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Finance and Banking (BSBA)

About

The Finance and Banking (BSBA) degree at Appalachian State University prepares you for a broad range of careers in the financial services industry, including banking and financial markets, corporate finance, investments and financial planning. You will gain a strong theoretical foundation as well as practical application through an array of coursework and exposure to computer models, computer simulation exercises and interaction with business professionals to analyze financial performance in a variety of business enterprises.

Faculty members are leaders in their respective fields, developing knowledge and insight through research that is shared not only at Appalachian but nationally in the financial industry. The majority of tenure-track faculty members serve as either associate or full professor, lending the department and its students stability and valuable experience.

After Graduation

Employment: Employers include:

  • Ally Financial
  • Amica
  • Asheville Savings Bank
  • Auto Owners Insurance
  • AXA Equitable
  • Bank of America
  • Banker’s Life & Casualty
  • BB&T
  • C.H.S. Robinson
  • CGI Group Inc
  • Cisco
  • Corning
  • Delhaize America
  • Dell
  • First Citizens Bank
  • First Tennessee
  • French Embassy
  • Key Risk
  • Liberty Mutual
  • Lowe’s Home Improvement
  • Partners Insurance
  • People’s Bank
  • PNC Bank
  • PWC
  • Red Ventures
  • RPS Rollins
  • Safeco
  • SECU
  • State Farm
  • Vanguard Group
  • Wells Fargo
  • Yadkin Bank

Graduate School: Some students choose to continue their education. In recent years, they have attended graduate schools including Appalachian State University, University of Tennessee, University of Florida, UNC-Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, Duke, University of South Carolina, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and others.

Career Exploration website

People

  • Faculty Profile: Dr. Brandy Hadley ’09 ’11
    Faculty Profile: Dr. Brandy Hadley ’09 ’11

    Dr. Brandy Hadley says as a student the Appalachian Community surrounded her and taught her to believe in herself. Now an assistant professor, she has come full circle as she guides her own students at App State.

  • Faculty Profile: Dr. Jamie Parson
    Faculty Profile: Dr. Jamie Parson

    Parson fosters access to careers in insurance for underrepresented students in the Walker College of Business through diversity and inclusion initiatives designed to give students the resources they need to be successful.

  • Alumnus Profile: James K. Reaves ’93
    Alumnus Profile: James K. Reaves ’93

    “I think that what makes me successful in the business world is teamwork, focus and hard work. … I can never repay all that Appalachian has done for me.”

    - James K. Reaves ’93, senior vice president at BB&T

  • Faculty Profile: Dr. Harry Davis
    Faculty Profile: Dr. Harry Davis

    You’ll learn from Dr. Harry Davis, the North Carolina Bankers Association Economist and frequent speaker at state, regional and national banking conventions on economic and banking issues.

    Meet more faculty

Courses

  • Program of Study
    Program of Study
  • Four Year Guide
    Four Year Guide

    Click on the pdf for your major

  • NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide
    NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide

Minors

A minor is not required.

View all minors

Engagement Outside the Classroom

Bowden Investment Group (BIG) – Students analyze investment opportunities and manage a real investment portfolio with the goal of a return on invested funds that exceeds the return on the S&P 500 index. In 2014 members won the North Carolina Chartered Financial Analyst Society Research Challenge, making it the fourth win in six years for Appalachian. Appalachian has the best overall record among North Carolina schools. Members visit New York’s financial district each fall.  

Finance Student Association (FSA) – For students with an interest in finance, including non-finance and banking majors. The association promotes exposure to finance and banking, explores opportunities for employment and builds relationships among the members, faculty & business professionals.  Members visit New York’s financial district each fall.

Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society – Membership is the highest international recognition a student in business can receive in an undergraduate or master’s program at an AACSB accredited school.

Global Learning

Appalachian is committed to introducing students to different cultures and teaching them how to live and interact in a global society.  

All business students fulfill an international requirement, and an increasing number choose to study abroad through a wide variety of exchange programs. The college maintains partnerships with universities across the globe and continues to expand groundbreaking opportunities in emerging markets.

