Finance Major

At a Glance

At Carthage, finance majors acquire the analytical, communication, and critical thinking skills needed to be successful in multiple business specialties, to advance in their career, and to contribute to the global community.

Degree offered:

B.A. in Finance

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At Carthage, all business programs follow the College’s proprietary READY™ (Real-world Experience and Developing You) curriculum. Professors embed practical projects and industry-standard software in their classes.

Carthage finance majors learn general and specialized business theories, use technology to perform research and present ideas, and work effectively in teams. The curriculum is designed with the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification in mind.

<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,236,2007,2243/36228_4548_163701665847155.rev.1667490579.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,236,2007,2243/36228_4548_163701665847155.rev.1667490579.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,236,2007,2243/36228_4548_163701665847155.rev.1667490579.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,236,2007,2243/36228_4548_163701665847155.rev.1667490579.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,236,2007,2243/36228_4548_163701665847155.rev.1667490579.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,236,2007,2243/36228_4548_163701665847155.rev.1667490579.jpg" alt="Michael Malyszek" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,236,2007,2243/36228_4548_163701665847155.rev.1667490579.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,236,2007,2243/36228_4548_163701665847155.rev.1667490579.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2007" data-max-h="2007" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “The financial sector is the largest industry in the world. In fact, the financial industry comprises 20-25 percent of the world’s economy. If you were to consider changing your major or adding another, I would advise you to consider finance, as a degree in finance opens up so many doors.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2140-michael-malyszek">Michael Malyszek</a> ’25</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,400,400/36068_Jillian_Arbeiter_23.rev.1666382853.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,400,400/36068_Jillian_Arbeiter_23.rev.1666382853.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,400,400/36068_Jillian_Arbeiter_23.rev.1666382853.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,400,400/36068_Jillian_Arbeiter_23.rev.1666382853.jpg" alt="Jillian Arbeiter ?23" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,400,400/36068_Jillian_Arbeiter_23.rev.1666382853.jpg 2x" data-max-w="400" data-max-h="400" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “So many changes occurred in my college career that were both for the better and unexpected. Having the courage to be open-minded and accept change or a track that I hadn’t planned out in my head took my experience to the next level.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2123-">Jillian Arbeiter</a> ’23</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><img src="/live/image/gid/12/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2133,2131/559_Rosemary_Ehle.jfif" alt="Rosemary Ehle 24" class="lw_image" width="183" height="183"/></div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “When I learned about the J-Term study tours here at Carthage, I knew it was something I could not pass up. The opportunities to travel during J-Term showed me that Carthage was where I was meant to be.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/503-">Rosemary Ehle</a> ’24</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,569,1242,1810/36411_4824_163701665847155.rev.1668994842.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,569,1242,1810/36411_4824_163701665847155.rev.1668994842.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,569,1242,1810/36411_4824_163701665847155.rev.1668994842.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,569,1242,1810/36411_4824_163701665847155.rev.1668994842.PNG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,569,1242,1810/36411_4824_163701665847155.rev.1668994842.PNG 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,569,1242,1810/36411_4824_163701665847155.rev.1668994842.PNG" alt="Nicole Vydra" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,569,1242,1810/36411_4824_163701665847155.rev.1668994842.PNG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/78/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,569,1242,1810/36411_4824_163701665847155.rev.1668994842.PNG 3x" data-max-w="1242" data-max-h="1241" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “The career options with marketing, management, and finance are endless. I have developed personally and professionally by enhancing my public speaking skills, business knowledge and vocabulary, and awareness of career opportunities in business. The business program develops well-rounded students, and the business itself is an extremely rewarding career.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2176-">Nicole Vydra</a> ’24</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,126,1536,1662/566_Maximilian_Kellerhals.rev.1638389810.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,126,1536,1662/566_Maximilian_Kellerhals.rev.1638389810.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,126,1536,1662/566_Maximilian_Kellerhals.rev.1638389810.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,126,1536,1662/566_Maximilian_Kellerhals.rev.1638389810.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,126,1536,1662/566_Maximilian_Kellerhals.rev.1638389810.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,126,1536,1662/566_Maximilian_Kellerhals.rev.1638389810.jpg" alt="Maximilian Kellerhals 23" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,126,1536,1662/566_Maximilian_Kellerhals.rev.1638389810.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/136/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,126,1536,1662/566_Maximilian_Kellerhals.rev.1638389810.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1536" data-max-h="1536" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “I chose Carthage because it’s a beautiful campus with welcoming people. I have had plenty of opportunities that will give me the ability to achieve whatever I want in life.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/517-maximilian-kellerhals">Maximilian Kellerhals</a> ’23</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>

Where Carthage Finance Majors Go

In the Class of 2020, 92.1 percent of Carthage finance graduates found employment, and another 5.3 percent enrolled in advanced degree programs. Recent alumni have worked for employers such as:

Abbott Laboratories
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty
Chicago Wealth Management
Merrill Edge
NICO Holdings
SC Johnson
Pfizer
BMO Harris Bank

National Futures Association
Council of Economic Advisers
Allstate
CME Group
First Eagle Investment Management
JPMorgan Chase
Salesforce

Finance Major Opportunities

Top Facilities

The A. W. Clausen Center for World Business is equipped with advanced technology to sharpen students’ presentation skills. Its centerpiece, the Troha Boardroom, has all the amenities of a corporate directors’ suite to give emerging professionals a sense of their future surroundings.

Learn more about the Clausen Center

Student Organizations

Carthage students pursuing a business major in finance can get involved in several student organizations dedicated to putting what’s learned in the classroom into practice. Join Velocity Consulting, the Carthage Accounting Association, Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA), the Financial/Investment Club, and more.

more about finance Student Organizations

Learn more about scholarships