Why Finance

Finance is the art and science of managing money. Today's financial managers play a critical role in the process of raising and spending money, whether it is in a corporate, government, or personal setting. Career opportunities in Finance are both numerous and exciting in our fast-paced global marketplace.

Finance offers both a major and a minor, and within the major there are two options: the Financial Management Option and the Financial Planning Option.  In addition, we offer a Certificate in Financial Planning for those already holding a degree.

Financial Management focuses on decisions within corporations and financial institutions, whereas Financial Planning concentrates on the various aspects of personal finance planning including investing, personal budgeting, tax planning, retirement planning, estate planning, and insurance. The Finance faculty at WKU work closely with students in small classes, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the classroom. The Finance curriculum includes hands-on opportunities and state-of-the-art technology.

There are several notes of distinction regarding our programs. First, our Financial Planning option in the Finance major and our Certificate in Financial Planning program are registered with Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFB Board). As of December 2007, we are only one of five institutions registered in the state of Kentucky! This registration confers a special advantage on our graduates.

Second, the WKU Finance Group is one of 25 programs throughout the U.S. designated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to be part of its investment challenge program. As of December 2007, the student-managed investment portfolio was valued at over $382,000! Read more about our program under TVA Investment Challenge.

If you have any questions about our programs, please email us or call us at 270-745-2018.