About Marquette's AIM Program
The Marquette University mission is the search for truth, the discovery and sharing of knowledge, the fostering of personal and professional excellence, the promotion of a life of faith, and the development of leadership expressed in service to others. The Applied Investment Management program functions in a manner that supports and reinforces this mission. The AIM program has achieved success by leveraging the College of Business Administration’s traditional strengths: close, personal interaction with a knowledgeable, caring faculty and the proliferation of Marquette University’s core Jesuit values.
AIM Class of 2007
In 2003, several Marquette University undergraduate finance students and alumni began an effort to establish an applied investment management program. Also recognizing the demand for graduates who can function effectively in the increasingly complex investment industry, the Office of the Dean and the finance department supported the idea and funded travel for a group of students and faculty to attend the R.I.S.E. symposium, an annual meeting of students, faculty and investment professionals.
In early 2004, the Dean’s Office approved the hiring of the director of the AIM program and in June, Dr. David Krause joined the College of Business Administration as the inaugural director. Following the establishment of an AIM Steering Committee, the Director held numerous discussions with various stakeholders concerning key issues regarding the program. The following comment from a member of the investment community accurately summarizes the raison d'être for the AIM program, “The core focus should be to teach students the basics of investment analysis. This includes understanding how various economic factors affect the market and individual investments and most importantly, how to analyze an individual company or security to determine its value. Students should get exposure to both equity and fixed income. The students should also get a first-hand look at how markets operate by interacting with investment professionals and through internship experience.”
Since the first AIM class of 12 students was enrolled in the fall of 2006, the AIM program has expanded to include 18 students in the following two classes. In 2007, the AIM program introduced the International Applied Investment Management (IAIM) program.
The IAIM program combines an International Business major with the AIM program with a goal of producing proficient and ethical research analysts with a global focus. The IAIM program provides the opportunity for a select number of double majors in international business and finance or accounting to receive the academic and practical experience in security analysis with an international concentration. Students are required to have a summer internship in an international setting and will actively manage a portfolio of global fixed-income and equity securities during their senior year. With their AIM cohorts, these select students will study the core body of knowledge covered in the CFA® Level I exam that will prepare them to take the test upon graduation.
Students apply to both the AIM and IAIM programs during the fall semester of their junior year and notification of acceptance occurs prior to the end of the semester. Acceptance into these programs is limited and based on:
- Overall academic performance (a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required);
- Strong performance in courses relevant to investment management (e.g. finance, accounting, economics, and math);
- An application essay articulating why the student wants to be enrolled in the AIM program and why they should be selected;
- Experience and career objectives as demonstrated in the resume, letters of recommendation and interview.
Academic Expectations of AIM and IAIM Students:
(a) Students accepted into the AIM or IAIM programs must earn a B or better (no withdrawals allowed) in the following courses:**
- ACCO 120: Intermediate Accounting
- FINA 180: Introduction to Financial Management
- FINA 181: Investment Analysis
- FINA 183: Advanced Financial Management
- FINA 188: Financial Derivatives
- FINA 189: Issues in Finance, Fixed-Income Securities
- FINA 191: Introduction to Applied Investment Analysis
- FINA 192: Research and Financial Analysis
- FINA 193: Valuation and Portfolio Management
- FINA 194: Investment Management Ethics and Society
(b) Students in the AIM program must earn a B or better (no withdrawals allowed) in the following courses beyond those listed in (a.):
- ACCO 140: Analysis of Financial Statements
- Elective: FINA 182 (Investment Management) or FINA 189 (Issues in Finance, Investment Banking) or ACCO 121 (Advanced Accounting) or ECON 175 (Introduction to Econometrics)
(c) Students in the IAIM program must earn a B or better (no withdrawals allowed) in the following courses beyond those listed in (a.):
- ACCO 141: International Accounting
- ECON 154: International Currency Markets
- FINA 185: International Finance
(d) All students in the AIM and IAIM programs must complete an internship (FINA 105 or INBU 105) in the summer between the junior and senior
years.
(e) Students in the IAIM program must also meet the language proficiency and study abroad components of international business majors.
The timeline of significant AIM program events is shown below and notes some of the vital statistics and key program outcome measurements.
Contact
For more information, including the specific curriculum and expectations for accounting majors in the AIM and IAIM programs, contact the AIM Director, Dr. David Krause at (414) 288-1457 or david.krause@marquette.edu.
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