AACSB Accredited
Stonehill’s business program is accredited by AACSB International, placing us within an elite group of higher education institutions that make up less than 5% of the world’s business schools.
Finance Major
Stonehill's Finance major incorporates the study of the acquisition, allocation and management of funds into a program that emphasizes theory and practice.
Finance Program Provides Assets for Success
Strong mentorship and a raft of professional experience help launch careers at some of the most prominent organizations in the field.
Program Overview
There are finance textbooks that define the subject of finance as an area of study that deals with the acquisition, allocation and management of funds. But in reality, finance is so much more. Simply put, finance is about problem solving. It is dynamic, challenging and extremely interesting.
Through the Finance program in Stonehill's Meehan School of Business, students develop a broad base of skills that leverage the underpinnings of our liberal arts education through experiential learning and cross-disciplinary opportunities. The result is students well versed in analytical reasoning, skilled in verbal and written communication, and possessing a broad awareness of the world around us.
Pathways of Study
Finance majors can choose a curriculum that broadly surveys the field or one that focuses on specific areas of interest. We offer three suggestions for students to create personal pathways while at Stonehill: Investment Finance, Corporate Finance and Public Finance.
Students interested in investment finance learn to think dynamically about the world, translating macro and micro events through financial modeling and a deep understanding of valuation. In doing so, they develop strong analytical, communication and Excel skills.
While careers in the global investment industry are varied, dynamic and competitive, these careers are diverse and rewarding and include analysis, trading, portfolio management, venture capital and wealth management. Students interested in these fields may consider becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst holder sponsored by the CFA Institute. The Department offers a limited number of scholarships for those interested in taking the Level I exam following graduation.
The Stonehill College Inspire Finance Initiatives offers a great opportunity for students to apply to the Skyhawk Investment Group, an experiential program where students research, analyze value and present equity investment ideas for the Mary Herlihy Opportunity Fund.
Students interested in corporate finance will develop strong analytical, Excel and communication skills as well as a better understanding of accounting and accounting systems.
Corporate finance careers include positions such as analysts, finance managers, account managers, treasury and risk managers. Opportunities vary from industry to industry but are generally dynamic and very rewarding. Students interested in corporate finance should consider taking the two parts of the Certified Managerial Accountant (CMA) Exam.
Students interested in public finance will develop strong analytical, Excel and communication skills. Students should also combine finance courses with electives offered in political science and economics.
Government finance opportunities continue to grow both at the federal, state and local levels. After graduation, students can pursue the Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) designation sponsored by the AGA. A local chapter offers student the opportunity to join while at Stonehill. Students are also encouraged to get involved with the Martin Institute for Law & Society.
The ability to get to know my professors, more than I would have at a bigger school, allowed me to expand my network while at Stonehill and even helped me to find my job after graduating. I still keep in touch with many of them today.
Opportunities for Hands-On Application
Inside the Classroom
Finance majors get the opportunity for hands-on application very early in their education. The Finance program emphasizes the development of analytical, conceptual and problem-solving abilities through teaching methods such as lectures, classroom discussions, case analyses and presentation, problem-solving (including computer-based exercises) and research reports.
CFA Recognition Program
In 2012, Stonehill College was one of the first undergraduate programs to be recognized by the CFA Institute’s University Affiliation Program. This recognition is granted only to institutions whose degree program incorporates at least 70% of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK), which prepares applicants for the CFA Level One exam. In addition, students are encouraged to participate in the CFA Institute’s Investment Foundations Program - a certificate program that covers the essentials of finance, ethics and investment roles.
Bloomberg Certification
Stonehill students are actively encouraged to participate in the online Bloomberg Certification training program. The Bloomberg Professional service is the world’s leading interactive financial information network, seamlessly integrating the very best in real-time data, news and analytics. The use of Bloomberg has become an integral part of research and management within the business community, and Stonehill faculty have embraced the use of this service as part of the curriculum.
