Welcome from the Chair
Welcome to the Department of Economics, Finance, and Real Estate!
I invite you to explore our website or to stop by our offices to discuss the opportunities
within our department. Our bachelors’ program is designed to prepare students for
careers in analytical and managerial positions in banking, industry and government.
It is an exciting time to major in our department! Our faculty understand the importance
of excellence in the classroom, excellence in research, and the benefits of professional
guidance and connections.
Our major has three concentrations: economics, finance, and real estate. Economics is chiefly concerned with how individuals, firms, governments and nations make choices
on the production, allocation, and consumption of scarce resources. Finance, a specialized area of economics, comprises three main areas: financial management,
investments, and financial institutions. Financial management, also known as corporate
finance, deals with business decisions made within the firm. Investments focuses on
the behavior of financial markets and securities pricing, and financial institutions
deals with banks and other specialized firms which bring together the suppliers and
users of funds. Students can direct their focus to one of these areas based on the
finance electives chosen. Studying Real Estate exposes you to a wide-ranging skillset and prepares you for numerous career opportunities
such as brokerage, leasing, development, appraisal, assessment, mortgage lending,
property management, and construction.
Regardless of the concentration you choose, student clubs and the Jaguar Investment Fund (JIF) welcome you. Our student chapter of the Financial Management Association (FMA) has consistently earned Superior Chapter Award from FMA International. This
highly coveted designation is awarded to less than five percent of FMA chapters. Guest
speakers, field trips to local businesses, and the FMA Leaders’ Conference in New
York City or Chicago are highlights of our activities. In this club you may find
an internship before graduation (through guest speakers), network with other finance
students from across the nation, or have the chance to tour the New York Stock Exchange
or Chicago Board of Trade. In addition, you may be able to participate in the JIF,
a student managed investment fund, which is a unique opportunity for select students
to gain real money management experience. In this fund, students will serve in a
role as a financial analyst along with one other position such as economist, political
analyst, accountant, or risk analyst. In our investments course, students will also
get certified on Bloomberg Terminals, a necessity to work on Wall Street. Talk about
experiential learning–this is it!
For those students with an interest in economics, The Economics Society of South Alabama student club is for you. This club meets regularly during the fall and spring with
guest speakers, discussions, movies, etc. Real estate concentration students are
eligible to participate in Jaguar Realty, the nation’s first University-approved real estate company for real estate students.
By participating, students can satisfy their internship requirement, receive scholarship
assistance toward their internship course tuition, and have the unique opportunity
to work as an active real estate agent with some of the area’s top real estate brokerage
companies, and hopefully, close deals and earn commissions. Highly qualified students
will also be eligible for nomination to Alpha Sigma Gamma, the world’s premier international real estate honor society. Finally, all students
may complete the Alabama Real Estate Commission pre-license education required to
take the Alabama Real Estate Salesperson License Exam.
While a good number of our graduates find professional positions in banks, wealth
management firms, industry, and government, our concentrations are a wonderful foundation
for those who want to pursue graduate schools. Some of our graduates have gone on
to Masters of Science in Finance, Ph.D. programs in economics and finance, and to
earn a J.D. degree in law school. These were all at various universities throughout
the US.
For those who are not planning to be a business major, we invite you to consider a
minor in economics, finance or real estate. Each of these would be an excellent addition
to your studies in engineering, math, political science, or any other major. You
can still participate in the clubs and have the chance to be a member of the JIF with
the proper prerequisites.
Let’s discuss why an economics, finance, or a real estate concentration is right for
you!
Best wishes,
Kenneth Hunsader, Ph.D.
Chair, Professor, Economics, Finance & Real Estate. Interim Chair of Accounting