Southwestern University Launches Finance Degree within Department of Economics and Business
Grounded in Southwestern’s liberal arts environment, the University’s newest major is designed to emphasize analytical reasoning, ethical judgement, quantitative analysis, and real-world application.
Beginning this fall, current and incoming Southwestern University students will be able to pursue a degree in finance. Driven by clear and sustained student interest in finance-related coursework and career pathways, Southwestern’s Department of Economics and Business is expanding to offer a bachelor of arts (B.A.) in finance, further preparing students for careers in banking, financial planning, investments, corporate finance, and other related fields.
“This program marks an exciting step forward for our department and our students,” Associate Professor of Business Gabriela Flores said. “A B.A. in finance from Southwestern offers the distinct advantage of rigorous finance training within a liberal arts environment. Not only do our graduates develop strong analytical skills, but they do so while engaging with coursework from across the University. This broader intellectual foundation produces financial professionals prepared to thrive and lead in today’s complex and rapidly evolving financial landscape.”
The new finance major will equip students with a strong foundation in financial analysis, financial markets and institutions, investments, and corporate finance, with an emphasis on quantitative reasoning and data-driven decision making. Grounded in Southwestern’s liberal arts environment, coursework is designed to emphasize analytical reasoning, ethical judgement, quantitative analysis, and real-world application.
The program will not only train students in financial modeling and valuation, but also include coursework in areas such as psychology, sociology, political science, and philosophy. As demonstrated in the real world, investment decisions are often influenced by demographic shifts, regulatory environments, behavioral biases, cultural trends, and emerging technologies. Southwestern’s liberal arts context will equip students to interpret those forces more holistically, preparing them to execute financial analysis and make judgment calls in complex, human-centered markets.
While the major is new, the coursework is not. Each class included in the finance program is already taught by Southwestern’s world-class business and economics professors as part of the current curriculum. The addition of a finance major is designed to complement the existing B.A. in economics and B.A. in business programs by providing a distinct but aligned pathway for students with a specific interest in finance.
Finance students at Southwestern will have the opportunity to participate in the University’s Financial Analyst Program (FAP). Launched in 1999, the FAP helps students gain valuable experience in creating and maintaining a stock portfolio while developing financial analysis skills rooted in real-world situations. The FAP consists of student portfolio analysts who invest $3 million from a designated Student Investment Fund, which is part of the University’s endowment fund, into the stock market. Students analyze real companies and markets, and build and present investment strategies, all in real time.
Additionally, graduates of the finance program will have the opportunity to take advantage of Southwestern’s strategic geographic location in Central Texas. The greater Austin metropolitan area has developed into a dynamic economic hub, with strong demand for graduates skilled in financial analysis, investment evaluation, and data-driven decision making.
The presence of major corporations, financial service firms, regional banks, and rapidly growing technology companies in the area creates consistent demand for finance professionals. Employers increasingly seek graduates who possess both technical financial knowledge and strong communication, ethical reasoning, and analytical skills, all capacities aligned with Southwestern’s liberal arts foundation.
Southwestern University published this content on March 31, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 01, 2026 at 21:55 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]
