Credit Guide for Finance

The detailed requirements to complete the finance major can be found on the program's website. Students who major in finance can declare a concentration in accounting or economics, but are not required to do so. Students may also choose to have a second major or a minor from a different department, but students who major in finance cannot major or minor in business or economics. Popular minors for finance majors include computer science, data science, international relations, legal studies, mathematics, psychology, and public policy.

This document is a resource that offers guidance about appropriate preparation for a successful transition to Lake Forest College for those students intending to major in finance. The first section describes the general requirements and framework for satisfying the major requirements in a timely manner. The second section specifically evaluates classes offered at several nearby community colleges and indicates which classes will count toward the department’s graduation requirements. Transfer advisors, Admissions, and the Registrar’s Office can use this guide to credit students for these classes and to acknowledge prerequisites for higher level classes being satisfied as indicated by the mapping. For courses not listed in the mapping, authorization by the Department Chair is required to count the class toward a major or minor requirement.

General Preparation for Transfer Students

Transfer students will need some prior preparation if they expect to graduate on time.  Ideally, students will have completed seven of the required courses for their major before the beginning of their junior year. Transfer students intending to major in finance, however, must have at least five of the required classes completed before the start of their junior year in order to graduate in two years. Students with this level of preparation should be able to complete the major and participate in an internship, if desired. Internships are highly recommended, but are not required and do not replace courses required to complete the major. 

Students transferring to Lake Forest College who intend to major in finance have usually taken at least five of the following classes: 

• Introduction to macroeconomics and introduction to microeconomics to satisfy ECON 110 Principles of Economics
• A statistics class to satisfy FIN 130 Applied Statistics
• A math class to satisfy Math 110 Calculus
• A financial accounting class to satisfy BUSN 230 Financial Accounting
• A financial management class to satisfy FIN 210 Financial Management
• A business ethics class to satisfy PHIL 203 Business Ethics

Community College Transfer Guide

College of DuPage County Transfer Guide

College of Lake County

Elgin Community College

Harper College

McHenry County College

Oakton College

Triton College