For this major, there are two study abroad options under the same course number:

  • FIN 4800 – Students travel to Bermuda to meet with experts in the insurance profession, scientists studying climate change and the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
  • FIN 4800 – Students travel to London’s financial district, home to many of the world’s largest insurers and reinsurers.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for declaring a major within the Walker College of Business are detailed here.

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Costs and Aid

Why Appalachian?

  • Finance and Banking students have opportunities to not only study financial markets, but also gain real-time experience through coursework and through programs and activities such as the Bowden Investment Group and the Finance Student Association.
  • The Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance maintains strong corporate relationships, which benefit students during and after their college years.
  • Finance Professor Harry Davis serves as the dean of the North Carolina School of Banking and as an instructor for the South Carolina School of Banking.
  • Approximately 30 percent of Finance students double major in RMI because requirements in one major counts as electives in the other.  Regarding job placement, the majors boost one another.

Location

Boone and Hickory*

*The Hickory Campus location is pending accreditation from SACSCOC for this program. Accreditation is expected in summer 2023.

Careers

  • Auditor
  • Bank Examiner/Regulator
  • Bank Loan Officer
  • Bank Manager
  • Bank Representative
  • Bookkeeper
  • Branch Manager
  • Business Manager
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Claim Adjuster/Examiner
  • Commodities Trader
  • Controller
  • Credit Analyst
  • Financial Analyst
  • Financial Consultant
  • Financial Economist
  • Financial Planner
  • International Trade Specialist
  • Investment Banker
  • Investment Analyst
  • Loan Administrator
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Mergers/Acquisitions Manager
  • Mortgage Broker
  • Portfolio Analyst
  • Stockbroker
  • Systems Analyst
  • Treasury Management Specialist
  • Trust Analyst

View more career information

Contacts

Walker College of Business

Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance

Dr. Chris McNeil
Chair
mcneilcr@appstate.edu
828-262-6243

Dr. Harry Davis
N.C. Bankers Association Professor
davishm@appstate.edu
828-262-6845

Dr. David Marlett
Director, Brantley Risk and Insurance Center
marlettdc@appstate.edu
828-262-2849

Dr. Brandy Hadley
Bowden Investment Group
hadleybe@appstate.edu
(828) 262-6938

Dr. David Marlett
Gamma Iota Sigma Advisor
marlettdc@appstate.edu
828-262-2849

Mr. Joe Walsh
FSA Advisor
walshj@appstate.edu
828-262-2209

  • Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance

    The Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance develops leaders for business, government and education by offering a Bachelor of Science in business administration in two specializations: finance and banking, and risk management and insurance.

  • Walker College of Business

    Accredited and well ranked

    • Accredited by AACSB International – the premier global accrediting body for schools of business – since 1976. It is among only one-third of U.S. business schools and 15% of business programs worldwide that hold this accreditation.
    • Consistently named one of “The Best Business Schools” by The Princeton Review.

    Global Emphasis

    • An international requirement of all business majors, which can include study abroad in traditional and emerging markets.
    • Opportunities to participate in a variety of short-term international programs in locations throughout the world, which are open to all business majors and designed to develop international business skills and intercultural knowledge — including the Holland Fellows Program for Business Study in Asia, which provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for selected students to gain global business acumen through a semesterlong international sustainable business consulting project, alumni mentorship, career coaching and a uniquely curated business study abroad experience.
    • The annual Global Opportunities Conference, which highlights innovative and entrepreneurial ways of addressing global challenges.

    Highlighting Sustainability

    • Leaders in creating a world where environmental, societal and economic qualities exist in balance to meet the resource needs of today and of future generations.

    Outstanding Academics

    • Small classes and easy access to faculty, who are focused on teaching and learning and engaged in research.
    • An emphasis on practical experience and interaction with professionals through the Boyles Lecture Series, McLeod Entrepreneur Summit, Global Opportunities Conference, Business for Good conference and other annual events.
    • Accelerated Admission for select MBA programs

    Student Support Services

    • Student Support Services that include academic advising, scholarships, the Truist Student Leadership Center, which provides opportunities for business students to build job and life skills through professional and leadership development training, and the Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship, which aims to help students and recent alumni launch successful businesses and enhance Western North Carolina’s economy.

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