Finance 101 and Business 101 are classes offered at the University of Kansas School of Business that help students learn information they need to make smart financial decisions.
Finance 101: Personal Finance, which is open to all KU students, helps students manage their money now and when they graduate and get a job. Topics introduced include credit cards, loans, budgets, financial planning, mortgages and leases.
“It’s things that people hear about but don’t really know about,” Bill Lewis, the course instructor, said. “Hopefully this is information they can learn now, and then take it home and use it.”
The class has gained popularity since it started in the fall of 2007. This semester the class has about 110 students, and Lewis said he would love to have 300 to 500 students.
“It’s something everybody should have,” Lewis said. “It’s to help people protect themselves.”
The Finance 101 class complements the University’s interests in improving the financial literacy of all KU students. A new task force, comprising representatives from various academic units and support departments, is to submit proposals to the Provost’s Office next semester on what KU might do to make students better able to manage their financial activities.
Frank Marshall, task force member and School of Business assistant dean, said their goal was to identify what was available to students already, direct students to those resources and possibly add other resources.
Business 101: Business Majors, Careers and Professional Skills, also open to all students, provides an overview of business skills students can use to start their careers. Career opportunities in finance, accounting, information systems, management and leadership, marketing and supply chain management are also discussed.
