Undergraduate FinTech Minor

Undergraduate FinTech Minor Overview

Financial Technology (FinTech) is about the integration of innovative technologies into financial services. Many disruptive technologies such as large language models (e.g., ChatGPT), cryptocurrency, blockchain, mobile banking, machine learning, and robo-advising are being applied in the financial services sector to create new and improved products and to increase efficiency. Students that are able to contribute to this innovation process will have an advantage in their careers.

The FinTech minor introduces students to the latest developments and issues in finance and equips them with the tools needed to tackle cutting-edge problems. Students take three foundational courses, choosing classes from data science, computer science and information technology. After completing the three skill-building courses, students take an experiential capstone class designed to provide hands-on experience working on real-world challenges with industry executives. View previous capstone projects here.

The FinTech minor is composed of 4 courses (12 credits), and is open to all College of Business students with a declared major, CSB, and IBE students. The prerequisite courses for the minor are the same as for the finance major: FIN 125, FIN 323, and FIN 328. Depending on the electives chosen, there may be additional prerequisites. Regardless of the total number of credits required for a minor, students must complete at least 9 credits that are unique to that minor. Any additional credits beyond these 9 unique credits may overlap with requirements for the student's major or other minors.

Course of Study

1. FIN 337 Financial Markets, Regulation, and Innovation
2. FIN 388 FinTech Capstone
3. Two electives from the following list (only one of which may be taken concurrently with the Capstone)
   1. Data Analytics
      1. FIN 377 Data Science for Finance (Spring, Prerequisites: FIN 323, FIN 328)
      2. ACCT 330 Accounting Data and Analytics (Prerequisites: ECO 45)
      3. BUAN 348 Predictive Analytics in Business (Prerequisites: BIS 111 and (ECO 45 or MATH 012 or MATH 231))
      4. BUAN 352 Business Analytics and Modelling (Fall, Prerequisites: BIS 111 and (ECO 45 or MATH 012 or MATH 231))
   2. Artificial Intelligence
      1. BUAN 357 Artificial Intelligence for Business
      2. CSE 127 (COGS 127) Survey of Artificial Intelligence (Prerequisites: CSE 002 or CSE 004 or CSE 007)
      3. CSE 327 (COGS 327) Artificial Intelligence Theory and Practice (Prerequisites: CSE 017 and CSE 140)
   3. Natural Language Processing
      1. CSE 325 Natural Language Processing (Prerequisites: (MATH 231 or ECO 045) and CSE 017)
   4. Data Mining
      1. ISE 365 Applied Data Mining (Prerequisites: ISE 121 or IE 121 or ISE 328 or IE 328)
   5. Machine Learning
      1. ISE 364 Introduction to Machine Learning (Prerequisites: CSE 002)
      2. CSE 326 Fundamentals of Machine Learning (Prerequisites: (CSE 002 or CSE 012) and (MATH 205 or MATH 043) and (MATH 231 or ISE 121 or ECO 045))
      3. MATH 365 Statistical Machine Learning (Prerequisites: (MATH 205 or MATH 241 or MATH 242) and (MATH 264 or MATH 312) and (MATH 263 or MATH 309))
   6. Blockchain
      1. CSB 242 Blockchain Concepts and Applications (Prerequisites: ECO 001 and (BIS 111 or CSE 001 or CSE 002 or CSE 012) and (CSE 017 or MKT 111 or FIN 125 or SCM 186))
      2. CSE 242 Blockchain Algorithms and Systems (Prerequisites: CSE 017 and (CSE 241/341 or CSE 109 (concurrent)) 

FinTech Minor Comprehensive View Chart

Program Directors

Kathleen Hanley
Professor in the Department of Finance
kwh315@lehigh.edu

Don Bowen
Assistant Professor in the Department of Finance
deb219@lehigh.edu

Coordinator

Julie Bright
Department of Finance, RBC 471
jab819@lehigh.edu