2009-2010 Financial Services

Program Requirements | Bachelor of Science | Bachelor of Arts | Plan of Study

Department Chair: Gaylen Bunker
Faculty: Gaylen Bunker, Rich Collins, Lauren Lo Re, Rob Patterson, 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 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.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the trademarks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Financial Planner® in the U.S., which it awards to individual who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Westminster College does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and marks. CFP® certification is granted solely by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to individuals who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met ethics, experience and examination requirements.

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

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

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 Financial Services

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.