What do you learn in a bachelor's in finance?

By: Sarah Edwards, Edited by: Arthur McMahon

Published: March 5, 2025

Are you thinking about a career in the financial sector but don't know if a degree in finance is right for you? Discover what to expect as you pursue a bachelor's degree in finance, including graduation requirements and curriculum details.

What to expect from a finance bachelor's program

The core focus of a bachelor's in finance program is teaching students to conduct financial analysis, develop investment strategies, and manage risk using quantitative techniques. Ultimately, finance programs aim to ensure students understand the broader financial markets and how those markets affect financial operations within a business environment.

A bachelor's degree in finance program can take up to four years to complete, with an average credit load of 15 credit hours per semester or 120 total credit hours. A program's cost depends on your specific school, residency status, and course load, among other factors.

However, the National Center for Education Statistics reports that students spent, on average, $15,200 for an undergraduate degree at a public institution in 2021-2022. During that same time period, students spent an average of $29,700 at private schools.

During a finance program, you can expect to take courses in accounting, economics, information systems, management, and math. While a capstone or internship is not always required, many programs do have grade requirements for core courses in the major.

Bachelor's in finance curriculum

The curriculum offered by a bachelor's in finance program typically covers a vast array of subjects such as business management, macro and microeconomics, business ethics, behavioral science, and technology. Typical courses and the content they teach include:

• Principles of accounting: How to construct corporate financial statements, generate reports, create budgets, and make financial decisions
• Corporate finance: The strategic management of business assets using the theories of markets, risk, and valuation to make better financial decisions
• Information systems management: How to support business processes, gain an edge in the market, and shift organizational structures and relationships

Keep in mind that every program is different, and degree programs with special focuses or requirements may not require these core courses.

Specializations and concentrations

What do students learn in a bachelor's in finance program? A program's curriculum depends on the school and a student's specialization. Some common concentrations include:

• Business: Learn how to apply financial principles to help corporate teams make sound financial decisions and better manage all aspects of the business
• Capital markets: Learn the principles of risk management and how they apply to fixed-income securities and financial derivatives
• Marketing: Learn to analyze the financial implications of marketing strategies, create sales and marketing forecasts and budgets, and assess campaign metrics

Not all finance degree programs require students to choose a specialization. In many cases, taking on a minor or concentration is entirely up to you.

Graduation requirements for a finance bachelor's degree

Graduating with a bachelor's degree in finance does not usually require a capstone project. However, students may be required to complete an internship or other hands-on, real-world projects.

These projects can help you gain practical corporate finance experience so you'll be ready to hit the ground running once you graduate and gain employment.

Additionally, be aware that many programs have grade requirements for certain core courses. This means you may be required to maintain a grade of "B" or "C" in certain classes to pass and meet program requirements.