ONLINE BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION IN FINANCIAL PLANNING DEGREE PROGRAM
The online Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Financial Planning prepares students to serve as financial advisors for individuals and corporations seeking guidance on how to meet their long-term financial objectives. The program focuses on how to best analyze a client’s status and determine a plan to achieve the desired goals. As a financial planner, you can specialize in tax planning, asset allocation, risk management, retirement and/or estate planning.
What will I learn in this online Financial Planning degree program?
You will gain a fundamental understanding of tax planning, asset allocation, risk management, retirement and estate planning. The 120 credit hours required to complete the program are broken up into 45 core curriculum credits, 42 general education credits and 33 elective credits.
ONLINE FINANCIAL PLANNING REQUIRED COURSES
Pursuing expertise in financial planning can help build proficiency in other areas, such as business planning or negotiating strategy. To learn more about the financial planning degree, read about some of the program’s required courses:
Business Negotiations
Learn the core communication skills and strategies needed to handle negotiations with other companies, vendors and clients. Students will identify solutions that benefit all parties, learn certain business behavioral patterns, follow ethical guidelines and be able to maintain a balance of power during negotiations.
Fundamentals and Ethics of Business Planning
This course covers the foundational concepts for running a financially successful business. Students will explore introductory topics in financial reporting, cost analysis, the global economy and marketing. They will also examine professional ethics, principles and various issues that may arise.
Investment Planning
Students will explore long-term financial planning and the potential risks involved when making investments. They will learn to determine when the economy is best suited for making investments, how to budget for emergency changes and how the business will ultimately be impacted in the process.
How long is the online Financial Planning degree program?
At 120 credit hours, the Bachelor of Business Administration in Financial Planning is designed to be completed in 38 months. It could take less time depending on how much transfer credit you receive and how many classes you take every term.
What are the ONLINE FINANCIAL PLANNING admission requirements?
In addition to proof of high school graduation or its equivalent, admission to the financial planning program in the College of Business, Management and Economics requires at least one of the following:
- ACT composite score of 19 or higher
- SAT score of 450 or higher
- AFQT score from ASVAB exam of 40 or higher
- CGPA of 2.5 or better OR a minimum of 12 transfer credit hours from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
How much will the online Financial Planning degree program cost?
The undergraduate rate is $295 per credit hour. If you’re a member of the military, a veteran or part of a military family, this rate is lower. Grantham also offers scholarships and financial aid for those who qualify.
ONLINE FINANCIAL PLANNING PROGRAM START DATE
Courses begin monthly, so we’re ready when you are.
Call us at (888) 947-2684 to learn more about our accredited degree programs, financial assistance opportunities or enrollment process.
Financial Planning Bachelor of Business Administration
Through our accredited BBA in Financial Planning, you will be prepared to specialize in tax planning, asset allocation, risk management, and retirement and/or estate planning.
Online Financial Planning Degree Program Outcomes
- Demonstrate critical thinking through applying decision-support tools
- Demonstrate communication skills
- Apply decision-making skills that are relevant to professional, ethical and social responsibilities
- Utilize strategic, tactical and operational methods in the decision-making process to gain a competitive business advantage
- Analyze economic, environmental, political, ethical, legal and regulatory guidelines
- Engage in integrated business problem-solving activities by distinguishing the theories, principles and concepts related to the foundational areas of business in a global environment
Program Learning Outcomes
- Apply and evaluate financial planning theories in an integrated approach to real-life financial planning situations based on the Certified Financial Planning principles
- Advise individuals and families on a variety of complex financial issues
- Develop, design and maintain tailored and comprehensive financial plans
- Analyze the ethical responsibility of financial planners and leaders in the financial planning industry
Online Financial Planning Core Professional Competencies
Grantham prepares graduates to succeed in an array of professional and civic settings by incorporating these critical life skills into the curriculum:
- Communication – Formulating and expressing thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and non-verbal communication skills in person, in writing and in a digital world.
- Distributed Collaboration – Working effectively across distributed locations and asynchronously to achieve a common goal through relationship-building, shared responsibility, empathy and respect.
- Professional and Social Responsibilities – Engaging in social responsibility through seeking justice, valuing diversity, respecting the environment; demonstrating professionalism through integrity, mutual accountability and ethical behavior. This includes considering the social and global impact of individual and organizational decisions and an awareness of and adherence to regulations, professional standards and industry best practices.
- Critical Thinking/Problem Solving – Using analytical reasoning when gathering and evaluating relevant information to effectively formulate possible solutions for an issue, problem or a variety of issues. This includes the ability to recognize potential consequences of a decision.
- Data Aptitude - Developing information literacy and the capacity to manage data with subsequent finding, structuring, evaluating and interpreting in order to provide meaningful analysis to accomplish a specific purpose.
