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Public Financial Management



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Major Related
Resources

School of Public
and Environmental Affairs

SPEA 240
Phone: 812-855-0635

Career Related
Resources

SPEA Career Services
and Alumni Affairs

SPEA 200
Phone: 812-855-9639

SPEA Public Finance Association

IUB Libraries Career Resources
Finance Careers
Nonprofit/Social Change Careers
Consulting Careers
10th Street & Jordan Avenue
Phone: 812-855-0100



Description of Major

The public financial management major teaches students the tools of managing public expenditures (e.g. government budgeting, accounting, auditing, and procurement) and revenue generation (e.g. taxation, licensing, user fees and lotteries). The major introduces monetary issues that face every community in our society. Other courses students may select to complete this major are environmental economics, health economics, financial policy, urban development, corporate finance, and information technology. Before graduating, all students in this major are required to participate in a professional field experience, giving them an opportunity to begin building their professional credentials.

Skills & Knowledge Developed in this Field of Study

Students will graduate with a strong background in economics, accounting, financial reporting, budget and cost benefit analysis complemented by basic managerial and organizational skills.

Minors and Second Majors that Expand Career Options with this Major

Business and economics.

Career Options

Careers Specific to the Bachelor's Degree

Controller-city/county/state/federal government; compliance examiner; municipal bond analyst-private; auditor-city/county/state/federal government, or in the private sector; financial assistant in a municipal finance department.

Other Career Possibilities with a Bachelor's Degree

Stockbroker-private investors; customer service representative-banks; public investment advisor-private; account analyst-bank, finance firms; loan officer-banks, finance firms.

Careers that Normally Require a Graduate Degree

Budget analyst-city/county/state/federal government, or in the private sector; legislative analyst-city/county/state/federal government; procurement officer-city/county/state/federal government, or in the private sector; chief financial officer-city/county/state/federal government, or in the private sector.

Employment Opportunities

Job Outlook

Good, particularly if education includes practical experience such as an internship.

Salary Information

The average starting salary for public financial management majors is $30,000, with a starting salary range of $24,000 - 34,000.

Potential Career Growth

Strong opportunities in local and state governments, complemented by opportunities in consulting and the private sector.

Placement Statistics for IU Graduates with this Major

Employed within field – 100% unemployed – 0%.

High School Preparation

Students will be well prepared for this major by meeting IU’s general admission standards.

Special Opportunities

Many of SPEA’s distinguished faculty have won national and international awards in both teaching and research. The graduate programs are highly ranked nationally. U.S. News and World Report ranks the Master in Public Affairs program third in the nation in its field. In the same report, SPEA’s environmental policy specialty area was ranked first in the nation, the public management/administration area second, and our public finance and budget area third in the nation. Our School is fortunate to have the same faculty teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses. One of SPEA’s most popular programs is the Washington Leadership Program, which gives selected juniors and seniors the opportunity to participate in this leadership development experience in the nation’s capital for one semester. Participants will not only be reading about the news in Washington, D.C., but will see it happening all around them. They intern for four days a week in offices of congressional representatives, government agencies, or public interest groups. Additionally, students earn academic credit by attending two classes taught by a resident SPEA faculty representative. SPEA is also teaming up with Bloomington and Indianapolis, public and nonprofit sector agencies to offer an innovative internship experience in leadership development. The Bloomington and Indianapolis Leadership Program offers junior and senior students a chance to participate in a semester long internship that will develop professional skills and provide networking opportunities for future career connections. Leadership Interns will work three days a week and will be able to take courses in the evening or on their alternate days from work. The Placement and Internship Office also has an alumni mentoring program available to students, a community service-based club, career counseling, resume writing help, posting of job opportunities, internship placements, career orientation workshops with speakers, and trips to career fairs. SPEA also offers an honors program for students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5. This involves special honors course work and completion of a senior thesis. It’s an excellent way for motivated students to tailor their course of study to their own interests and work with their advisers to develop individual research. In addition, SPEA offers an accelerated masters program for interested students who meet the academic requirements. Overseas study can be part of a SPEA education. The School offers overseas study opportunities in the Netherlands and Australia. Classes taken through these programs may serve as required courses for a degree in SPEA. In addition to this major, SPEA also offers minors in 10 areas: Public and Environmental Affairs, Health Systems Administration, Environmental Science and Health, Environmental Management, Human Resources, Legal Studies, Management, Nonprofit Management, Policy Analysis, and Public Finance

Noted Alumni

Not Available
Majors and Careers Series Spring 2000

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URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~udiv/majors
Comments: explore@indiana.edu
Created by Brian Smith, Dawn Bourbina, Ben Tesnar, and Stephen Grogg
Copyright 2000, The Trustees of Indiana University