Student ID:__________________________ Student Name:_______________________ Adviser Name:_______________________ Catalog: 2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog Program: Banking Major, B.S. Minimum Credits Required:__________________

Banking Major, B.S.

Department of Finance 

College of Business 

  Available Program Format(s): Online, In-Person, Hybrid 

About the Program


The Banking Degree is a Bachelor of Science Program within the College of Business. Banking majors may either pursue a concentration in Compliance or Financial Analysis or complete the major without a concentration by choosing from a set of courses in consultation with an advisor. Students may add an optional International Business Concentration.  

Student Outcomes


Students will receive a broad education in banking and finance, the banking industry, and related regulatory institutions. Our curriculum is driven with purpose to make you a well-rounded, objective, and analytical banking authority with the managerial skills that can help you achieve a long and lucrative career.

All students earning the B.S. in Banking program will meet the Banking program learning outcomes. All Banking majors meet:

LG 1: Financial and Banking Knowledge and Competence - Demonstrate proficiency in knowledge of 

  • Objective 1.1 - Financial Markets and Institutions  
  • Objective 1.2 - Monetary Policy and Central Banking 
  • Objective 1.3 - Privacy and Data Security 
  • Objective 1.4 - Bank Types and Regulation 

In addition, the second objective for Banking majors is track dependent:

For students in the Credit Analysis track 

LG 2: Ability to use data to make banking decisions regarding:

  • Objective 2.1 Creditworthiness  
  • Objective 2.2 Risk of an investment 
  • Objective 2.3 Correlation of risk between current holdings and proposed investments 

For students in the Compliance track 

LG 2: Ability to use data to apply the tools of compliance in a banking sector by: 

  • Objective 2.1 Applying regulatory requirements to banking practice 
  • Objective 2.2 Culture of compliance and the lines of defense in compliance 
  • Objective 2.3 Being able to contribute to audits, investigations, and report drafting 
  • Objective 2.4 Proposing and evaluating policies to protect firms 

 

The College of Business B.S. programs, including Banking, share a common set of four cross-disciplinary core competencies, knowledge, and skills. 

Competency 1: Communication - Business students will be able to:

  • 1.1 - Communicate effectively through writing.
  • 1.2 - Communicate effectively through speaking.

Competency 2: Business Solutions - Business students will be able to analyze a business situation and recommend effective solutions utilizing:

  • 2.1 - appropriate technological frameworks.
  • 2.2 - appropriate ethical frameworks.
  • 2.3 - appropriate global frameworks.

Competency 3: Technological Agility - Business students will be able to: 

  • 3.1 - understand the impact of current technology on the business environment. 

Competency 4: Core Knowledge - Business students will demonstrate competence in required business topics, including accounting, computer information systems, data analytics, economics, ethics, finance, marketing, management, and business law.

General Degree Requirements

To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the four areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements. 

  • Degree and Certificate Requirements 
  • General Studies Requirements 
  • Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Graduation Requirement 
  • Senior Experience Graduation Requirements 

Program Requirements

  • A total of 120 semester hours are required for graduation.
  • To earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking, a student must successfully complete 30 or more credit hours of business coursework at MSU Denver. This 30-hour residency requirement can be met by completing any business courses with the prefix ACC, ACCM, BNK, CIS, ECO, FIN, MGT, MKT, or REL and a course number of at least 2000. A student must complete at least twelve (12) upper-division semester hours in BNK or BNK electives at MSU Denver.
  • In order to graduate, students must maintain a 2.0 average inside the Business Core.
  • In order to graduate, a grade of “C” or better is required for each major course to count toward the bachelor’s degree. Students should note that programs differ in the minimum grade required.
  • In order to graduate, a grade of “C-” or better is required in MGT 4950.

General Studies Requirements: 33 credits

Students should consult the General Studies Requirements for a list of courses that fulfill the General Studies Requirements for degree completion.

  • Written Communication (6 credits)
  • Oral Communication (3 credits)
    • Recommended:  COMM 1010 - Presentational Speaking or COMM 1100 - Fundamentals of Oral Communication (one of these courses is required in the College of Business Additional Requirements for Business students completing any Bachelor of Science major.)
  • Quantitative Literacy (3 credits) 
    • Recommended:  MTH 1110 - College Algebra for Calculus or  MTH 1310 - Finite Mathematics for the Management and Social Sciences (one of these courses is required in the College of Business Additional Requirements for Business students completing any Bachelor of Science major).
  • Arts and Humanities (6 credits) 
  • Historical (3 credits) 
  • Natural and Physical Sciences (6 credits) 
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 credits)
    • Recommended:  ECO 2010 - Principles of Macroeconomics (required in the Business Core for Business students completing any Bachelor of Science major)
    • Recommended:  ECO 2020 - Principles of Microeconomics (required in the Business Core for Business students completing any Bachelor of Science major)
  • Global Diversity (0 or 3 credits**)

 

** Students will fulfill the global diversity requirement by taking an approved course within one of the following categories: arts and humanities; historical; natural and physical sciences; or social and behavioral sciences.

Ethnic Studies and Social Justice Requirement: 0 or 3 credits

  • Students should consult the Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Graduation Requirement for a list of courses that fulfill the ESSJ Requirement for degree completion. 
  • Many programs include courses that meet this requirement. Students should consult with their advisor to determine what program courses may fulfill this requirement.

