. These skills are taught through not only lectures but firsthand experiences as well.
“I didn’t know much at all about finance before coming to Penn State. After taking advantage of all that Smeal has to offer including classes, clubs, and reaching out to my professors, I learned so much so quickly and knew that finance was exactly what I wanted to do,” added Moses.
Resources:
https://undergrad.smeal.psu.edu/majors/finance
