Finance at the Leeds School of Business

Finance is essential to business. Finance faculty boast expertise in foundational concepts like corporate finance and macroeconomics, as well as specialized areas like mergers and acquisitions, derivatives and foreign exchange markets. Students within the program benefit from access to The Burridge Center for Finance and the CU Real Estate Center. Our curriculum prepares students to succeed in areas such as financial management, business economics and real estate.

The finance program addresses issues in the financial services and securities area, including topics related to high technology firms, large corporations, and entrepreneurial companies. The finance program is designed to provide students with in-depth exposure to the background necessary for entry-level positions in various areas of financial management. Students study financial management, money and capital markets, investments and derivative securities, and financial institutions.

This program enables students to develop the ability to evaluate financial problems and formulate sound financial decisions and policies. Although emphasis is on financial management of profit-oriented organizations, the principles and concepts covered are applicable to nonprofit and governmental organizations.

The Finance program at the Undergraduate level is part of the CFA's University Affiliation Program.

Finance Career and Advising Guide

Four-Year Plans


Accelerated Finance

The Accelerated Finance option is designed for high-achieving finance students, including those with a strong interest in the competitive investment banking and investment management industries. With more importance placed on securing an internship with firms the summer before senior year, e.g., a process that begins roughly 12-15 in advance of an investment banking internship, it’s important for students to develop their knowledge of finance early to be competitive. Through the Accelerated Finance option, students will adopt a rigorous first- and second-year curriculum that affords them early access to critical business and finance courses to help increase their qualifications for sought-after finance internships.

You can find academic policies for Leeds School of Business by visiting our Academic Advising academic requirements page.

Accelerated Finance Career and Advising Guide


FNCE 2010 Course Substitution

A finance student may elect to substitute FNCE 2010 with another FNCE course if the student meets one of the following conditions:

  • has a course grade of B or better in MATH 1300 or APPM 1350 (Calculus 1)
  • has a course grade of B or better in a course taken at another institution that counts as CU credit for MATH 1300 or APPM 1350
  • has a score of 4 or better on the AP Calculus AB exam OR the AB sub-portion of the AP Calculus BC exam
  • has a score of 7 on the IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (Higher Level only)

If a student chooses to apply the FNCE 2010 substitution, they will need to substitute in another FNCE course (or Master of Finance course subject to instructor approval) to fulfill the credit requirements of the FNCE area of emphasis.  The calculus credit will not replace the credit for FNCE 2010.

Full details of the policy including a list of courses eligible to replace FNCE 2010 in the finance area of emphasis can be found here: FNCE 2010 Substitution Policy