Business Financial Planning Degree: Earn a Valuable Education

Earning a business financial planning degree can be a game-changer for your career. This valuable education can open doors to new opportunities and increase your earning potential.

A business financial planning degree typically takes four years to complete and can lead to a median salary of $85,000 or more. With this degree, you'll gain a solid understanding of financial planning, accounting, and business principles.

You'll learn how to analyze financial data, create budgets, and develop investment strategies. These skills are essential for any business professional, and can be applied to a variety of roles, from financial analyst to financial advisor.

By investing in a business financial planning degree, you'll be investing in yourself and your future.

Admission to the BSBA program in Financial Planning is an impacted program, which means students may need to meet certain criteria before being accepted.

To qualify, students must complete at least 60 units and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6 by the time they earn 90 units.

A grade of "C" or higher in FIN 303 is also a prerequisite for all 400-level Finance (FIN) courses and selected 300-level Finance courses, so it's essential to perform well in this class.

The University Catalog provides more information on the financial planning and wealth management curriculum, which covers topics like asset valuation, estate planning, and portfolio construction.

To gain admission to the BSBA Option in Financial Planning, you'll need to meet some specific requirements. The program is impacted, which means it's highly competitive, so be prepared to work hard.

You can initially declare an option in Pre-Finance while working to satisfy the supplemental criteria. This requires completion of at least 60 units and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6.

Students must qualify for the Financial Planning option by the time they earn 90 units. I've seen many students struggle to meet this deadline, so make sure to plan ahead.

A grade of "C" or higher in FIN 303 is a prerequisite for all 400-level Finance (FIN) courses and selected 300-level Finance courses. This means you'll need to perform well in this class to stay on track.

To declare the BSBA option in Financial Planning, you'll need to initially declare a Pre-Finance option while working to satisfy supplemental criteria, which requires completion of at least 60 units and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6.

The Financial Planning option is an impacted program, so you'll need to qualify by the time you earn 90 units. A grade of "C" or higher in FIN 303 is also a prerequisite for all 400-level Finance courses and selected 300-level Finance courses.

The Financial Planning curriculum is quite comprehensive, covering topics like asset valuation, estate planning, retirement planning, and tax management. You'll also learn about portfolio construction, financial planning, and behavioral finance.

To complete the Financial Planning option, you'll need to take 18 units of required courses, including FIN 336, FIN 440, FIN 442, and FIN 446. You'll also need to select 6 units of Finance elective courses, which can include options like ACCT 440, ACCT 450, and ECON 310.

Having earned credit can save you a significant amount of time toward your degree, calculated based on full-time status and average transfer credits.

You can lock-in your tuition rate from day one through graduation, making your degree cost inflation-proof.

By completing ACCT 215 and ACCT 225, you can fulfill the ACCT 202 requirement, streamlining your course load.

The course and curriculum for a business financial planning degree is designed to equip you with the essential skills and knowledge to succeed in the field. The program is certified by the CFP Board, making you eligible to sit for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™(CFP) Exam upon completion.

The degree program requires a total of 120 units, which are divided into several categories. You'll start with a Common Lower Division Business Core, which includes 27-28 units of foundational courses such as financial accounting, managerial accounting, business law, and statistics.

These courses provide a solid foundation in business principles and will help you develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You'll also take courses in mathematics, such as Mathematical Methods for Business, which is a requirement for the program.

In addition to the Common Lower Division Business Core, you'll take a Common Upper Division Business Core, which includes 19 units of courses such as data literacy, financial management, and marketing. These courses will help you develop a deeper understanding of business principles and prepare you for advanced courses in financial planning.

The Financial Planning Option is a key part of the program, requiring 18 units of courses such as risk management and insurance, retirement planning, and estate planning. You'll also have the opportunity to select 6 units of finance elective courses, which will allow you to specialize in areas such as investment planning and tax planning.

Here's a summary of the course requirements:

By completing these courses, you'll be well-prepared to take the CFP Exam and become a certified financial planner. The program is also accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), which ensures that you're earning a respected degree with value in the workplace.

As a business financial planning degree student, you'll get hands-on training in the full financial planning process from start to finish. You'll work on 4 client cases throughout your final semester, building financial plans for each client with the guidance of the Financial Planning Advisory Board.

You'll have the opportunity to volunteer and counsel real clients, earning college credit in the process. This hands-on experience will give you a unique perspective on the financial planning industry.

Experienced financial planning professionals teach our courses, providing valuable insights and industry best-practices. You'll learn from their years of experience and avoid common mistakes in the field.

Upon completion of the program, you'll be prepared for a career in a variety of industries, including large financial services firms and boutique advisory practices.

Our financial planning degree program is accredited by the Certified Financial Planning (CFP) Board, which means graduates can sit for the CFP Exam immediately after graduation.

The CFP Board has accredited the Lerner College's financial planning and wealth management program, and our graduates will have satisfied the CFP education requirement.

Graduating from our program will also prepare you for the CFP certification, which is the most prestigious certification in the field.

Our program follows best-practice standards for business education, as certified by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

With our Financial Planning degree program, you'll build essential skills in six fundamental areas, including principles of financial planning, risk management, and investment planning.

The IACBE accreditation ensures that our degree has value in the workplace and is respected by employers.

By earning our Financial Planning bachelor's degree, you'll be ready to competently deliver comprehensive financial plans to your future clients.

Career Opportunities are plentiful for those with a business financial planning degree. The employment prospects are strong, with a 13% growth rate projected between 2022 and 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

You can expect to earn a median annual salary of $95,390, as of May 2022, which is significantly higher than the average growth rate for all occupations. This is a well-paying career, to say the least.

Recent graduates from Lerner's financial planning & wealth management program have a high success rate, with 94% finding employment or pursuing further education within 6 months of graduating. The mean starting salary for these graduates is $60,056.

Some of the top employers of Lerner's graduates include major financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America. You can also find job openings at other top employers listed below:

Recent graduates have secured job titles such as Associate, Financial Advisor, Corporate Analyst, and Wealth Manager.