College of Business Additional Requirements: 7 credits

Course NameCredits:Term TakenGradeGen Ed
COMM 1010 - Presentational Speaking Credits: 3

or

COMM 1100 - Fundamentals of Oral Communication Credits: 3

 

MTH 1110 - College Algebra for Calculus Credits: 4

or

MTH 1310 - Finite Mathematics for the Management and Social Sciences Credits: 4

Business Core: 45 credits

All business majors require foundation course work in all significant areas of business theory and practice. The following courses are required for all students with a BS in a business discipline. Students must maintain a 2.0 average inside the Business Core.

Course NameCredits:Term TakenGradeGen Ed
ACC 2010 - Principles of Accounting I Credits: 3
ACC 2020 - Principles of Accounting II Credits: 3
BUS 1850 - Introduction to Business * Credits: 3
BUS 1950 - Business Communication Credits: 3

 

BUS 3040 - Global Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Credits: 3

or

ACC 4440 - Accounting Ethics and Professionalism Credits: 3

or

Enrollment in the MPAcc 3+2 Program

 

CIS 2010 - Foundations of Information Systems Credits: 3
CIS 2320 - Descriptive and Predictive Analytics Credits: 3
CIS 3320 - Prescriptive Analytics Credits: 3
ECO 2010 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credits: 3
ECO 2020 - Principles of Microeconomics Credits: 3
FIN 3300 - Managerial Finance Credits: 3
MKT 3000 - Principles of Marketing Credits: 3
MGT 2210 - Legal Environment of Business I Credits: 3
MGT 3000 - Organizational Management Credits: 3
MGT 4950 - Strategic Management ** Credits: 3

 

* Transfer students that transfer in 6 or more credits of business courses will not need to take BUS 1850 but may take any other College of Business 3-credit hour course that does not appear in their Major or Business Core requirements.

** “C-” or better must be earned in MGT 4950.

Banking Major Required Courses: 18 credits

Banking majors must complete the Banking core and a concentration. Banking majors may either pursue a concentration in Compliance or Financial Analysis or complete the major without a concentration by choosing from a set of courses in consultation with an advisor. A minimum grade of “C” is required for courses in the major.

Course NameCredits:Term TakenGradeGen Ed
BNK 2700 - Introduction to Banking Credits: 3
BNK 3600 - Management of Banking Operations Credits: 3
BNK 4600 - Risk Analysis for Financial Services Organizations Credits: 3
ECO 3100 - Money and Banking Credits: 3
FIN 3010 - Financial Markets and Institutions Credits: 3
MKT 3250 - Professional Selling Credits: 3

Concentration Options (select one): 12 credits

A minimum grade of “C” is required for concentration courses.

Compliance Concentration: 12 credits

A minimum grade of “C” is required for concentration courses.

Course NameCredits:Term TakenGradeGen Ed
BNK 3800 - Culture and Practice of Compliance Credits: 3
BNK 3900 - Regulatory Environment of Banking Credits: 3
BNK 4750 - Case Studies in Compliance Credits: 3
CIS 2500 - Security Essentials Credits: 3

Financial Analysis Concentration: 12 credits

A minimum grade of “C” is required for concentration courses.

Course NameCredits:Term TakenGradeGen Ed
FIN 3600 - Investments Credits: 3
FIN 3850 - Intermediate Finance Credits: 3
FIN 4200 - Financial Modeling with Spreadsheets Credits: 3
FIN 4600 - Security Analysis and Portfolio Management Credits: 3

Banking Major No Concentration: 12 credits

A minimum grade of “C” is required. Choose 12 credits from the following courses in consultation with an advisor:

Course NameCredits:Term TakenGradeGen Ed
ACC 3300 - Accounting Information Systems Credits: 3
ACC 3510 - Intermediate Accounting I Credits: 3
BNK 3800 - Culture and Practice of Compliance Credits: 3
BNK 3900 - Regulatory Environment of Banking Credits: 3
BNK 4750 - Case Studies in Compliance Credits: 3
CIS 2500 - Security Essentials Credits: 3
ECO 3500 - Managerial Economics Credits: 3
FIN 3600 - Investments Credits: 3
FIN 3850 - Intermediate Finance Credits: 3
FIN 4200 - Financial Modeling with Spreadsheets Credits: 3
MGT 3530 - Human Resources Management Credits: 3
MGT 3550 - Operations Management Credits: 3
MGT 4530 - Organizational Behavior Credits: 3
MGT 4830 - Workforce Diversity Credits: 3
MKT 3300 - Marketing of Services Credits: 3
MKT 3310 - Consumer Behavior Credits: 3

Senior Experience: 3 credits

Course NameCredits:Term TakenGradeGen Ed
MGT 4950 - Strategic Management (this course is also required and counted in the Business Core) Credits: 3

Summary of Requirements

General Studies Requirements 33 credits
ESSJ Requirement 0-3 credits
College of Business Additional Requirements 7 credits
Business Core 45 credits
Major Requirements 18 credits
Concentration Selection 12 credits
Senior Experience (counted in business core)
Unrestricted Electives 2-17 credits
Total for the Banking Major, B.S. 120 credits

Required courses for the major may also count for General Studies and ESSJ requirements, so the total credits listed may be greater than the number required to complete the degree. Therefore, it is important that you work with your advisor to make sure you are meeting requirements for your degree.

Notes: