The Department of Finance offers undergraduate studies in finance and real estate, and graduate coursework in finance, real estate, and business economics. Our skilled faculty are dedicated to creating financial and real estate leaders that help their companies create value.
Providing the Keys to Finance, Real Estate & Graduate Business Economics
Our experienced faculty and practical curriculum equip students with the industry knowledge, analytical skills and real-world experience they need to make a positive impact in the marketplace. Small class sizes ensure that students receive plenty of individual attention and support.
Learn more about our programs, coursework, resources and faculty. Have questions? Please contact us.
Finance plays a pivotal role in business decisions across all functional areas of business. Our undergraduate concentration and graduate coursework in finance give students a strong foundation. We teach the skills they need to excel in corporate finance, investments and portfolio management, financial institutions and banking, and global finance. Students receive supplementary training in the related areas of accounting, economics and information technology.
Real estate is a sophisticated field of study involving a diverse skill set that goes far beyond selling houses. In addition to strong communication skills, real estate professionals must know how to:
Analyze population demographics, employment data and shopping patterns
Estimate construction and materials costs
Interpret zoning and land use regulations
Understand commercial real estate investment and development
To create knowledgeable real estate professionals, we offer real estate programs and electives at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Graduates of the B.S. in real estate program are involved in challenging careers involving real estate investment, analyses, financing and development.
Business economics focuses on the internal structure of organizations and on the markets in which they operate. The business economics faculty provides the core economics courses for all St. Thomas business masters programs and electives in strategy, forecasting, the global economy and other advanced courses for students desiring more in-depth knowledge.
Courses in business economics are especially helpful for MBA students considering a career in consulting, and they can be excellent complements for students specializing in management, marketing, operations and finance.
We encourage students interested in finance and real estate to explore internship opportunities in the Twin Cities area. Nearly 90% of our students have least one internship during their undergraduate program.
Career Placement
The analytical skills and financial insight you gain from a finance major prepare you for a variety of careers. From financial planner to budget analyst and accountant, you can play a role in virtually any company in any industry. St. Thomas graduates with a finance major have a 98% job placement rate within four months of graduation at companies like U.S. Bank, Ecolab, Target, Ameriprise, Chartwell, and Craig-Hallum. Likewise, close to 100% of our real estate majors were employed within four months of graduation, at organizations such as Thrivent and the City of White Bear Lake.
Finance Program
Finance plays a pivotal role in business decisions across all functional areas of business. Our undergraduate concentration and graduate coursework in finance give students a strong foundation. We teach the skills they need to excel in corporate finance, investments and portfolio management, financial institutions and banking, and global finance. Students receive supplementary training in the related areas of accounting, economics and information technology.
Real estate is a sophisticated field of study involving a diverse skill set that goes far beyond selling houses. In addition to strong communication skills, real estate professionals must know how to:
Analyze population demographics, employment data and shopping patterns
Estimate construction and materials costs
Interpret zoning and land use regulations
Understand commercial real estate investment and development
To create knowledgeable real estate professionals, we offer real estate programs and electives at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Graduates of the B.S. in real estate program are involved in challenging careers involving real estate investment, analyses, financing and development.
Business economics focuses on the internal structure of organizations and on the markets in which they operate. The business economics faculty provides the core economics courses for all St. Thomas business masters programs and electives in strategy, forecasting, the global economy and other advanced courses for students desiring more in-depth knowledge.
Courses in business economics are especially helpful for MBA students considering a career in consulting, and they can be excellent complements for students specializing in management, marketing, operations and finance.
We encourage students interested in finance and real estate to explore internship opportunities in the Twin Cities area. Nearly 90% of our students have least one internship during their undergraduate program.
Career Placement
The analytical skills and financial insight you gain from a finance major prepare you for a variety of careers. From financial planner to budget analyst and accountant, you can play a role in virtually any company in any industry. St. Thomas graduates with a finance major have a 98% job placement rate within four months of graduation at companies like U.S. Bank, Ecolab, Target, Ameriprise, Chartwell, and Craig-Hallum. Likewise, close to 100% of our real estate majors were employed within four months of graduation, at organizations such as Thrivent and the City of White Bear Lake.
Featured Faculty
Kathryn Combs, PhD
Professor, Finance
Kathryn L. Combs, PhD, teaches graduate-level managerial economics and economics of strategy courses at the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business. Prior to her academic career, she was a manager at Pacific Northwest Bell in Seattle, Washington. She earned her BA in economics at Washington State University and her MA and PhD in economics at the University of Minnesota.
Baxamusa’s research is in empirical corporate finance and investments. He has published in a number of leading journals including the Journal of Banking and Finance and Financial Management. He has won a number of awards for his research, including the best paper award in behavioral finance in the annual meetings of the Midwest Finance Association.
Mufaddal Baxamusa's bio
Brian Reagan
Clinical Faculty, Finance
Brian Reagan is a clinical faculty member in the Department of Finance at the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business. Prior to his appointment, he was the director of the Center for Business Excellence and the assistant dean of the Opus College of Business. He came to St. Thomas after a long career as a business executive.
The Financial Management Association encourages the interaction of business executives, faculty and finance students. Develop your professional, educational and social skills as you prepare for a career in finance, banking or investments.
Investments Club
Learn about careers outside of corporate finance and within the capital and financial markets industry. The club hosts professionals from the investment community and leads educational activities such as managing your own sum of money using a real-time simulator.
Real Estate Society
Study local markets through club projects, field trips, guest speakers and meetings with industry professionals. Real Estate Society also assists with internship and job placement opportunities with various companies in the industry.
Experiential Learning: The Aristotle Fund
The Aristotle Fund is both a real-world, student-managed investment fund and a unique learning vehicle for University of St. Thomas students.
The course: Designed to replicate the work of an investment company, this class provides high-achieving MBA and undergraduate students with an exceptional hands-on experience managing an investment fund of over $6 million.
The fund: Made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Gerald Rauenhorst, this designated piece of the university’s endowment is actively managed by business students.
Every year, a new group of students from the Opus College of Business manages an ongoing portfolio of equity securities, incorporating new stocks and divesting others. Students are also required to deliver performance updates, a mid-year newsletter and an annual report. The fund is overseen by an independent Board of Advisors, composed of qualified investment professionals who also act as mentors to the student managers.
For questions regarding the Aristotle Fund program or application process, please contact:
The Aristotle Fund University of St. Thomas 1000 LaSalle, TMH 443 Minneapolis, MN 55402