Finance is the study of financial markets and institutions, the valuation of financial assets, and the allocation of assets to achieve desired financial goals. Through financial services providers such as commercial banks, trust companies, financial partnerships, multi-line insurance companies, savings and loan associations, credit unions, stock brokerage firms, investment advisory firms and regulatory agencies, financial services professionals give customers the tools to achieve the successful allocation and management of financial resources. Financial services professionals are employed in a wide variety of occupations, such as financial services sales, financial planning, customer service, operations, portfolio management, bank branch operations and management, mortgage services, personal financial advisors and loan officers.
In the St. Louis region, which is recognized as a national center for the banking, finance and insurance industries, and in other major markets, there is a growing demand for financial services specialists. Maryville University, in response to local financial services providers actively seeking graduates with both financial services and marketing skills, is currently the only university in the region to offer a Financial Services major.
As a Financial Services major in the John E. Simon School of Business at Maryville, you will combine what is commonly thought of as “traditional finance” with relevant marketing skills that will allow you to market, sell and service products to customers. The development of these professional skills will give you a competitive career advantage as you enter the job market. In addition, we balance financial services and marketing education with a strong liberal arts education, focusing on technical competence, theory analysis and application, communication skills and cultural awareness.
Your experience as a Financial Services major at Maryville does not end in the classroom. Each Financial Services student will be required to participate in a senior year internship or project involving a local financial services provider and current events in the financial world. Currently, Maryville offers internships with local companies and financial services providers such as Edward Jones, Boeing, Scottrade, American Equity Mortgage and Energizer. In addition, Maryville has established a wide network of professional contacts with financial services providers such as Edward Jones and Scottrade. These associations can help you build professional contacts in the community before you graduate, allowing you to transition easily from the classroom to the professional world.
Program Goals
A graduate of Maryville University with a major in Financial Services should be able to:
- Recognize, discuss and explain financial principles and how those financial principles apply to the financial services industry.
- Demonstrate the financial planning process and describe and apply various financial instruments available to the personal financial plan.
- Compare and contrast the domestic and international financial markets and institutions and be able to evaluate their performance.
- Develop sales, marketing, leadership and networking skills and apply them to the financial services industry.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the use of the language of finance in both oral and written form, and illustrate knowledge of current events in finance, including ethical behavior in finance.
Professional/Career Opportunities
Financial Services as a Career
When you complete your bachelor’s degree in Financial Services, you will find that your combination of financial services and marketing skills are in demand by a wide range of employers, from commercial banks to investment advisory firms, government regulatory agencies or insurance companies, to name a few. Courses you will have completed at Maryville, such as Service Marketing, Internet Marketing, Sales Management, Professional Selling, and Leadership and Interactive Marketing, were specifically developed in response to requests by local financial services providers who find that graduates of traditional finance programs, while possessing the required financial skills, often lack the marketing skills necessary to sell and service products to customers.
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