Undergraduate Curriculum

In general, finance can be divided into two subfields: investments/capital markets and corporate finance. Investments/capital markets concerns (i) the pricing/valuation of financial instruments, including corporate, fixed income, and derivative securities, (ii) investment strategies, including performance evaluation and portfolio theory, and (iii) the workings of capital markets, including the various participants in these markets, their roles, and the regulatory environment. Corporate finance concerns (i) corporate financial decision-making, including value creation, corporate governance, and agency issues and (ii) the markets for corporate claims and corporate control, including the role of financial intermediaries. The Finance Course Chart lists the advanced electives by the subfield to which they belong and their associated prerequisites. Note that the material in several courses overlaps both subfields. The two-course sequence of Foundations of Finance (FINC-UB 2) followed by Corporate Finance (FINC-UB 7) provides an excellent overview of these two areas of finance.

Students who decide to concentrate in finance must take Foundations of Finance (FINC-UB 2), Corporate Finance (FINC-UB 7), and three advanced finance electives.

Students can also put finance coursework together with other Stern business disciplines to pursue an in-depth Track in one of the following areas: