Finance

A finance degree from KU will prepare you to work in a variety of fields, including corporate finance, investment banking, commercial banking, asset management, real estate and personal financial planning. Your general business education, as well as your specific training in finance, will prepare you for competitive jobs.

Finance Department website

Sample of Related Skills

Access and analyze financial statements to evaluate the financial health of the firm and the strategies it employs to create value for its shareholders
Develop and apply financial modeling skills for the valuation of the firm and of individual capital assets, securities, and other investment vehicles
Apply principles of asset allocation and diversification to formulate portfolio strategies
Understand the characteristics of the principle asset classes and key securities to be able to evaluate their appropriateness as investments in a broad range of portfolio applications
Understand concepts like the time value of money, the risk/expected return relationships and asset-class and security diversification, to construct an investment portfolio that satisfies a hypothetical client’s objectives and constraints
Demonstrate knowledge of major domestic and global financial institutions and the role of those institutions in the global economy and financial markets
Develop preliminary working knowledge of the Standards of Practice and Codes of Conduct of financial practitioners (CFA, CFP, etc.) and use them to address ethical challenges that may be presented in a professional setting

Popular Career Paths

Corporate Finance: Refers to the financial activities of a private business including analyzing revenue and expenses to contribute to an effective use of capital, advising managers about project costs, making capital investments, and helping companies grow

Investment Banking: Involves underwriting, trading securities (stocks and bonds), providing financial advisory services (such as mergers and acquisition advice), financing of deals, and managing assets

Commercial Banking: Entails a range of activities from sales, investment banking and trading, analyzing credit, and approving loans

Asset Management: Involves managing the money of clients to achieve specific financial objectives within guidelines under which an investment pool is organized

Real Estate: Involves such areas as development, construction, leasing, and financial transactions

Personal Financial Planning: Entails helping clients make decisions about long-term financial issues to achieve their financial goals

Jobs to Consider

Places to Seek Employment

Apartment Complexes
Appraisal Firms
Brokerage Firms
Captive Finance Companies
Commercial Banks
Credit Unions
Developers
Federal Agencies
Federal Reserve Banks
Financial Partnerships
Foundations
Hedge Funds
Hospitals
Commercial Banks
Credit Unions
Developers
Real Estate Brokers
Real Estate Investment Trusts
Regulatory Agencies
Savings & Loan Associations
Investment Banks
Mortgage Banks
Multi-line Insurance Firms
Mutual Funds
Private Equity Funds
Insurance Firms
Hedge Funds
Insurance firms
Investment Banks
Mortgage Banks
Schools and Universities
Sole Practitioners
State and Local Governments
Trust Companies
Non-profit Organizations
Private Banking
Private Businesses
Foundations
Financial Partnerships

Explore More Career Resources

Institute of Real Estate Management - a membership-based organization for real estate managers, includes a job board

Efinancial Careers - job board and career search tool for entry, mid, and advanced level finance careers

Securities Industry Association - professional organization for the securities industry

Broker Hunter - job search tool for financial advisor positions

Certified Financial Analyst Institute - finance education and membership-based organization for the finance industry

Consulting Magazine - news site for consulting-specific articles