What can you do with a major in finance?

All the major aspects of our daily lives including our food, clothes, and homes are determined by our financial status. Comprehensive knowledge of different financial aspects like stock markets, securities, investment ventures, and bonds is essential in today’s world to make smart financial decisions or achieve early retirement. Pursuing a finance education can also be beneficial for your career if you want to work in the business domain.

Read ahead to understand what can be expected from a finance degree and the career aspects of pursuing this degree.

What does a degree in finance involve?

Since finance is a diverse domain, there are numerous degrees and qualifications such as bachelor’s and masters’ courses catering to the different disciplines within this broad subject. However, a choice of MA in finance and investments can provide you with the required analytical skills needed to assess the financial standing of a business organization. They can also assess the qualitative and quantitative aspects of business problems and suggest remedial measures to resolve them.

What are the career prospects of pursuing a finance degree?

Here are some fascinating career options that can allow you to explore a successful career in the financial domain.

• Budget Analysts: Budget analysts are in charge of calculating and evaluating the financial impact of business ventures on the company’s finances and budgets. They analyze different projects and proposals and verify their feasibility in terms of the cost-to-return ratio and the amount of initial investment required. The role requires direct or indirect communication with external stake-holders—hence, you might want to polish your communication skills for this job.
• Financial Accountants: Financial accountants are responsible for constructing, critiquing, and interpreting financial statements of a business organization. While the role is primarily number-based, it also requires a comprehensive knowledge of business finance. As a financial accountant, you can be responsible for presenting the company’s financial data to the investors and trustees in the form of graphs, reports, and financial log sheets.
• Financial Planners: Financial planners work with financial institutions or independently to help their clients manage their finances efficiently and make intelligent investments. They are responsible for monitoring the market conditions and deciphering the latest trends in securities to enhance their clients’ knowledge. They are also in charge of devising suitable investment portfolios for individual investors and venture capitalists.
• Credit Analysts: Credit analysts mostly work with banks and private lending institutions to evaluate the financial standing of prospective applicants and assess the risks involved in sanctioning those loans. They are also responsible for appraising the financial viability of different loan projects and collate financial records and data of the bank customers. They also scrutinize the financial information provided by the applicants to test their authenticity.
• Investor Relations Associates: Investor relations professionals help in preparing and presenting the financial information of their company in an appropriate manner to external stakeholders such as media houses, corporate clients, or investors. Since the role has a marketing side to it, it requires a strong background in written and verbal communication skills.

Apart from these interesting options, an academic background in finance can make you eligible for a broad range of careers in the industry of your choice. Enroll in a finance course today for a bright career in any domain.