Finance
Whether you want to turn your investment hobby into a career, help families plan for retirement and college dreams, work with local entrepreneurs or even a corporation in Japan, St. Ambrose University has a remarkable program to help you achieve your goals.
Our graduates work at Deere and Company, Caterpillar, Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise Financial, Inc., and various regional and national corporations.
Ambrose Advantages
- High Quality and Fully Accredited Program
- Education Catered to Your Career Path
- Solid Focus on Finance and Business
At St. Ambrose, you get immersive financial and business experiences, gain highly-developed analytic skills, and a broad-based liberal arts education. This gives you the winning edge to compete in a fast-paced global environment.
2016-17 Year in Review
Here's a look back at all we've accomplished!
More Information on the Finance Program
All finance majors take classes in economics, general business, marketing, and management which include core courses such as investing in global markets, corporate finance, and financial institutions. You can choose from a list of electives, including entrepreneurial finance, estate planning, and wealth management.
Then, you get to choose a concentration based on your intended career path, and we cater the rest of your education to your specific goals. SAU offers courses in the following concentrations: corporate finance, entrepreneurial, financial analyst, financial planning, and financial investment.
You also get to complete a capstone project, which allows you to dive even deeper into your intended field. And, we strongly encourage you to complete an internship. You will get hands-on, real experience in business and finance, and have the opportunity to earn credits as you do.
Our undergraduate finance program is fully accredited by the ACBSP, and you will learn from some of the best minds in business and finance. More than 85% of full-time College of Business faculty members have doctoral degrees, and most have professional work experience in the fields they teach. They are noted for their drive to continually educate themselves.
As an SAU Finance major, you get an education that is highly relevant today and will help you succeed in the future, too.
Finance majors have many career options, including asset manager, financial analyst, financial planner, investment banker, portfolio manager, stockbroker, credit analysts, corporate controller or treasurer, or real estate manager for a financial institution. Graduates can also pursue careers in local, state, and federal government and nonprofit organizations.
Many SAU graduates continue their education and pursue higher degrees in economics or finance, and a number have also gone to law school.Our graduates are in high demand. In a recent survey, 97% of SAU College of Business graduates said they were employed full- or part-time, in graduate school, continuing their education, or weren't seeking employment at the time.
You also get to complete a capstone project, which allows you to dive even deeper into your intended field. And, we strongly encourage you to complete an internship. You will get hands-on, real experience in business and finance, and have the opportunity to earn credits as you do. Our Career Center will help find the internship that's right for you.
- Jacob Schertz '12 is a consultant at FTI Consulting in Chicago
- John Isit '16 works in Des Moines, Iowa, as a risk advisory services consulting associate at RSM U.S. LLP.
- Jacob Foecke '12 double-majored in Finance and Accounting and is an accountant for Quality Plus Feeds in Southeast Iowa.
Take advantage of an internship. It's one of the best ways to get real-world experience, a network of contacts, work samples for your portfolio, and a list of professional references. You can get up to three hours of academic credit, and it's not uncommon for Ambrose interns to be paid for their efforts and contributions.
The College of Business has strong relationships with companies and organizations throughout region, which gives you many opportunities. SAU finance majors have served as interns at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Boy Scouts of America, First National Bank, Modern Woodmen of America, and Morgan Stanley.
Our Career Center will help you find an internship and as you prepare to graduate, they offer job assistance too.
You can join the Finance Club. This organization is a community of your student peers and promotes finance/investment related activities, holds seminars, organizes social events, raises funds, invites guest speakers and alumni, and arranges an annual trip to the Chicago Board of Options Exchange.
Read what Finance Club members said about the most recent trip to the CBOE.
You've heard people say it before: "College will be the greatest time of your life!" With Study Abroad, you can add even more to your college years.
You can study in another country in a semester-long or short-term study abroad program (with a few offered during spring and winterim breaks). No matter the duration, these trips deepen your professional education while earning credit toward graduation.
There are also opportunities through an exchange program, an overseas internship, or volunteering. The limits for Study Abroad are only ones you set for yourself! SAU students have studied in Italy, Costa Rica, Australia, Korea, United Kingdom, Spain, Ecuador, Japan, Germany, Peru, Cyprus, Croatia, Belize, Canada, Chile, and more.
SAU students returning from their Study Abroad locations talk about their time away as life-changing – personally, emotionally, culturally, and academically.
Click here to search our Study Abroad programs, and for general information click here.
