Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance

How long is this program?: 8 Semesters
Is this online, in-person or hybrid?: On-Ground, Online
Where will I take my classes?: Gainesville, Online
Which semesters can I start?: Fall, Spring
What type of degree will I get?: BBA

Learn how businesses manage money

How do you decide whether an investment is worth the risk? What keeps a business financially healthy? Brenau University’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance gives you the analytical skills to work through those questions and the practical knowledge to apply them across industries.

You’ll use financial data to evaluate investments, build portfolios, and understand business performance. You’ll also learn to explain your findings to people who need your expertise to make decisions. Small classes give you opportunities to work directly with professors as you develop your skills.

Program at a Glance

Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
Format: On-ground or online
Location: Gainesville or online
Start terms: Fall & spring
Length: 8 semesters

Why earn a finance degree?

Financial decisions affect every part of a business, from paying day-to-day expenses to funding its growth. Studying finance helps you understand those decisions and evaluate the information behind them.

Finance may be a good fit if you enjoy working with numbers, solving problems, and paying attention to details. You’ll develop knowledge you can use in banking, corporate finance and investment services, as well as in running your own business.

What you’ll learn

In Brenau’s Finance BBA, you’ll learn to:

Create, evaluate, and rebalance investment portfolios based on an investor’s goals and tolerance for risk
Analyze financial markets, institutions, and financial instruments
Use Excel, R, and SPSS to analyze financial and economic data
Explain financial findings to people with limited finance backgrounds
Evaluate business financial performance and solve capital budgeting problems
Assess financial risks and consider the legal and ethical implications of business decisions

Build a foundation in business and finance

The degree requires at least 120 credit hours, including a 42-hour business core and an 18-hour finance major. Foundation courses in writing, statistics, mathematics, and business communication prepare you for the work ahead. You are not required to complete a calculus course as part of your degree program.

Understand how businesses operate

Your business core includes financial and managerial accounting, microeconomics, macroeconomics, and business statistics. Courses in management, marketing, information systems, and business law help you understand how financial decisions affect the rest of an organization.

You’ll also study international business and value chain management, and complete a business capstone.

Develop your finance expertise

You’ll take BA 327 Managerial Finance before beginning the six courses in the finance major:

FI 401 Money, Banking and Financial Markets
FI 402 Econometrics
FI 403 Corporate Financial Policy
FI 405 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
FI 406 Financial Risk Management
FI 407 Treasury Management

This program emphasizes quantitative analysis and practical projects. In investment coursework, you’ll construct portfolios and compare their risk and return. Econometrics develops your use of statistics to examine economic and financial questions, while the program’s focus on treasury management connects your studies with how businesses manage cash and financial assets.

Built for different kinds of students

For students beginning college

If you’re interested in business and enjoy analytical work, finance offers a way to develop that interest into professional skills. You’ll study business fundamentals while exploring how financial markets and organizations operate.

For working adults and transfer students

On-campus and online options give you a choice in how you continue your education. Work with Admissions to understand how your previous coursework applies and what you need to complete your degree.

Why choose Brenau?

Explore financial questions through research

Professors offer guided undergraduate research on topics including blockchain and financial technology. These projects allow students to connect their coursework with questions about changes in the field.

Work directly with your professors

Small classes give you opportunities to ask questions, review your analysis, and work through difficult concepts with faculty.

Practice the work behind financial decisions

Your classes will prioritize projects that connect coursework with financial tasks, including investment analysis and cash management. You’ll practice evaluating financial choices and explaining the reasoning behind your recommendations.

Meet your lead faculty

Dr. Fassil Fanta

Dr. Fassil Fanta joined Brenau University as a professor of economics in 2015. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2010. Dr. Fanta has taught a variety of economics and finance courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Dr. Fanta is a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for the upcoming 2026-27 academic year and is thrilled to be teaching economics and finance in his home country of Ethiopia.

Learn more about Fassil Fanta

Admissions Requirements

Freshman Admissions Requirements (Online & On-Ground)

Successful completion of high school curriculum at a regionally accredited school
Minimum 2.5 GPA in core classes (math, science, social studies, foreign language, literature) — not cumulative
Brenau does not require SAT or ACT scores to make an admissions decision.
All home schooled applicants will be asked to complete an interview.

Transfer Admissions Requirements (Online & On-Ground)

Be in good standing with your current or former institutions
Have a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA

Estimated Cost and Tuition

The BBA in Finance is offered in both on-ground and online formats. Your estimated cost depends on how you attend and where you live while enrolled. The table below outlines estimated 2025–2026 tuition and total cost of attendance. Financial aid may reduce your actual out-of-pocket cost.

Estimated Annual Program Costs Before Financial Aid
Program format	Estimated annual tuition before financial aid	Estimated annual total cost before financial aid
On-Ground (On campus)	$33,044	$53,156
On-Ground (Commuter)	$33,044	$45,353–$57,601
Online	$19,080	$28,011–$39,223

On-ground estimates are based on full-time enrollment of 12–18 credits across the fall and spring semesters. Online tuition is based on $795 per credit hour for 12 credits across the fall and spring semesters. Actual cost may vary depending on housing, transportation, books, fees, transfer credit, and financial aid. Use Brenau’s Net Price Calculator for a more personalized estimate.