Finance Learning Opportunities

You can test your business acumen in a variety of academic competitions offered each year. DECA Collegiate competition is open to all business majors, while finance students can participate in CFA Research Challenge or a Credit Case Analysis.

MSUM students generally compete very well and often advance to the regional or national levels of these competitions. Visit the Academic Competitions page.

You can get a Bloomberg Terminal Certification, which is an introduction to Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC). The 8-hour, self-paced e-learning course provides a visual introduction to the financial markets.

You can join a study group along with area professionals to prepare for the first level exam for CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst). Earning the CFA charter demonstrates you have the knowledge, skills and experience needed for investment analysis and management in today’s dynamic global markets.

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides you with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis.

You’ll have the opportunity to travel to China to enjoy a first-hand experience of the Chinese culture, business environment and financial system. The China Business Trip introduces you to opportunities for conducting business in China.

If you acquire a cooperative work experience, which is essentially a full-time internship typically secured through Career Services, you can work with the Paseka School of Business Internship Coordinator via pasekainternships@mnstate.edu, to sign up for internship credits and fulfill the Experiential Learning requirement.

Dragon Consulting connects teams of the very best students with regional businesses. Over the course of 16 weeks of collaboration, you will apply your energy and talent to help solve cross-functional issues. For more information on participation visit the Center for Innovative Business Solutions.

The Dragon Investment Fund started as an investment club with donations from students, faculty and other interested individuals. Participating in Dragon Invest Fund will elevate your qualifications by giving you real world investment experience. You’ll learn a variety of investment strategies and results through actual investing. For more information visit the Dragon Investment Fund page.

Executive Mentorship is a 1-credit course offered each semester for juniors and seniors. You will be matched with a community executive to explore career choices, participate in networking opportunities and receive advice about transitioning from college to professional work. For more information and how to apply, visit the Executive Mentorship page.

If you are interested in doing research with a faculty member in the Paseka School of Business, please contact him or her directly. Research and/or publication fulfills the Experiential Learning requirement.

Internships are job openings with employers that acknowledge the benefit of putting your classroom learning to work in a business setting. Most of these opportunities are emailed to students in the related major; some are posted in Career Services. Internships vary from 1 to 12 credits. Visit the Internships page.

The Risk Management Association “Credit Analysis Competition” is a challenging competition that teams from MSUM have won the last two years.

Service Learning may be something that you have already done as a community member. If you have a significant level (equivalent to the work you put into one of your courses) of participation in a service activity, see Jane Pettinger about this activity fulfilling your Experiential Learning requirement. Visit the Service Learning page.

If one of your classes involves solving a problem or creating programs or strategies for an organization in our regional business community, this work can fulfill your Experiential Learning requirement. Work with your instructor in the course to acknowledge your participation in the project.

This is MGMT 229 or ENTR 229 course and designed to provide you with hands-on experience and up-to-date information on how to start and set up your own business. It is co-taught by a team of experts and developed in cooperation with local business associations, the course will focus on the accounting, financial, legal, marketing and planning areas of setting up and running a start-up business. In this course you will learn:

• Entrepreneurship Mindset
  • problem-solution fit
  • customer visit
  • prototyping
• Preparing a Business Model
  • lean start-up canvas
• Legal
  • choosing the form of business organization
  • preparing and filing documents
  • regulatory considerations
  • intellectual property protections
  • basic contracts
  • insurance
• Accounting and Finance
  • basic accounting
  • income forecasting
  • grants and loans
  • business taxes
• Marketing and Strategy
  • definition of marketing
  • goods and services
  • marketing plan: strategy and tactic
  • customer experience management - B2B, B2C, C2C
• Online Marketing
  • basic online/digital marketing
  • social media marketing/platform
  • online marketing analytics
• Business and Personal Ethics

Each Spring semester, MSUM hosts a Student Academic Conference. We strongly encourage students to present research or other academic findings at this conference. Work with a faculty member in your area of study to advise and assist you for this conference. Visit the Student Academic Conference page.

The Paseka School of Business offers exchange opportunities for students who would like to study abroad. Whether you study abroad for a full semester or for a shorter trip, this will fulfill your experiential learning requirement.

• China Business Trip
  • The China Business Trip is a three-credit class that gives students the opportunity to observe the business practices of Chinese domestic firms and international firms conducting business in China. Students do not need to speak Chinese or be a business major to join this trip. In 2011, the trip also included travel to Mongolia.
    The one-month travel itinerary typically includes visits to Hong Kong, Chongqing, Guilin, Yangshou, Xi'an, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as excursions into small villages. Trip highlights include visits to the harbors and financial markets of Hong Kong and Shanghai, the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Terra Cotta Soldiers, among others. Students travel by plane, train, automobile, bus, boat and bicycle.
    Throughout the journey, students compare and contrast business in China with business in the United States. By experiencing the rural-urban dichotomy, the co-existence of communism and capitalism and the effects of the current economic boom, students gain an awareness of the effect that China’s culture, history and political ideology have played in shaping China's role in the global economy. While visiting educational institutions and companies involved in global business, students interact with fellow students, business people and politicians to discuss issues related to global interdependence and public policy. Attending cultural events and visiting historical sites will raise consciousness of China’s long history and its place in the global arena.
• Chongqing Technology and Business University
  • Chongqing Technology and Business University (CTBU) and MSU Moorhead have participated in an educational exchange program since 2007. This program, sponsored by the Paseka School of Business, allows students from CTBU to attend classes at MSU Moorhead, while MSUM students can attend classes at CTBU. Many courses at CTBU are taught in English, which is particularly helpful for students who are not fluent in Chinese.
    As part of the China Business Trip, which is a three-credit class that gives students the opportunity to observe differing business practices, students from MSU Moorhead spend two weeks on campus at CTBU, where they are enrolled in a cultural program with CTBU students and students from other countries. Visit Chongqing Technology and Business University for more information.
• University of Portsmouth, England
  • Students in business, international business, and the social sciences with at least junior standing are eligible to spend one semester or one year studying at the University of Portsmouth, on England's southern coast. A one-for-one exchange means that students pay MSU Moorhead tuition and fees while earning up to 32 credits studying abroad.
    As part of this exchange, students take part in extensive travel in a European country or countries of their choice. This program is ideal for students who are interested in experiencing new cultures, able to study independently and who possess strong writing and English language skills. University of Portsmouth Exchange is a relatively inexpensive and accessible way to visit some fascinating cities on the European continent.
    Qualified students can apply for financial aid and scholarships. The increased cost of the program, which includes airfare, local transportation, room and board and personal allowances, will be taken into consideration when determining needs.

For more information on any of these study abroad opportunities visit the MSUM Study Abroad office.