Envestnet Institute On Campus
The Meehan School of Business at Stonehill College has partnered with Envestnet to offer the Envestnet Institute On Campus program to any Stonehill student interested in a self-study course in the foundational knowledge in asset management and wealth management. The program is managed by Envestnet, a leading provider of integrated portfolio, practice management and reporting solutions for financial advisors and institutions. The program aims to build a bridge between the university environment and the asset and wealth management solutions industry by training talented students and better positioning them for employment.
Stonehill College Inspire Finance Initiatives
Stonehill College Inspire Finance Initiatives (SCIFI) is a comprehensive and selective program for students interested in developing the knowledge and skills that may lead to a career in the world of investment finance. Today, SCIFI is composed of three initiatives: the Skyhawk Investment Group, LAUNCH and ENGAGE.
SCIFI Opportunities
SCIFI's Skyhawk Investment Group is a year-long, comprehensive, academic and professional development course of study designed to enhance the critical thinking and financial analytical skills of participants through hands-on academic and security analysis experience.
Students are charged with the management of the Mary Herlihy Opportunity Fund. This program combines an interesting and challenging course of study with internships, mentoring and the management of real-money to represent a truly differentiated learning experience for Stonehill students.
LAUNCH: Mentoring Women in Finance is a women's business mentoring initiative started in 2018. The program incorporates aspects of networking, mentor-mentee relationships and corporate site visits that connect female finance students in their first or second year with successful Stonehill alumnae.
As part of Launch, students:
- meet regularly as a group for career development preparation
- have informational interviews with more than one alumna
- conduct site visits at local companies
- complete job shadow days
ENGAGE is SCIFI's financial leaders program that enables participants to expand on their early academic experience and broaden their professional development and leadership skills. Students that successfully complete the requirements for the program will earn a Certificate of Accomplishment under the SCIFI platform.
Recent Accolades
Organizations involved in assessing U.S. colleges and universities continually cite Stonehill as being among the best in the nation when it comes to value, outcomes and a commitment to making the world a better place. See full list of accolades.
-
WSJ “Value Added” Formula Rockets Stonehill Higher in Rankings
Stonehill moved up 62 places in this year’s WSJ “America’s Best Colleges 2024” rankings, putting it in the top 12 among Massachusetts schools and top 6% nationally.
-
Princeton Review Ranks Stonehill in Top 20 in U.S. for Quality of Life
After considering input from 165,000 students at colleges and universities across the country, The Princeton Review recently ranked Stonehill College 19th out of 389 schools for quality of life.
-
Money Magazine Ranks Stonehill Among Most Elite Colleges in U.S.
Less than 20% of the 700 schools on Money’s 2023 Best College list, including Stonehill, received 4.5 stars or higher in the magazine’s 5-star rating system.
Sample Courses
Fundamentals of Financial Technology
BUS 325
FinTech is a fast-growing sector that encompasses use of technology in the financial services industry. Examples include personal finance (peer-to-peer lending, digital banking), digital currencies, roboadvisors, InsurTech and digital payments. This course equips the students with an understanding of the major FinTech products in the market and provide an overview of the underlying technologies (blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing). It will also discuss the regulatory developments in this new industry.
Entrepreneurial Finance
BUS 429
This course is intended for students interested in the often-mysterious and often-misunderstood world of venture capital. Unlike the study of Corporate Finance that focuses on the financial decision-making of large public corporations, this course will focus on the study of the financing of small and medium-sized businesses from the perspective of both the entrepreneur and the venture investor. These concepts are explored through lectures, readings, case studies, and class/group discussions.
Applied Research and Portfolio Management
BUS 432
This course is designed to build on the investment and analytical tools taught in BUS 203, BUS 320, and BUS 327 . This course will develop a student's understanding of the investment research and portfolio management process. Emphasis will be on equities but may include discussions on fixed income securities and derivative security analysis as well. The class will simulate a real world management process covering the research and analysis of individual securities, formulation of these securities into portfolios and the use of derivative securities to modify the risk /return profile of the portfolio.
