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2006 - 2007 Financial Services
Program Requirements | Bachelor of Science | Bachelor of Arts | Plan of Study
Program Director: Lauren Lo Re
Faculty: Gaylen Bunker, Rich Collins, Ryan Hessenthaler, Lauren Lo Re, Rob Patterson, Nancy Panos Schmitt, Donald Saxon
Students can choose either the Bachelor of Science in Financial Services, or the Bachelor of Arts in Financial Services. All students completing undergraduate programs in the Financial Services Program meet educational requirements for the Accelerated MBA Program for Westminster Graduates.
Program Goals
The Financial Services Program offers a major leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree that will prepare students for a career in investments, insurance, banking, consulting, or financial planning. The theoretical and practical aspects of financial services are integrated to provide students with critical thinking skills and analytical tools as a foundation for life-long learning. After completing the program, students will have the educational preparation to qualify for the Certified Financial Planning professional licensing examination. Students completing a B.S. in Financial Services should:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the key functions of financial planning: financial planning principles, income tax planning, personal risk management, estate planning, investments and retirement planning and employee benefits.
- Demonstrate an understanding of economic and financial concepts, analytical tools, and the theories and models used to make personal financial management decisions.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply critical and analytical thinking to complex financial problems and support the recommendations with rational justification and appropriate research methodology.
- Develop the ability to communicate effectively utilizing appropriate written, oral and electronic competencies related to the financial planning profession.
Program Requirements
To fulfill the requirements for the major in Financial Services, students must complete the courses outlined below and maintain a minimum 2.3 GPA in all coursework required by the program.
For course prerequisites, please refer to the course description.
Bachelor of Science in Financial Services
Requirement Description
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I. |
Undergraduate Business Core |
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Please refer to the Undergraduate Business Core page for requirements. |
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II. |
Upper Division Financial Services Courses |
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ACCT 474 Individual Income Taxation
ACCT 475 Estate and Tax Planning Strategy
FINC 305 Investment and Analysis
FINC 315 Personal Financial Planning & Insurance
FINC 316 Retirement Planning & Employee Benefits
FINC 485 Cases in Financial Planning
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III. |
Practice/Experience Courses |
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Any Business Prefix 440* Internship
or
Any Business Prefix 441* Practicum
or
Any Business Prefix 442* Professional Portfolio
*Note to transfers: all internships (440) must be taken at upper division level. For transfer of credit for 441 or 442, please see the Practice Experience Coordinator. |
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TOTAL HOURS FOR B.S. FINANCIAL SERVICES |
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Note: All students must complete 124 hours of coursework to graduate, 40 hours of which must be upper division (300 level or above). Students may need to take other courses to complete the college hours requirement.
Please refer to the Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of this catalog for information about restrictions when completing a major and a minor or two majors.
Bachelor of Arts in Financial Services
Requirement Description
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| I. |
Bachelor of Arts Requirements |
12 |
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Students completing the Bachelor of Arts option (B.A.) must complete either:
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A declared academic minor other than the Business Minor; |
| b. |
Twelve credit hours of foreign language in one of the following ways: |
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- Eight credit hours of a foreign language, and either: four credit hours of a Westminster May term/summer international study tour, or four credits of an international study tour transferred from an accredited college or university.
- Twelve credit hours of a single foreign language.
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See Foreign Language Requirement for equivalencies, AP and CLEP credit policy. |
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II. |
Undergraduate Business Core |
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Please refer to the Undergraduate Business Core page for requirements. |
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III. |
Upper Division Financial Services Courses |
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ACCT 474 Individual Income Taxation
ACCT 475 Estate and Tax Planning Strategy
FINC 305 Investment and Analysis
FINC 315 Personal Financial Planning & Insurance
FINC 316 Retirement Planning & Employee Benefits
FINC 485 Cases in Financial Planning
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IV. |
Practice/Experience Courses |
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Any Business Prefix 440* Internship
or
Any Business Prefix 441* Practicum
or
Any Business Prefix 442* Professional Portfolio
*Note to transfers: all internships (440) must be taken at upper division level. For transfer of credit for 441 or 442, please see the Practice Experience Coordinator. |
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TOTAL HOURS FOR B.A. FINANCIAL SERVICES |
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Note: All students must complete 124 hours of coursework to graduate, 40 hours of which must be upper division (300 level or above). Students may need to take other courses to complete the college hours requirement.
Please refer to the Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of this catalog for information about restrictions when completing a major and a minor or two majors.
Recommended Plan of Study for Finance
In order to complete all major requirements, Financial Services majors should plan to take business courses in the following stages, subject to scheduling and availability constraints, in conjunction with other required courses and electives.
Freshman Year |
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| ECON |
253 |
Language II (B.A.) |
| Language I (B.A.) |
MATH |
150 |
| MATH |
141 |
IRM |
200 |
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Sophomore Year |
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| ACCT |
213 |
FINC |
300 |
| ECON |
263 |
MGMT |
305 |
| Language III (B.A.) |
PHIL |
206 |
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Junior Year |
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| ACCT |
474 |
ACCT |
475 |
| FINC |
315 |
FINC |
305 |
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FINC |
316 |
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Senior Year |
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| FINC |
440/441/442 |
MGMT |
475 |
| FINC |
485 |
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