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Finance (B.S.)

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IT’S NO SECRET that virtually every type of private and public business organization needs people trained in finance. With a Johnson & Wales University Finance degree, you’ll develop a solid foundation in capital management, investment and portfolio management, financial institutions, and personal finance that will prepare you for a career in a variety of settings, including the financial markets, investment banking, and securities.

JWU’s program gives you an advantage. Its distinct, student-centered teaching and hands- on experiential approach to learning help make you job-ready. In a lab-based environment, you’ll have the chance to develop and apply both specialized technical skills and soft skills that are crucial for success in today’s financial industry and the constantly changing world of business.

You’ll work in teams alongside industry-credentialed faculty mentors for case discussions, spreadsheet analysis, and investment projects. Our small classes allow you to get to know your professors well — and they’ll get to know you, giving you access to their networks of companies and employers.

Appy to JWU Request Information
Participating in the Global Asset Management Education (G.A.M.E.) Forum competition has made such a drastic impact on my outlook in both personal and career development. TONY GIORDANO '18

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This program is available in Providence. To view a full course listing, see the JWU Catalog link below.

Featured Faculty

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Barbara Norris

Associate Professor + Accountancy & Finance Department Chair

In teaching accounting, I am able to help students understand the importance of accounting in reaching their own career goals.

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Viviana Vilacha

Assistant Professor

My background is in corporate finance, and I’m currently applying that with all the business students, who are learning to build budgets and making investment decisions in a corporate finance field.

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Carlos Diaz

Associate Professor

In addition to teaching, I am involved with JWU’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, and serves as a speaker at JWU’s ESL Transition workshops.

Sample Courses

  • Investments
  • International Finance
  • Corporate Finance Futures and Options
  • Portfolio Management and Analysis
  • Experiential Education Projects in Financial Modeling and Valuation

Explore the full JWU Catalog course listing:

Providence

In addition to classes, free elective credit can be applied to a number of options such as Directed Experiential Education (DEE), internship, minor or study abroad. You are encouraged to contact an advisor before scheduling free elective credits.

Occupational Outlook*

Some professions may require additional study, background checks, certifications, licenses, exams and/or experience as required qualifications for employment. Students are responsible for verifying that they can meet the employment requirements of potential employers.

Occupation Growth Median Salary
Accountants and auditors 10% $69,350
Business teachers, postsecondary 18% $80,300
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks -1% $39,240
Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks -3% $37,290
Credit counselors 14% $44,710
Economics teachers, postsecondary 11% $98,350
Financial Analysts 11% $84,300
Financial Examiners 10% $81,690
Financial Managers 19% $125,080
Financial specialists 10% $70,120
Management analysts 14% $82,450
Postsecondary Education Administrators 10% $92,360
Self-enrichment education teachers 16% $38,440
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents -1% $53,130

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Job outlook: 2016-2026. Median salary: 2017.

Tony Giordano of the JWU Finance and Investment Academy (FIA)

Outside the Classroom

How would you like to help manage a portion of the JWU endowment as Portfolio Manager, Director of Investment Research or Sector Analyst? As a finance (or accounting) major, you can.

The JWU Wildcat Investment Value Fund (WIVF) is a campus-based internship opportunity available to qualified students beginning in the junior year. Unlike investment programs at other universities, at JWU you’ll work in an entirely virtual platform, utilizing the latest from Money.net and Skype for Business. And WIVF is a great internship option for international students who often face regulatory barriers to internships in U.S. financial services groups.

In addition, you can get a head start on your career as early as your first year at JWU by getting involved in the Finance and Investment Academy (FIA).

There, you can learn portfolio management skills through the Kantor Challenge; master financial modeling with the Wall Street Prep Advanced Excel Workshop, and gain perspectives from financial and investment professionals and compete in a student-managed portfolio competition through the Global Asset Management Education (G.A.M.E.) Forum.

Propel Yourself Further

You’ll also have an opportunity to investigate the dynamic relationship between finance and accounting, management or economics by double majoring in one of these subject areas. Or you can develop expertise in areas that complement your finance major by adding a minor, such as economics. Either of these options can add value to your understanding of the business world.

JWU’s Added Value

In our finance classrooms, you’ll be able to develop advanced excel skills so that you can apply the analytical and conceptual skills necessary to add value to a finance-based position.

  • This in-depth course of study will help prepare you for FINRA series 7, Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and/or Certificated Financial Planning (CFP) designations.
  • Upon successful completion of FISV 3199 Experiential Projects in Financial Modeling, you’ll receive an industry recognized certificate in Advanced Excel, Financial Statement Analysis and Financial Modeling by completing the Wall Street Prep Advanced Excel course.

How JWU Ranks