Bachelor of Science in Finance + Data Science Degree Requirements

Your Degree Audit Report (DARS) provides the official requirements for all majors and minors. Select the correct catalog year, which is the year you started at the University of Illinois.

Finance + Data Science Major Planning Forms

• Fall 2025 Catalog Year Planning Form
• Fall 2024 Catalog Year Planning Form
• Fall 2023 (or Earlier) Catalog Year Planning Form

While degree plans are intended to provide you with accurate information, the final responsibility for knowing and completing degree requirements is your responsibility. Course offerings and enrollment restrictions should be confirmed with your Degree Audit Report (DARS) and the Course Explorer.

Major Requirements

Complete all of the following Finance Core (21 credit hours) in addition to your general education and business core requirements:  

• FIN 300 – Financial Markets (3 hours, prerequisite: FIN 221)
• FIN 321 – Advanced Corporate Finance (3 hours, prerequisite: FIN 300)
• FIN 411 – Investment & Portfolio Management (3 hours, prerequisite: FIN 300)
• Choose 4 additional FIN courses to fulfill your major electives. Must be full semester, 3-hour courses at the 400 level, excluding FIN 494 or 495 (Senior Research) and FIN 490 (Special Topics).

Additionally, complete all of the following Data Science core (29 - 30 credit hours).

One of the following calculus courses:

• MATH 220: Calculus (5 hours)
• MATH 221: Calculus 1 (4 hours)
• MATH 234: Calculus for Business 1 (4 hours) - recommended

One of the following linear algebra courses:

• MATH 227 (3 hours, spring only) - recommended
• MATH 257 (3 hours, fall enrollment, restricted with limited availability)

All of the following:

• STAT 107: Data Science Discovery (4 hours)
• STAT 207: Data Science Exploration (4 hours)
• CS 307: Modeling and Learning in Data Science (4 hours)
• CS 277: Algorithms and Data Structures of Data Science (4 hours, spring only)
• IS 467: Ethics and Policy for Data Science (3 hours)
• IS 477: Data Management, Curation, & Reproducibility (3 hours)

Declaring a major in Finance + Data Science

Students wishing to declare a major in Fincance + Data Science must complete the following criteria prior to being allowed to declare the major:

1. Must have completed (for a letter grade) or earned test credit for:
   - STAT 107: Data Science Discovery
   - Calculus (either MATH 220, 221, or 234)
2. Must have an Illinois GPA of 3.33 or higher.
3. Must be able to complete the degree within the 9-semester limit set by the college.

Once students interested in the +DS majors in Gies have completed the criteria above, they may use the Major Declaration Form to declare the major.

Important Coursework Notes

Finance courses may not be taken on a credit/no credit basis.

It is recommended that Finance majors take additional Accounting courses beyond the ACCY 201 and 202 required in the Business Core, as many employers look favorably on this.

FIN 300 and FIN 321 are popular prerequisites for FIN major electives.