Finance Education

The Smeal College offers finance-oriented education options for students at various levels.

Undergraduate Major

The finance major at Smeal prepares students for careers in corporate finance, investment management, and financial services. Majors begin with the basics such as understanding global and currency markets and estimating and valuing future earnings and cash flows before focusing on specific areas of interest.

MBA Concentration

The finance concentration in the Smeal MBA Program enables students to gain perspective in financial analysis and planning needed for careful decision-making in the ever-changing economy. The concentration allows students to conduct analysis and management of financial assets and provides a strong background in capital markets.

Executive Education

Finance for the Non-Financial Manager, an offering from Penn State Executive Programs, helps participants learn how the impact of their financial decisions affects the performance of the unit and profitability of the entire organization. Numerous other offerings from Penn State Executive Programs also explore financial topics.

Along with education, Smeal has built an international reputation for finance research, especially in the areas of corporate financial policy and the operation and regulation of securities markets. Faculty members publish research in leading journals of finance and earn international recognition from academic and professional organizations.  Several finance faculty have also earned recognition for their teaching excellence and service to students.