Finance is a term that broadly describes the study and system of money, investments, and other financial instruments. It is concerned with the art and science of managing money, including how business firms raise, spend, and invest money, and how individuals divide their limited financial resources to achieve personal and family goals. Finance can be divided broadly into three distinct categories: public finance, corporate finance, and personal finance. Other subcategories of finance include social finance and behavioral finance.
Activities involved in finance include investing, borrowing, lending, budgeting, saving, and forecasting. In a financial system, assets are bought, sold, or traded as financial instruments, such as currencies, loans, bonds, shares, stocks, options, futures, etc. . Assets can also be banked, invested, and insured to maximize value and minimize loss. However, risks are always present in any financial action and entities.
A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Finance is ideal for students who are interested in running a business, reviewing financial statements, preparing budgets, analyzing securities, investing money, advising clients on their personal financial matters, and planning for cash flows in an uncertain future. There are many different career paths and jobs that perform a wide range of finance activities.
