Finance is the strategic allocation of resources — stocks, bonds, and more — to increase value for an individual or an organization. Students learn to analyze financial data and market trends to make sound investment decisions. Finance professionals work in diverse settings, including banks, brokerage houses, major corporations, and government agencies. Our program combines technical and theoretical training to prepare students for real-world challenges. With dedicated faculty and an innovative curriculum, we keep students at the forefront of financial trends.
About the Department
The hallmark of the finance program is integrating a core business foundation with the specialized knowledge and applied skills of the finance professional. Classes are small, discussion-based, and led by faculty who bring the insights of professional finance careers to the classroom. Our students learn finance by doing finance, from managing an actual portfolio to accessing the same real-time global financial data as professionals.
Program Options
Major
- Finance
specialization within business administration
Accelerated Business Programs
- Accounting and Business Analytics, BS/MS
first-year and transfer applicants may apply to this five-year (4+1) accelerated bachelor’s to master’s program
- Management and Organizations, BS/MS
first-year and transfer applicants may apply to this five-year (4+1) accelerated bachelor’s to master’s program
Graduate Program
- Accounting and Business Analytics, MS
enhances expertise in advanced accounting topics and business analytics
- Business Administration, MBA
offers two tracks: business analytics and strategy, innovation, and leadership
- Management and Organizations, BS/MS
develop your leadership platform and the business skills essential for organizational success
Recognized as a CFA Institute-Affiliated University
This prestigious program recognizes academic institutions that integrate at least 70% of the CFA® Program Candidate Body of Knowledge™ (CBOK) into their curricula. By embedding CFA content, we aim to provide our students with a strong foundation in ethics-based investment education. As an affiliated program, we gain access to valuable resources, including the Learning Ecosystem, which offers practice questions, mock exams, and the complete CFA Program Curriculum. Additionally, our students benefit from potential scholarships, enhanced employability, and global mobility upon graduation.
CFP Designated Financial Planning Minor Program
The financial planning minor at TCNJ is CFP board-registered, providing students with comprehensive knowledge for a career as a financial planning professional. Students learn ethical codes and professional standards, enabling them to counsel clients on various financial aspects, including investing, taxes, insurance, retirement, and estate planning. Graduating with this minor satisfies the education requirement for the CFP exam.
Advisement
Course Sequence
The Finance specialization within the business administration major builds upon a robust core of courses spanning the business curriculum. Students begin with an introductory finance course, followed by in-depth studies in investments and a yearlong cycle of courses in investment, corporate financial management, quantitative analysis, alternative investments, and ESG. Investment courses incorporate materials aligned with the CFA® Program Candidate Body of Knowledge™ (CBOK) and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation. Corporate financial management courses utilize MBA-level texts, combining financial theory, real-world cases, and database management. Seniors have the option to choose from three finance capstone experiences: completing a business valuation project, engaging in portfolio management, or conducting a senior thesis.
Opportunities
Emphasis on Experiential Learning
A TCNJ finance education integrates the theoretical foundation of the classroom with the practical application of real-world skills. Our students graduate with a competitive edge: real experience applying the information and technology that drive decision-making across global financial markets.
HBM Student Investment Fund provides students at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) the opportunity to participate in the student investment fund—an actively managed portfolio valued at $850,000. Within this fund, students actively engage in buy-and-sell decisions to optimize returns and enhance asset allocation and risk management. The fund’s establishment originated from a generous gift by a faculty member and contributions from alumni, now serving as part of TCNJ’s commitment to community impact.
Financial Learning Center, equipped with the Bloomberg Terminal, provides students with practical skills and exposure to the finance industry. Students can further enhance their preparation for careers by completing training in Bloomberg Finance Fundamentals, Bloomberg Markets Concepts (BMC), and/or ESG courses.
Mayo Business Plan Competition gives student teams the chance to pitch viable business plans to a panel of alumni and other business professionals, with $50,000 in prize money at stake. Open to all majors, the competition allows finance students to collaborate with peers in other disciplines—from marketing to multimedia—on a team-based project, modeling business world practices.
Global Study Abroad immerses students in the reality that markets are now international, with data and dollars crossing time zones 24/7. Studying abroad to gain firsthand perspectives on the global marketplace is invaluable for finance majors. TCNJ offers dozens of study-abroad opportunities; in most cases, courses taken abroad count toward the finance program’s requirements.
Prominent Internships/Co-ops and Career Pathways
Students leverage our proximity to the financial centers of New York City and Philadelphia to land highly competitive internships, heading to J.P. Morgan, Ameriprise Financial, Bloomberg Financial Services, CIT Group, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and other top firms. These internships frequently turn into full-time employment offers, contributing to our graduates’ strong track record of first-job success.
Finance majors work in banks, financial institutions, brokerage houses, major corporations, and government settings. Recent graduates have received offers from Bank of America, Bloomberg, CIT Group, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, Johnson & Johnson, J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, and each of the Big 4 accounting firms. Our graduates successfully sit for the difficult exams required to earn such professional designations as chartered financial analyst (CFA) and certified financial planner (CFP).
Many finance majors choose to pursue a JD or an MBA after graduation. In addition to law and business, students enter graduate programs in a wide variety of fields, including health services, statistics, public policy, and accounting. Our graduates are accepted into programs at top schools, including Columbia, Duke, Georgetown, NYU, Penn, Vanderbilt, and Yale.
Student Organizations
Active Alumni Network
Our alumni are enthusiastic supporters of the program. They visit campus and network with students. They serve as guest lecturers and participants in case studies for our classes and also provide data and information for use in class projects. Our alumni connect current students and new graduates with internship and employment opportunities. Faculty members keep in frequent contact with our alumni, who graciously give back to the program, nurturing an active TCNJ finance community.