The College of Business: Finance
Finance is defined as the art and science of managing money through decisions that add value to corporations and individuals. For a business enterprise, the finance function has evolved from simply raising capital when needed to making decisions affecting the management of the firm’s assets, liabilities, and cash flow.
Finance also includes investment management for individuals and institutions, as well as the management of financial institutions such as banks and insurance companies. Since virtually all business decisions have a financial dimension, an understanding of the financial implications of a decision is crucial for effective management.
For more information about the Finance program, contact Professor Elizabeth Yobaccio, Department Chair, at byobacci@bryant.edu.
Concentration in Finance
The goal of the finance concentration is to develop the analytical and managerial capabilities necessary for making sound financial decisions, either as a manager of an enterprise or as an individual managing his/her resources or the resources of others. The curriculum emphasizes sound fundamentals and state-of-the-art financial management techniques.
Finance students are required to take courses in the areas of corporate financial management, investments and capital markets, and financial institutions. These courses integrate economics, accounting, computer software applications, mathematics, and statistics. This integration helps students develop a framework to devise solutions for financial problems and create value.
Students may select elective courses dealing with short- and long-term corporate financial management, securities analysis and investment management, real estate and insurance, and management of financial institutions. The globalization of business activities and availability of capital from sources around the world are a major focus in all advanced finance courses.
Download a .pdf of the curriculum requirements
Minor in Finance
The finance minor gives students the opportunity to develop the analytical and managerial tools needed for making sound financial decisions. Students can specialize in a particular area of finance (e.g. corporate financial management, investments, financial services, the management of financial institutions), or develop a general finance minor.
Course selection should be made under the guidance of the Finance faculty.
Faculty
The Finance and Financial Services faculty utilize the rich technological resources on campus – including the Financial Markets Center – to help students put theory to practice.
N. Asli Ascioglu, Associate Professor
Ph.D., Finance, University of Memphis
M.S., Finance, Texas Tech University
B.S., Management, Middle East Technical University, Turkey
Academic Interests: Market microstructure; corporate finance; international markets
Murat Aydogdu, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Finance, University of Iowa
M.B.A., University of Massachusetts at Boston
B.S.,Computer Science, Hacattepe University, Turkey
Academic interests: Market microstructure; market efficiency; corporate finance
David C. Ketcham, Associate Professor
Ph.D., Business Administration, Pennsylvania State University
B.S., Business Administration, University of Vermont
Academic Interests: Mutual fund performance; capital market theory; corporate finance theory; dividend policy; financial modeling, educational issues in finance
Hsi-Cheng Li, Professor
Ph.D., Economics, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
M.A., Economics, Clark University
B.A., Economics, Tunghai University, China
Academic Interests: Financial institutions, time-series analysis, international economics and finance
David A. Louton, Professor and Financial Market Center Coordinator
Ph.D., Finance, Michigan State University
M.B.A., Finance, Michigan State University
B.S., Natural Science, Michigan State University
Academic Interests: Stock indices; portfolio construction; mutual funds; investor behavior; educational issues in finance
Joseph E. McCarthy, Professor
D.B.A., Finance, University of Colorado
M.B.A., Finance, University of Oregon
B.S., Economics, State University of New York at Albany
Academic Interests: Bond rating; statistical analysis of stock returns; currency futures; chaos; fractal markets
Peter Nigro, Associate Professor and Sarkisian Chair in Financial Services
Ph.D., Economics, Boston College
M.S., Economics, University of Southern California
B.A., Economics, College of the Holy Cross
Academic Interests: Commercial banking; small firm finance; credit scoring/credit risk modeling; mortgage finance; fair lending; mutual funds
Andres Ramirez, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., International Finance, University of South Carolina
MBA, University of Texas Pan-American
B.B., Ingenieria Comercial, Universidad Austral de Chile
Academic Interests: International corporate finance, international investments, international corporate governance, financial developments in Latin America
Hakan Saraoglu, Associate Professor, Financial Services Program Coordinator
Ph.D., Financial Management, Michigan State University
M.B.A., Finance, Bogazici University, Turkey
B.S., Industrial Engineering, Bogazici University, Turkey
Academic Interests: Mutual funds; earnings forecasts and market response; international financial markets and institutions; portfolio management
W. Dayle Nattress, Executive in Residence
Ph.D., Economics, University of Utah
B.S., Philosophy, University of Utah
Academic Interests: Corporate finance; risk management; international financial markets and institutions; valuation of privately-held companies
Elizabeth J. Yobaccio, Professor and Chair, International Business Coordinator
D.B.A., Finance, Boston University
M.B.A., Boston University
B.S., Finance and Economics, Bentley College
Academic Interests: Multinational corporate finance; risk measurement and management; cross-functional integration, educational issues in finance