Financial Planning Bachelor of Business Administration
ONLINE FINANCIAL PLANNING DEGREE CURRICULUM
As you consider your educational options for business and finance degrees, bear in mind Grantham’s 100% online coursework is designed to help you prepare for success in your next challenges.
| PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program Core Credits: | 45 | ||
| General Education Core Credits: | 42 | ||
| Electives Credits: | 33 | ||
| Total Credit Hours: | 120 | ||
| Accreditation(s): | DEAC |
| Program Core: | 45 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course: | Title: | Credits: | |
| Course: ACC220 | Title: Financial Accounting | Credits: 3 | |
| This introductory financial accounting course introduces the student to the important role of financial accounting in modern business. The key role of financial accounting is to provide useful information to external users in order that a wide variety of economic decisions can be made. The course covers the theory and practice of accounting applicable to the recording, summarizing and reporting of business transactions. Topics include the different types of financial statements and accounts, asset valuation, revenue and expense recognition and appropriate accounting for asset, liability and capital accounts. | |||
| Course: BUS101 | Title: Introduction to Business | Credits: 3 | |
| This introductory course provides students with a practical and concrete explanation of the concepts of business. Concepts, principles and operations of the private enterprise system are identified in this course. Students compare and contrast sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations, and they learn the advantages and disadvantages of each. This course also discusses the functions of modern business management, marketing, and ethics and social responsibility. Human resource management is described, as well as how employers can motivate their employees. Bookkeeping, accounting, financial management and financial statements are also examined. | |||
| Course: BUS303 | Title: Business Negotiations | Credits: 3 | |
| In this course, students will analyze and evaluate the fundamentals, major concepts and theories of bargaining and negotiation. Case studies will provide an experiential approach to learning the strategies and tactics of negotiation while examining power and emotions in interpersonal conflict and its resolution. International and cross-cultural negotiations and ethical standards will be covered in this course. | |||
| Course: ECN201 | Title: Microeconomics | Credits: 3 | |
| This course provides the student with a sound foundation in economic thinking that is central to business. Topics that are covered include: supply and demand, opportunity costs, elasticities, utility theory, the economic concept of the firm, the relationship between costs and capital in the short-run, and in the long-run, competition, monopoly, anti-trust laws, and public and private goods. | |||
| Course: ECN206 | Title: Macroeconomics | Credits: 3 | |
| This introductory course provides an overview of current and traditional concerns and methods of macroeconomics. Topics that are covered include: economic growth, unemployment inflation, government deficits, monetary policy, investment and capital, the role and methods of the Federal Reserve, Keynesian and monetarist theories and comparative advantage. | |||
| Course: ETH352 | Title: Fundamentals and Ethics of Financial Planning | Credits: 3 | |
| This course will provide a basic introduction to the ethical and professional considerations in the field of financial planning. The financial planning process will be evaluated along with business objectives, regulatory framework and evolution of the profession. Technical aspects such as time value of money calculations will also be covered. Although a specific sequence is not required, the course is generally taken as the first of seven courses necessary to sit for the Certified Financial Planner' exam. | |||
| Course: FIN340 | Title: Insurance Planning | Credits: 3 | |
| This course will provide a basic introduction to the field of insurance as well as the place of various insurance products within the financial planning process. Students will examine the professional, ethical, regulatory and technical aspects of a number of insurance products and place the knowledge in a relevant financial planning context through various course requirements including a sample plan. Although students with other objectives may also benefit from the course, students frequently take this course as one of the seven Prerequisites requirements for those who wish to sit for the Certified Financial Planner™ exam. * Textbook materials change periodically due to the nature of this course. Students need to be prepared to purchase new materials. | |||
| Course: FIN350 | Title: Investment Planning | Credits: 3 | |
| Investment Planning will expose the student to security analysis and portfolio management, with a focus on investments within the context of comprehensive financial planning. Concepts of risk and reward, investment selection criteria, client objectives and current views in economics such as behavioral finance and efficient market hypothesis will be addressed. Although potentially useful for students with other objectives, the course is one of seven Prerequisites classes required to sit for the Certified Financial Planner™ exam. * Textbook materials change periodically due to the nature of this course. Students need to be prepared to purchase new materials. | |||
| Course: FIN355 | Title: Income Tax Planning | Credits: 3 | |
| This course introduces students to the basic principles and laws of income taxation for individuals, employees and business owners. Topics include income tax calculations for individuals and businesses, compliance and accounting methods, taxation of trusts and estates, basis, depreciation, sale of assets, alternative minimum tax, charitable contributions and tax management. | |||
| Course: FIN360 | Title: Retirement Planning | Credits: 3 | |