Art Moreau, PhD, Professor and Chair
Xiaowei Liu, PhD, Professor
Imtiaz Mazumder, PhD, Assoc. Professor
Liquan Wang, PhD, Assoc. Professor
Degree Requirements
Required:
Financial Core (12 credits)
FNCE 311 Investments in a Global Environment
FNCE 312 Corporate Finance
FNCE 313 Financial Institutions
FNCE 420 Capstone
Electives (Choose 12 credits)
FNCE 411 Derivatives
FNCE 412 Entrepreneurial Finance
FNCE 413 Estate Planning and Wealth Management
FNCE 414 Fixed Income
FNCE 415 Insurance and Risk Management
FNCE 416 Corporate Financial Issues and the Company Life Cycle
FNCE 417 Topics in Finance
ECON 316, 331, or 447
Students will be required to work with a Finance advisor in maintaining a portfolio of finance-related work throughout their program and will be required to take part in an exit interview and pass a comprehensive examination/case study prior to completion.
Finance majors are required to have a 2.25 GPA in all Finance courses. A minimum grade of C is required in all Finance courses.
Students who double major in Accounting will be required to complete the Financial Core and must select one elective for three credits.
Finance Majors have the option of choosing one of five career streams: Corporate, Entrepreneurial, Financial Analyst, Financial Planning, and Investment. Coupling one of these concentrated areas of study allows the student to learn industry specifics for their intended career path.
Corporate Finance: Complete Accounting Major plus FNCE 311; FNCE 312; FNCE 313; FNCE 412 or FNCE 416; FNCE 420
Entrepreneurial Stream: Complete Entrepreneurship Minor plus FNCE 311, FNCE 312, FNCE 313, FNCE 412, FNCE 413, two additional electives, and FNCE 420
Financial Analyst Stream: FNCE 311, FNCE 312, FNCE 313, FNCE 411, FNCE 413, FNCE 414, ECON 447 or FNCE 416, FNCE 420. Business Economics major recommended
Financial Planning Stream: FNCE 311, FNCE 312, FNCE 313, FNCE 412, FNCE 413, FNCE 415, ECON 316, and FNCE 420
Investment Stream: FNCE 311, FNCE 312, FNCE 313, FNCE 411, FNCE 414, two additional electives, and FNCE 420
This is the suggested plan of study to graduate in four years with a degree in Finance.
This plan assumes the student has taken three years of foreign language in high school.
Year One
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT 201 Financial Accounting | 3 | ACCT 202 Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| Catholic Intellectual Tradition | 3 | Catholic Intellectual Tradition | 3 |
| COMM | 3 | ECON 202 Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ENGL 101 English Composition | 3 | Humanities: History and Culture | 3 |
| STBE 137 Quantitative Methods in Business | 3 | MKTG 209 Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| IL 101 Information Literacy | 1 | KIN 149 Wellness Concepts | 1 |
| NSS 100 New Student Seminar | 1 | ||
| Total | 17 | Total | 16 |
Year Two
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUS 201 Legal Environment of Business | 3 | FNCE 300 Principles of Finance | 3 |
| ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics | 3 | STBE 237 Stats for Bus. and Econ. | 3 |
| Humanities: Literature and Film | 3 | Catholic Intellectual Tradition | 3 |
| MGMT 210 Principles of Management | 3 | Creative Arts | 2 |
| Science+Lab | 4 | KIN Alternative | 1 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| Total | 16 | Total | 15 |
Year Three
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| FNCE 311 Investments in a Global Environment | 3 | Electives | 9 |
| Electives | 6 | FNCE 313 Financial Institutions | 3 |
| FINCE 312 Corporate Finance | 3 | FNCE Elective | 3 |
| PHIL 305 Business Ethics | 3 | ||
| Total | 15 | Total | 15 |
Year Four
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| FNCE Electives | 6 | WI-FNCE 420 Capstone | 3 |
| INTL 400 International Experience | 1 | Electives | 6 |
| Elective | 3 | FNCE Elective | 3 |
| WI-MGMT 449 Strategic Management and Policy | 3 | ||
| Total | 16 | Total | 15 |
Scholarships and Grants
St. Ambrose offers excellent scholarships and grants, work-study and other financial aid options! Full-time students may be eligible based upon your strong academic performance in college, your talent in fine arts or athletics or your demonstrated financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The SAU school code for the FAFSA is 001889.
