Financial Technology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in financial engineering

This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

The Bachelor of Science in Financial Technology offers tracks in actuarial science and financial engineering. The program provides quantitatively oriented students the opportunity to apply mathematical, statistical and programming tools to the financial, risk management and actuarial disciplines. Designed to meet the growing need for quantitative modeling and analysis in finance, risk management and actuarial science, the program is technical and interdisciplinary in nature. The curriculum emphasizes courses in finance, statistics and mathematics with supporting courses in related areas.

The financial engineering track offers opportunities in areas such as derivative instruments, securities, hedging, financial risk assessment/management, quantitative trading and arbitrage, and asset/liability management. Students who complete the financial engineering track may choose to continue their education by enrolling in master’s programs in financial engineering and mathematical finance, or by entering directly into doctoral-level study in finance and related areas.

Learning goals

To support career advancement over time by giving students the academic foundation in information systems and data analytics related to the financial industry
To help students develop the professional skills that will be needed by the businesses and organizations that hire graduates
To help students develop ethical awareness so that they are able to deal with an ethical dilemma in the workplace

Student learning outcomes

Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following.

Students will be able to identify and use relevant data to calculate appropriate quantitative measures that help in making informed financial decisions.
Students will be able to describe and expound on competing propositions in a structured, organized and deliberate manner with comparisons, anecdotal evidence and descriptive analysis.
Students will be able to express the analytic, quantitative and ethical dimensions of a business problem and proposed solutions in a clear, well-organized manner that is free of bias or distortions.

Special requirements

Students in the financial engineering concentration must attain a minimum grade of C in MATH 200, MATH 307 and STAT 309. A student receiving a grade below C may repeat the course one time to raise the grade to the required level. In addition, a minimum GPA of 2.5 must be maintained. Students who fall below a GPA of 2.5 will be placed on program probation and will be given one semester to return to the minimum GPA of 2.5. Students who do not return to the required minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 after two semesters will be dismissed from the financial technology major. Students who do not satisfactorily attain the minimum grade of C in one course after two attempts will be dismissed from the financial technology major. In concert with the academic adviser of the department, an appeal may be submitted to the chair of the department. A student must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 to graduate from the program. At least 30 hours of the required business courses for the Bachelor of Science must be taken at VCU.

Students admitted into this program must place into MATH 200 to continue in the program. No more than three credits in physical education courses may be applied to the degree. Many courses are offered irregularly, please work with an adviser for optimal course sequencing.

Credit for SPCH 121 or SPCH 321 will substitute for BUSN 225, and no more than three credits of these courses may be applied toward a business degree. Students who earned a minimum grade of B in either ECON 203 or ECON 205 at VCU may substitute that credit for ECON 210.

The pass/fail grading policy may not be used for many course requirements. Students should check with their academic adviser before taking the pass/fail grading option.

The School of Business has special academic policies, including policies on transfer credits, that apply to all undergraduate degrees. The pass/fail grading policy may not be used for courses that can satisfy major degree requirements.

Degree requirements for Financial Technology, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in financial engineering

Course	Title	Hours
General education
Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser.		30
Major requirements
• Major core requirements
CMSC 210	Computers and Programming	3
FIRE 309	Risk Management and Insurance	3
FIRE 312	Financial Modeling	3
FIRE 317	Investments	3
FIRE 321	Intermediate Financial Management	3
FIRE 417	Security Analysis and Portfolio Management	3
FIRE 451	Options, Futures and Swaps	3
FIRE 479	Enterprise Risk Management	3
INFO 320	Business Intelligence and Data Mining	3
MATH 201	Calculus with Analytic Geometry II	4
MATH 211	Mathematical Structures	3
MATH 307	Multivariate Calculus	4
STAT 309	Introduction to Probability Theory	3
• Concentration requirements
CMSC 330	Data Science Skills	3
ECON 501	Introduction to Econometrics	3
FIRE 441	Funds Management in Financial Institutions	3
FIRE 540	Financial Analytics	3
INFO 360	Business Information Systems	3
STAT 321	Introduction to Statistical Computing for Data Science	3
Concentration electives (choose two)		6
ACCT 303	Intermediate Accounting I
ACCT 304	Intermediate Accounting II
ACCT 306	Cost Accounting
ACCT 307	Accounting Systems
BUSN 301	Career and Professional Development
BUSN 323	Legal Environment of Business
ECON 307	Money and Banking
BUSN 400 & BUSN 401	Principles of Consulting and International Consulting Practicum (must get credit for both courses to count toward degree completion)
ECON 403	Introduction to Mathematical Economics
FIRE 305	Principles of Real Estate
FIRE 316	International Financial Management
FIRE 319	Financial Mathematics
FIRE 320	Actuarial Probability Concepts
FIRE 461	Cases in Financial Management
FIRE 491	Topics in Finance, Insurance and Real Estate
FIRE 493	Internship in Finance, Insurance and Real Estate
INFO 300	Information Technology Infrastructure
INFO 350	Intermediate Programming
MATH 310	Linear Algebra
MGMT 310	Managing People in Organizations
MGMT 434	Strategic Management
MKTG 301	Marketing Principles
SCMA 302	Business Statistics II
SCMA 320	Production/Operations Management
SCMA 339	Quantitative Solutions for Supply Chain Management
STAT 403	Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Ancillary requirements
• Ancillary core courses
ACCT 203 & ACCT 204	Introduction to Accounting I and Introduction to Accounting II	6
BUSN 225	Winning Presentations	3
ECON 210	Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives)	3
ECON 211	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
FIRE 311	Financial Management	3
• Additional ancillary requirements
MATH 200	Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (satisfies general education quantitative foundations)	4
STAT 212	Concepts of Statistics	3
or SCMA 301	Business Statistics I
Open electives
Select any course. ¹		9
Total Hours		123

Students may choose electives to reach the minimum total of 123 credits.

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 123.

What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.

Freshman year
Fall semester		Hours
ECON 210	Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives)	3
MATH 200	Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (satisfies general education quantitative foundations)	4
UNIV 111 Play course video for Focused Inquiry I	Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	16
Spring semester
ECON 211	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
MATH 201	Calculus with Analytic Geometry II	4
STAT 212	Concepts of Statistics	3
UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II	Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	16
Sophomore year
Fall semester
ACCT 203	Introduction to Accounting I	3
BUSN 225	Winning Presentations	3
MATH 211	Mathematical Structures	3
UNIV 200	Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
ACCT 204	Introduction to Accounting II	3
CMSC 210	Computers and Programming	3
FIRE 309	Risk Management and Insurance	3
MATH 307	Multivariate Calculus	4
STAT 309	Introduction to Probability Theory	3
	Term Hours:	16
Junior year
Fall semester
CMSC 330	Data Science Skills	3
FIRE 311	Financial Management	3
FIRE 479	Enterprise Risk Management	3
STAT 321	Introduction to Statistical Computing for Data Science	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
ECON 501	Introduction to Econometrics	3
FIRE 312	Financial Modeling	3
FIRE 317	Investments	3
INFO 360	Business Information Systems	3
Open elective		3
	Term Hours:	15
Senior year
Fall semester
FIRE 321	Intermediate Financial Management	3
FIRE 417	Security Analysis and Portfolio Management	3
FIRE 451	Options, Futures and Swaps	3
Concentration elective		3
Open elective		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
FIRE 441	Funds Management in Financial Institutions	3
FIRE 540	Financial Analytics	3
INFO 320	Business Intelligence and Data Mining	3
Concentration elective		3
Open elective		3
	Term Hours:	15
	Total Hours:	123

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 123.