Financial Economics, BA

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What Is the Study of Financial Economics?

The study of Financial Economics will provide a combination of economic analysis and tools from accounting and finance that can be used to guide financial decisions. The Economics Department and the Department of Finance and Marketing jointly offer this major and strive to provide a program which gives students rigorous training in theory and applications of accounting, economics, and finance.

Why Should I Consider this Major?

This major is designed for students interested in both economics and finance, and is aimed particularly at those who wish to pursue careers in corporate finance, financial analysis, insurance and real estate, and/or government agencies where special emphasis is placed on financial economic knowledge.

How to Declare:

Students planning to major in Economics should declare their major as early as possible, preferably their first year at Western.

Admissions: Programs in the College of Business and Economics (CBE) are selective and based upon prior academic performance and other evidence of high promise. For admission to CBE as a full Economics major, a student must have completed the following requirements:

Confirmed admission to Western Washington University
Achieved a 2.5 cumulative college GPA (including transfer work)

Complete the online application form at: http://www.cbe.wwu.edu/College/Applications.asp

Coursework

ACCT 240 Financial Accounting
ACCT 245 Managerial Accounting
ACCT 341 Intermediate Accounting Theory and Practice I
ACCT 342 Intermediate Accounting Theory and Practice II
DSCI 205 Business Statistics or equivalent
ECON 206 Introduction to Microeconomics
ECON 207 Introduction to Macroeconomics
ECON 303 The History of Economic Thought
ECON 306 Intermediate Microeconomics
ECON 307 Intermediate Macroeconomics
ECON 375 Introduction to Econometrics
FIN 341 Principles of Finance
FIN 440 Investments
FIN 441 Intermediate Financial Management
(Financial Economics majors only may substitute ECON 375 for DSCI 305 as the prerequisite for FIN 441)
FIN 444 Financial Institutions and Markets
One course from:
- FIN 448 Portfolio Analysis and Management
- FIN 449 Cases in Financial Management
One course from:
- ACCT 343 Intermediate Accounting Theory and Practice III
- ECON 411 Monetary Economics
One course from:
- MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
- MATH 157 Calculus With Applications to Business and Economics or equivalent
One course from:
- CSCI 101 Computers and Applications
- MIS 220 Introduction to Business Computer Systems
12 credits of upper-division economics electives under departmental advisement; a minimum of 8 economics credits must be at the 400 level
8 credits of upper-division finance electives under departmental advisement; a minimum of 4 of these credits must be at the 400 level
Take one Communication Focus (CF) course and a minimum of three writing proficiency points in approved upper-division writing proficiency courses (WP-3 points) at WWU with a minimum grade of C-. The CF and WP courses must be taken within CBE and can be completed as part of the above required and elective courses, prior to graduation. Consult the Timetable of Classes for the specific course sections that fulfill the CF and WP requirements.

NOTE: ECON 311 may not be counted toward this major.

GURs:

The courses below satisfy GUR requirements and may also be used to fulfill major requirements.

QSR: MATH 124, 157
SSC: ECON 206, 207

The Financial Economics major prepares students for a number of rewarding career paths by offering a powerful combination of specific skills from finance and accounting and the broad perspective of economics.