We want to recognize the time it took to stay on top of important steps in your college search. You'll be ahead of the crowd when you earn your $1,000* Bee Ready Bonus!
*$500 if living off campus. Bonus is one-time for first-year students enrolling full-time in fall 2023.
Eligible students need to complete the following three steps between June 1 and November 15, 2022:
- Visit SAU
- Apply and be admitted
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and send it to SAU
Download helpful PDFs of this information here: First-Year Iowa Residents and First-Year Out of State Residents
IOWA RESIDENTS LIVING ON CAMPUS
Iowa Resident On Campus Merit-Based Scholarships
Trustee Scholar: $25,000 per year
Criteria: unweighted 3.9 GPA and minimum 29 ACT or 1340 SAT score. Must maintain 3.25 cumulative GPA in successive years. Invited to compete for an Ambrose Scholar full-tuition award.
Academic Scholarships: $15,000-21,000 per year
Criteria: based on unweighted GPA and test scores (optional)
University Grant: $13,000 per year
Criteria: based on unweighted GPA and test scores (optional)
Iowa Resident On Campus Additional Institutional Aid
Ambrose Advantage Full-Tuition Scholarship (more information here)
Iowa resident, Pell Grant and Iowa Tuition Grant eligible, 2023 high school graduate, minimum unweighted 2.5 GPA, admitted and file FAFSA filed by March 15. To remain eligible in subsequent years, students must maintain 2.5 GPA.
Fr. Welch Alumni Scholarships: $1,000 per year
Parent is a St. Ambrose graduate
Catholic Traditions Scholarship: $1,000 per year
Students with Catholic religious denomination or plans to graduate from Catholic high school
Minority Scholarship: $500 per year
Ethnically diverse student
Athletic Scholarships: varies
Performance and ability
Fine Arts Scholarships: varies
Performance and ability in music, art and theatre
Student Leader Scholarship: $2,000 per year (more information here)
Involvement in select student clubs and organizations, additional application required by Dec. 31, 2022. Cannot be combined with athletics or fine arts scholarships.
Faith Learning Justice Scholarship: $2,000 per year (more information here)
Involvement in campus ministry, additional application required by Dec. 31, 2022. Cannot be combined with athletics or fine arts scholarships.
IOWA RESIDENTS LIVING OFF CAMPUS
Iowa Resident Off Campus Merit-Based Scholarships
Academic Scholarships: $13,000-$16,000 per year
Based on unweighted GPA and test scores (optional)
University Grant: $11,000 per year
Based on unweighted GPA and test scores (optional)
Iowa Resident Off Campus Additional Institutional Scholarships
Ambrose Advantage Full-Tuition Scholarship (more information here)
Iowa resident, Pell Grant and Iowa Tuition Grant eligible, 2023 high school graduate, minimum unweighted 2.5 GPA, admitted and file FAFSA filed by March 15. To remain eligible in subsequent years, students must maintain 2.5 GPA.
Fr. Welch Alumni Scholarships: $500 per year
Parent is a St. Ambrose graduate
Catholic Traditions Scholarship: $1,000 per year
Students with Catholic religious denomination or plans to graduate from Catholic high school
Minority Scholarship: $500 per year
Ethnically diverse student
Athletic Scholarships: varies
Performance and ability
Fine Arts Scholarships: varies
Performance and ability in music, art and theatre
Student Leader Scholarship: $2,000 per year (more information here)
Involvement in select student clubs and organizations, additional application required by Dec. 31, 2022. Cannot be combined with athletics or fine arts scholarships.
Faith Learning Justice Scholarship: $2,000 per year (more information here)
Involvement in campus ministry, additional application required by Dec. 31, 2022. Cannot be combined with athletics or fine arts scholarships.
OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS LIVING ON CAMPUS
Out of State On Campus Merit-Based Scholarships
Trustee Scholar: $25,000 per year
Unweighted 3.90 GPA and minimum 29 ACT or 1340 SAT score. Must maintain 3.25 cumulative GPA in successive years. Invited to compete for an Ambrose Scholar full-tuition award.
