“Finance is not merely about making money. It's about achieving our deep goals and protecting the fruits of our labor. It's about stewardship and, therefore, about achieving the good society.” –Robert Shiller, (Finance and the Good Society, 2012)

Why study Finance at Sewanee?

Finance majors at Sewanee develop the knowledge and skills necessary to examine how individuals, businesses, and governments make financial decisions. The major is rooted in a robust foundation in economics, the discipline from which finance emerged. Students complete core courses in economics, corporate finance, investments, security analysis, and ethics, while also expanding their knowledge in electives in real estate finance, international finance, energy economics, game theory, and financial derivatives. Students develop critical-thinking skills and have hands-on opportunities to examine real-world financial data. Students completing this major will be well prepared for the Level I Chartered Financial Analyst exam or for graduate work in finance, economics, public policy, business, and law.

CFA Prep

Three letters that flex in the world of finance.

“CFA” is an invaluable three-letter designation in the world of finance. Rivaling the MBA, the Chartered Financial Analyst distinction earmarks up-and-coming professionals, making them top contenders in the job market. Candidates study 300-plus hours for the series of three exams, and with a pass rate hovering around only 40 percent, the CFA designation signifies real dedication.

“We want prospective finance majors to know that our program at Sewanee is thorough,” says Serkan Karadas, who is an assistant professor of economics with a specialty in financial economics. “Our coursework will prepare them for this exam and send a strong signal to employers that they are committed and capable.”

Several Sewanee graduates from the Class of 2019 passed the Level I exam while they were still enrolled in classes. This is a prodigious accomplishment, and one that the department heralds as a product of the program’s rigor.

“After doing some research and talking with professionals in the field about it, I learned how beneficial it is to have the CFA designation tied to your name,” says Lucas DeSantis, C’19. He passed Level I while still pursuing his undergraduate degree. “I am convinced that if I didn't take Level I, and wasn't able to put it on my resume, I would not have gotten the job I have now, nor would I have gotten the number of interviews I did.”

The CFA Charter—even simply having Level I prior to graduation—is like having your name underlined and highlighted. Employers gravitate to these type of resumes, and Sewanee’s finance course material lays the groundwork for this workplace preparedness. 

“The CFA is thought to be the most highly respected and recognized designation throughout the investing industry,” says Robert Zolper, C’19, who is now working with JPMorgan. “Although taking and passing Level I is only the first step in a lengthy process, I highly recommend any Sewanee student interested in finance or investing to register for this exam. And Sewanee enabled me to learn the exam material much more quickly than I would have otherwise been able to.”

Serkan Karadas
Assistant Professor of Economics

A Sampling of Courses

Investments
Economics

This course examines investment theory and financial assets. Topics include equity trading strategies, equity valuation, portfolio theory, asset pricing models, performance evaluation, and valuation of fixed income instruments.

ECON 361
Financial Derivatives
Finance

This course introduces students to derivatives contracts, and the use of these contracts in risk management. Topics include options, futures, forward contracts, swaps and credit default swaps and how to use these tools to construct trading strategies and manage risk.

FINC 302
International Finance
Economics

This courses studies financial aspects of growth, income and price level determination in open economies. Topics include the balance of payments, exchange rate determination, international payment adjustment mechanisms, capital flows, and international macroeconomic policy.

ECON 344
Real Estate Finance
FINC 310

This course examines theory, concepts, and tools for analyzing investment decisions in real estate. Topics include mortgage analysis, and valuation, financing, and taxation of real estate investments.

FINC 310
Game Theory
Economics

An introduction to the field of game theory—that is, study of strategic interactions in which participants take into account both the realized and anticipated behavior of other participants in determining their own behavior. Applications are drawn from the labor market, oligopoly, global politics, and everyday life.

ECON 341
View All

Finance

Programs of Study & Related Programs

Requirements for the Major in Finance

Recommended Plans of Study for Finance Majors | Link

Requirements for the Major and the Minor in Economics | Website

Requirements for the Minor in Business | Website

Meet some professors

Katherine C. Theyson
kctheyso@sewanee.edu

Katherine C. Theyson is an associate professor of economics, with a focus on the fields of international trade, development and environmental economics. The courses Dr. Theyson teaches include International Trade, International Finance, Health and Development and Econometrics. She is currently pursuing research on factors affecting the enforcement of U.S. environmental regulations.

Chair and Associate Professor of Economics
Marc St-Pierre
mastpier@sewanee.edu

Marc St-Pierre holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics and a M.Sc. in Economics from the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada in addition to a Ph.D in Economics from Brown University. He specializes in economic theory with a broad interest in decision/game theory and equilibrium theory.

St-Pierre’s path to Sewanee started in Canada where he grew up with a broad interest in sciences. After receiving a B.Sc. in Mathematics from the Université de Sherbrooke in 1998, he was attracted to Economics and eventually received a M.Sc. in that field from the same institution. St-Pierre then went on to pursue his newly discovered interest by obtaining a Ph.D. in Economics from Brown University in 2007. Meanwhile, he joined Sewanee in 2006. Although his current focus lies in the area of Mathematical Economics, St-Pierre has worked and has published on topics such as University-Industry research partnerships, Inequality in human capital and general equilibrium theory. Since at Sewanee, he has also been active in promoting and engaging students in collaborative research projects on a wide variety of topics including inequality of opportunity in access to education and university rankings, among others . St-Pierre’s teaching interests are equally diverse for he has taught a wide range of courses such as Introduction to Economics, Microeconomics, Game Theory, Econometrics and Growth Theory.

Associate Professor of Economics
Husnain Fateh Ahmad
hfahmad@sewanee.edu

Husnain Fateh Ahmad holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Economics from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in Pakistan. He undertook his master’s coursework and training at the University of Arizona, before transferring and completing his PhD at the University of Iowa in 2014. An applied microeconomist, he specialises in behavioural economics, game theory and industrial organisation.

His research interests are varied but broadly fall under the umbrella of behavioural microeconomic theory. As part of his dissertation, he applied behavioural game theory to study the phenomenon of over bidding in first and second price auctions, and also modelled self-serving bias in double auctions. After completing his PhD, he returned to his alma mater in Pakistan, and expanded his interests to include more policy relevant questions. In addition to his research in applied theory, he is currently conducting exploratory work in the areas of health economics and the interaction of identity and social preferences on economic behaviour.

Assistant Professor of Economics
View All

Contact

Katherine C. Theyson
Chair and Associate Professor of Economics and Finance 

kctheyso@sewanee.edu

Carnegie Hall 115, Ext. 1146

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