Topics in Behavioral Finance
BUS 433
This topics course is part two of the SCIFI course program and is available only to students admitted into the SCIFI program. The course is focused on the growing field of behavioral finance that uses insights from psychology to understand how human behavior influences the decisions of individual and professional investors, markets and managers. The topic is very useful in helping understand why investors make the choices they do. Behavioral Finance is interdisciplinary as it borrows heavily from the academic literature in accounting, economics, statistics, psychology and sociology.
Where Our Graduates Work
Stonehill’s finance graduates go on to work at a range of notable organizations. Continue exploring where Stonehill graduates work.
Class of 2022 Outcomes by the Numbers
Stonehill graduates benefit from a strong academic foundation and access to an extensive suite of experiential learning opportunities. The result this year is that within six months of graduating, 98 percent of Class of 2022 finance majors were employed or accepted into graduate school.
$65,000
Median Salary
The median salary of a Stonehill finance student in 2022, six months after graduating
98%
Placement Rate
The placement rate for Stonehill finance students in 2022, six months after graduating
Actuarial Mathematics Major Draws on Strength of Finance Program
Stonehill’s Actuarial Mathematics major – offered through the May School of Arts & Sciences – draws on the College’s strengths in the academic fields of finance, data science, economics and mathematics. Combined with Stonehill’s emphasis on liberal arts and leadership development, students are prepared for careers in industries that include insurance, accounting and managerial consulting.
Connecting Students With Emerging Careers in FinTech
Stonehill's Meehan School of Business is one of only a few schools in the nation offering financial technology programming to undergraduate students in an effort to better prepare them to lead in a global market and to take advantage of an explosive new field. FinTech is useful to nearly every major with the curriculum touching on fields such as finance, business and marketing, computer science, criminology, psychology, and political science. Read about industry leaders presenting at our annual Fintech Speaker Series.
Student Groups
Stonehill's chapter of Financial Management Association (FMA) International offers all Stonehill students the opportunity to enhance their academic experience and gain a great understanding of the finance industry and its professional possibilities.
Our Stonehill FMA has been recognized by the FMA International as a 'Superior Chapter’ for seven years running. Each year, the honor puts us in the top 10% of all chapters worldwide.
Distributed Education Clubs of America (DECA) is an international association of high school and college students and teachers of marketing, management, and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality and marketing sales and service.
Enactus, which stands for Enterprise, Action and Us, works to bring together the top leaders of today and tomorrow to create a better, more sustainable world through the use of business principles and business models.
Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) is the international honor society recognizing business excellence. It is for students enrolled in business and management programs accredited by the AACSB.
Women in Finance is a club open to all students in all majors with an interest in exploring careers in finance.
Founded in 1919, Beta Alpha Psi is a nonprofit international honorary and service organization for accounting students at AACSB-accredited universities. Its primary objective is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field.
Outside Partnerships & Special Programs
Stonehill College has developed academic affiliations with colleges and universities that enable our students to augment the degree they earn at Stonehill with graduate and undergraduate degrees that further enhance their opportunities.
Pair Your Degree With a Master's Degree in Business
The Skyhawk Accelerated Dual Degree allows Stonehill students to earn a bachelor's degree and master's degree in five years. Eligible students receive early and expedited admission to their graduate program of interest and can begin working toward a master's degree in marketing or data analytics during their senior year.
Related Stories
-
Stonehill Finance Students Win International Competition
Four members of the Stonehill College Skyhawk Investment Group come home from Montreal with first place in a collegiate stock analysis event.
-
Women Studying Finance Gain Support Through Alumnae Mentoring Program
Statistics show fewer than 17 percent of senior leaders in investment banking are women. A new alumnae mentoring program hopes to change that.
-
SCIFI Provides Assets to Students Seeking Careers in Finance
The Stonehill College Investment Finance Initiative allows students to manage investment funds, honing their analytical and critical thinking skills while gaining experience that gives them a competitive edge.
Contact Information
Elif Sisli Ciamarra
Professor of Business Administration, Finance Department Chair
Business