| This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of both public and private retirement plans. The public plans include Social Security, while the private plans include defined benefit and defined contribution plans and their regulatory provisions. The specifics of the various plans are analyzed as well as non-qualified deferred compensation plans. Finally, issues that individuals face in retirement, such as life-style choices, are discussed. | |||
| Course: FIN361 | Title: Estate Planning I | Credits: 3 | |
| This course provides an introduction to Estate Planning. The focus of this course is on purpose, documentation and process required to create an estate plan that is consistent with the client's goals and objectives. The course is designed to give students a practical understanding of the Federal Estate and Gift tax code. It covers topics such as property titling, the probate process, forecasting the estate settlement cost and gifting strategies. Students will be exposed to the financial and non-financial aspects of the planning process that takes place before the actual wealth and asset distribution discussed in Estate Planning II. The course also emphasizes legal, tax and liquidity issues that a CFP professional needs to address with the client in order to create an effective estate plan. | |||
| Course: FIN366 | Title: Estate Planning II | Credits: 3 | |
| At the completion of Estate Planning module II students are expected to have a good understanding of the Estate, Gift and Generation Skipping tax consequences of property transfers and how to structure them. | |||
| Course: FIN499 | Title: Financial Planning Capstone | Credits: 3 | |
| This course integrates the academic coursework contained in the six core areas of the financial planning process with actual practice management, This course is the Capstone for the financial planning concentration by introducing students to the skills and tools needed for developing a comprehensive financial plan for a client. The purpose of the course is to require the financial planning student to demonstrate the ability to integrate and apply knowledge of financial planning topics. The case-study class structure differs from the traditional lecture class structure in that students must take a more active role in the learning process. Students will complete many segmented financial planning cases related to fundamentals, insurance, investing, taxation, retirement planning and employee benefits and estate planning topics covered in the individual core courses. Students will develop both basic and complex comprehensive financial plans by following the CFP Board's six-step financial planning process. Students will complete individual and group work and will participate in the presentation of a comprehensive financial plan to the class. | |||
| Course: LAW220 | Title: Business Law I | Credits: 3 | |
| This course is designed to provide the student with a basic understanding of the law that affects business operations including the topics of torts, contracts, commercial paper, and sales. New developments that affect the legal environment of business are presented from all three sources of law: statutes, regulations, and case law. The student will gain a thorough understanding of law that governs business and will gain an understanding of how new developments in technology affect business law. | |||
| Course: LAW265 | Title: Business Law II | Credits: 3 | |
| This course provides students with an understanding of the law affecting business operations, including the topics of debtor-creditor relationships, business organizations, government regulation, property and its protection, and the international legal environment. New developments on those topics are presented from three sources of law: statutes, regulations and case law. | |||
| General Education: | 42 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course: | Title: | Credits: | |
| Course: English Composition | Credits: 6 | ||
| Course: Math | Credits: 6 | ||
| Course: MA105 | Title: College Algebra | Credits: 3 | |
| This course is an introduction to the fundamental concepts of algebra. Topics include equations, polynomial and rational functions and graphing and exponential and logarithmic functions. A new textbook may be required in order to ensure needed electronic codes are valid. | |||
| Course: BMA215 | Title: Business Statistics | Credits: 3 | |
| This course applies descriptive and inferential statistics to solve business problems. Student perform statistical analysis of samples, compute the measures of location and dispersion, and perform linear and multiple regression and correlation analysis. Other topics include constructing a hypothesis, performing one-way and two-way analysis of variance, and making decisions under risk and uncertainty. NOTE: Credit may not be awarded for both MA215 and MA230 | |||
| Course: Natural/Physical Science | Credits: 3 | ||
| Course: Computer Science | Credits: 3 | ||
| Course: CS155 | Title: Computer Applications for Business | Credits: 3 | |
| This course explores applications within the Microsoft Office Suite with an emphasis on the tools needed in a business context. While covering Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, focus is placed on the use of Excel for analyzing and presenting data. Techniques for the creation of professional documents are addressed. | |||
| Course: Oral Communication | Credits: 6 | ||
| Course: Humanities and Fine Arts | Credits: 6 | ||
| Course: HU260 | Title: Strategies for Decision Making | Credits: 3 | |
| This course examines critical thinking and the analysis of arguments in terms of premises, reasons, and conclusions. Course topics include obstacles to critical thinking, diagramming arguments, belief and doubt, logical fallacies, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, inferences, and judging scientific theories. | |||
| Course: Social/Behavioral Science | Credits: 9 | ||
| Course: General Education | Credits: 3 | ||
EN101 or above must be taken to fulfill the English Composition General Education requirements.