The Council on Academic Affairs will revise the finance major and add a new class on educational psychology, computer programming and computer data basing at its meeting Thursday.

Changes are being made to the finance major, including the core classes students have to taken.

Marita Gronnvoll, the CAA chair, said the department has a FIN 3770 class, which they are no longer requiring.

FIN 3770 is now being classified as an elective class, and the number of core courses in the finance degree will be three instead of four.

Currently, students have to take five elective classes. With the changes to the major, students will not have to take six elective classes.

Despite these changes, there have been no changes in the required number of hours to graduate.

“It seems like these are relatively routine changes,” Gronnvoll said.

The reasoning behind dropping the FIN 3770 class is that the course was originated with the thought that entry-level occupations in corporate finance would be concentrated in working capital management.

According to the proposal, “few other universities offer a course in working capital management.” However, many finance majors do not choose corporate finance as their career. Instead they choose other careers in investments, financial derivatives, real estate, and financial planning.

FIN 3770 will be kept on the books, but it will be offered every other semester as an elective.

The educational psychology class is EDP 2330, Educational Psychology: Foundations for Teachers.

Gronnvoll, said the reason behind the class was a change in the sequencing of secondary education courses.

“It closely follows but does not duplicate the course it will replace,” Gronnvoll said.

The class in computer programming is AET 3163, Computer Programming in Technology 15-156 and the computer data basing class will be AET 4163, Computer Database in Technology.

“It looks like they are introducing these two new courses simply because these are necessary for students who want to work in technology related fields,” Gronnvoll said.

“When there is a huge or even gradual change in industry a lot of times different departments have to add courses so students will be able to face those industries once they get out,” Gronnvoll said.

Rich Roberts, department chair of counseling and student development, and Catherine Polydore, associate professor of in counseling and student development will be talking about EDP 2330, Richard Whitaker, Assistant Chair of Finance and Associate Professor in the school of business, will talk about  changes in the finance major.

Peter Liu, a technology professor, will speak about AET 3163, Computer Programming in Technology and AET 4163, Computer Database in Technology and Melanie Burns will speak about FCS 4752, Focus on Diabetes, FCS 4755, Nutrition for Physical Performance and FCS 4756, Adult Weight Management.

The FCS classes are being revised to be moved online.

Cassie Buchman can be reached at 581-2812 or cjbuchman@eiu.edu