Finance Major - Christian University in Pennsylvania

Finance careers and outcomes

Where our grads work

Graduates of the Finance program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.

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Where they work

Chatham Financial
Croatan Investments
Enhancing Capital
Envoy Capital Advisors
Fidelity
Fulton Bank
Goldman Sachs
Gugenheim Investments
Hershey Trust
JP. Morgan
LINKBANK
Lifeguide Financial
Mid Penn Bank
PNC
Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System
SEI Investments
Select Medical
U.S. Bank Asset Management
Vanguard

What they do

Business manager
Credit analyst
Derivatives trader
Financial advisor
Financial analyst
Financial paraplanner
Hedge fund analyst
Investment Banking analyst
Investment performance analyst
Investment professional
Management trainee
Resolution services associate
Sales specialist
Senior investment analyst

Graduate school

MSC Paris
New York University
Penn State University
Villanova University

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96% of the Class of 2022 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.

96%

Our Alumni

Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.

Meet Alumni from the Department of Business

Study Finance at a Christian University

The finance Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree program at Messiah University, one of the top private Christian schools in the U.S., focuses on practical application of financial theory using distinctive, state-of-the-art techniques. These techniques will uniquely prepare and equip you to be an effective leader in the field of finance and to impact the world for Christ. Centered around the Ralph S. Larsen Finance Lab, the program includes numerous opportunities for hands-on corporate finance and investment management experience, including participation in the Student Investment Club that actively buys and sells securities in its management of a portfolio valued at more than $500,000. Choose from concentrations in financial analysis or financial planning, both of which have received the highest level of accreditation in their respective fields of finance.

CFA Institute

The Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) designation is the highest distinction in the investment management profession. The globally recognized CFA designation is considered to be the most respected and recognized credential in the field of investment analysis. Our Financial analysis concentration is an affiliate of the CFA Institute®, which means that our program covers at least 85 percent of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge, which represents the skills and core knowledge applied by investment professionals globally. The CFA Program provides the strongest foundation in advanced investment, analysis, and real-world portfolio management skills for a career advantage that students will use at all stages of their career.

CFP Board

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification is widely recognized as the industry standard for financial planners. CFP® professionals undergo extensive training and experience requirements, and commit to CFP Board's ethical standards that require them to place clients' interests first. Our Financial planning concentration and Financial planning certificate is a CFP Board registered program and students who complete all 6 classes in the program will satisfy the education requirement to be eligible to sit for the CFP exam upon graduation. Financial planning as a career offers exceptional opportunity and the demand for personal financial advisors is expected to grow at a faster than average rate of 7% through 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As a finance major or minor at Messiah University, you’ll be able to:

Study in a program that has been named a “Business College of Distinction” by Colleges of Distinction for 2023-2024.
Study within a program that prepares students for success on the CFA exams, the gold standard designation in the finance and investment management industry.
Learn from faculty that have substantial industry experience, having worked at companies like Merrill Lynch, KPMG, RBS, HOPE International, Citizens Bank and Stifel Financial, as well as served as a consultant to various U.S. government agencies during the financial crisis.
Utilize the Ralph S. Larsen Finance Lab, a dynamic instructional and research facility containing the latest technology used by financial professionals to provide an effective hands-on learning experience.
Gain Bloomberg certification through coursework and completion of the Bloomberg Market Concepts curriculum.
Gain actual, real-time investing experience through participation with the Student Investment Club, which actively manages a portfolio of stocks value at more than $500,000.
Have the ability to tailor coursework to focus on either personal finance or corporate finance.
Participate in the annual campus-wide stock market simulation where students invest a hypothetical $100,000 to see who can generate the highest return over the academic year.
Learn a unique blend of theory and practice, with a focus on real-world application of financial principles.
Be able to create financial models such as those commonly used on Wall Street in the fields of investment banking, equity research, sales and trading, corporate finance and strategy.

The U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts that a number of financial-related occupations are projected to be among the fastest growing careers over the next ten years. Messiah’s coursework will prepare you for industry-recognized licensing exams and certification programs, and your skillset will prepare you to succeed at a broad range of positions in the financial services industry right after graduation.

As a graduate of the finance program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:

Financial advisor
Research analyst (buy-side/sell-side)
Credit analyst
Corporate finance analyst
Investment banker
Investor relations professional
Trader
Mutual fund analyst
Treasurer
Strategy consultant

For more information on career planning for the finance program, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.

Why study finance?

The domestic financial markets continue to gain prominence, not only as a result of trading at all-time highs, but also due to their connection with the global economy and political environment. Employers are increasingly interested in hiring individuals with a quantitative and qualitative skillset; in other words, those who can perform financial calculations and analyze the trends in order to guide future strategy. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Labor cites that a number of careers in finance are among the most sought after and are expected to grow at double-digit rates over the next ten years, including personal financial advisors, corporate financial analysts, financial examiners and securities traders.