Academic Scholarships: $17,000-$23,000 per year
Criteria: based on unweighted GPA and test scores (optional)
University Grant: $13,000 per year
Based on unweighted GPA and test scores (optional)
Out of State On Campus Additional Institutional Aid
Fr. Welch Alumni Scholarships: $1,000 per year
Parent is a St. Ambrose graduate
Catholic Traditions Scholarship: $1,000 per year
Students with Catholic religious denomination or plans to graduate from Catholic high school
Minority Scholarship: $500 per year
Ethnically diverse student
Athletic Scholarships: varies
Performance and ability
Fine Arts Scholarships: varies
Performance and ability in music, art and theatre
Student Leader Scholarship: $2,000 per year (more information here)
Involvement in select student clubs and organizations, additional application required by Dec. 31, 2022. Cannot be combined with athletics or fine arts scholarships.
Faith Learning Justice Scholarship: $2,000 per year (more information here)
Involvement in campus ministry, additional application required by Dec. 31, 2022. Cannot be combined with athletics or fine arts scholarships.
OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS LIVING OFF CAMPUS
Out of State Off Campus Merit-Based Scholarships
Academic Scholarships: $14,000-$17,000 per year
Criteria: based on unweighted GPA and test scores (optional)
University Grants: $13,000 per year
Based on unweighted test scores
Out of State Off Campus Additional Institutional Scholarships
Fr. Welch Alumni Scholarships: $500 per year
Parent is a St. Ambrose graduate
Catholic Traditions Scholarship: $1,000 per year
Students with Catholic religious denomination or plans to graduate from Catholic high school
Minority Scholarship: $500 per year
Ethnically diverse student
Athletic Scholarships: varies
Performance and ability
Fine Arts Scholarships: varies
Performance and ability in music, art and theatre
Student Leader Scholarship: $2,000 per year (more information here)
Involvement in select student clubs and organizations, additional application required by Dec. 31, 2022. Cannot be combined with athletics or fine arts scholarships.
Faith Learning Justice Scholarship: $2,000 per year (more information here)
Involvement in campus ministry, additional application required by Dec. 31, 2022. Cannot be combined with athletics or fine arts scholarships.
Grants are money that you don't repay, and they can come from government or private sources. SAU receives all financial aid funds directly - including loans and grants - then applies them to your account: once in the fall term and once in the spring term. Grants can be used to cover your tuition, books, and housing costs. You must apply for grants each academic year. If you have any loan funds in excess of your costs, you may receive a refund. If you are a first-time borrower, there is a 30-day hold on your first disbursement. For all of these grants, you must complete the Free Application Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after October 1.
Iowa Tuition Grant
To be eligible for the Iowa Tuition Grant, you must be a resident of Iowa as defined by the State Board of Regents and currently enrolled or planning to enroll in an undergraduate degree program at an eligible Iowa college or university (SAU is eligible). Iowa College Aid administers need-based college financial aid for Iowans, such as the Iowa Tuition Grant. FAFSA deadline is July 1.
Award: $6,800
Federal Pell Grant
Awarded to students of the highest need based on how much your family can contribute to your education. The U.S. Department of Education sets a Expected Family Contribution (EFC) threshold. Then, when you file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), it computes where you land within that threshold and determines if you qualify for the grant and for how much.
Award: $6,895 maximum
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
To qualify, you must file a FAFSA by the priority deadline of March 15 and you must qualify for a Pell Grant. This grant is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to students who have submitted all required documents for review and in time for the review to be complete. If you are eligible for a Pell Grant or SEOG, the awards will appear on your financial aid award letter.
Award: $400 maximum
Federal Work Study
Must secrute campus employment.
Award: $2,560
Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
Provides aid to students intending to teach in a high-need field at a school that serves low-income families (as determined by the U.S. Department of Education or a state education agency). Review criteria and all details here.
Award: up to $4,000
There are many opportunities to receive scholarships from outside sources, here are a few websites to begin researching your options:
- Fastweb
- College Board Scholarship Search
- Scholarships.com
- Peterson's Award Database
- Scholly (app download)
Another tip: Next time you're on campus, check out the bulletin board outside Bee Central where we post more flyers and applications for outside scholarships.
Blake Billups '16
"Ambrose provided countless opportunities to engage with local and world leaders. Inevitably, these events can help develop professional communication skills that go a long way in interviews and negotiations." Blake currently is a Credit Analyst for the Wintrust Financial Corporation.
David Guyer
BA in Finance ,Modern Woodmen of America, Department Manager for the Enterprise Program Management Office,Class of 2001
The value of David's SAU education is evident in the progression of his career.
Contact
Art Moreau, PhD, Chairperson
Finance
McMullen Hall 020A
518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, Iowa 52803
563-333-6436
MoreauArthurF@sau.edu