The Financial Planning major is an excellent program for students who are interested in working with individuals or corporate clients in helping them solve their financial goals, whether it is retirement planning, estate planning, etc. Given today’s sophisticated nature of financial products, ever-evolving tax rules, and complicated financial needs, effective financial planning is of utmost importance. By training students in identifying clients’ financial needs, assessing their risk tolerance, and offering appropriate recommendations to meet their needs, this program opens many rewarding career opportunities for the graduates, including financial planner, financial advisor, etc. The robust curriculum also ensures that students can pursue higher studies in many areas of business including financial planning.
Westminster's Financial Planning program is proud to be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) at all degree levels.
Financial Planning major students take courses in specialized and practical topics, such as retirement planning, estate planning, and risk management. Through real-world projects built into all courses, and a capstone course in their final year, students get ample opportunities to connect all the knowledge they learn and apply the skills they develop. This essentially makes the graduating students ready for a professional career in their field of interest.
Financial planning majors can pursue rewarding professional careers, such as financial advisor, financial planner, wealth management advisor, and account manager.
In addition to core business courses, such as financial accounting, corporate finance, marketing, and management, a financial planning major student takes courses covering specialized topics in financial planning, such as risk management, retirement planning, estate planning, and investments.
As a financial planning major student, you complete several core courses from business, accounting, and finance. Therefore, you have opportunities to pursue a dual major in business, accounting, and finance. A finance concentration can also be very rewarding.
Financial planning major students get exposure to the real world in several ways. For example, they extensively use Excel spreadsheet in solving practical problems related to cash flow, stock valuation, and portfolio analysis. The other important practical aspect is that students use a professional trading platform, such as Interactive Brokers, etc. to familiarize themselves with the actual trading activity. Finally, through the capstone course, students get opportunities to connect and apply all the core financial planning concepts.
Yes, Blue Blazers is the student-managed investment fund of actual money. It was established in 1996 with a current value exceeding $1,000,000 (as of January 13, 2020). The members of this fund conduct thorough research about potential investments and present their case through a stock pitch to all members and executives. A senior outside investment professional with great industry credentials and a finance faculty provide the necessary support to the students. You can access more information about this at this link: https://www.facebook.com/blueblazersWC/.
The financial planning program at Westminster prepares you for professional careers, such as financial planner and financial advisor.
