GRADUATE CERTIFICATES IN FINANCE Many business professionals recognize the importance of university coursework in finance, but have neither the time nor the need to complete the requirements for a traditional academic degree. For such students, a certificate is the ideal solution. The graduate certificate in finance can be structured to serve as preparation for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam. For further information, refer to “Admission to Certificate Programs and Registering for Open Enrollment” on p. 113.

REQUIRED COURSES — 15 UNITS

FI 300 Corporate Finance
Four additional ECON or FI 300- or 400-level courses, for a total of
15 units

 

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN FINANCIAL PLANNING AND TAXATION This innovative degree is designed for financial planners who have already passed the CFP® examination and who wish to reinforce key planning skills, increase their expertise in the critical areas of taxation or estate planning, and add the academic weight of a graduate certificate and a master’s degree to their professional credentials. Partnering with the nationally known GGU School of Tax, Golden Gate’s financial planning program permits you to build on your CFP® background and move directly into advanced study in the field. This degree program is particularly well-suited for new or more experienced planners who aim to take their careers to a higher level.

 

Requirements for the Master of Science in Financial Planning and Taxation The MS in financial planning and taxation (MS FP&T) is a 10-course degree built around the graduate certificate in taxation or the graduate certificate in estate planning, depending on your concentration (see pp. 60-63 for more information about these certificates). The degree requires completion of 30 units of advanced program coursework, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 (B) or better in courses taken at Golden Gate. Courses carry three semester units of credit unless otherwise noted. All course prerequisites must be satisfied prior to enrolling in a given course; prerequisites are indicated in the section “Course Descriptions.” Applicants to this program must possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university and have passed the Certified Financial Planner™ examination at the time of admission. No foundation courses are required for this degree; passage of the CFP® examination provides adequate evidence of appropriate preparation for advanced study in financial planning and taxation.

 

ADVANCED PROGRAM – 30 UNITS
Core Courses — 12 units
FI 430 Business Development in Financial Services
FI 434 Cases in Financial Planning
TA 318 Advanced Federal Income Tax
TA 329 Tax Research and Decision Making

Concentration — 18 units

Students choose one of the following areas of concentration for 18 units.

44 Graduate Finance

Estate Planning Concentration – 18 units

Required Courses – 12 units
TA 325 Estate and Gift Taxation
TA 334 Estate Planning
TA 337 Individual Retirement Plans and Distributions
TA 344 Federal Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates

Electives – 6 units

Take two courses (six units) of 300- or 400-level FI prefix courses. We recommend that you choose from the following courses: FI 318 Venture Capital and Start-up Financing FI 344 Fundamental Analysis of Securities FI 350 Portfolio Management FI 352 Technical Analysis of Securities FI 360 Behavioral Finance FI 428 Business Valuation FI 450 Practicum in Financial Planning FI 460 Real Estate FI 463 Real Estate Finance and Investment FI 497 Internship FI 498 A-ZZ Selected Topics in Finance FI 499 Directed Study in Finance Any other FI courses for which the prerequisites have been satisfied

Taxation Concentration – 18 units
Required Courses – 6 units
TA 330 Property Transactions
TA 338 Tax Timing

Electives – 12 units

Four of the following for a total of 12 units:

Finance Electives – 6 units Take two courses (six units) of 300- or 400-level FI prefix courses, selected from the following:

FI 318 Venture Capital and Start-up Financing
FI 344 Fundamental Analysis of Securities
FI 350 Portfolio Management
FI 352 Technical Analysis of Securities
FI 360 Behavioral Finance
FI 428 Business Valuation
FI 450 Practicum in Financial Planning
FI 460 Real Estate
FI 463 Real Estate Finance and Investment
FI 497 Internship
FI 498 A-ZZ Selected Topics in Finance
FI 499 Directed Study in Finance
Any other FI courses for which the prerequisites have been satisfied.

Tax Electives – 3 units

Any course (three units) with a TA prefix

General Elective – 3 units

Any 300- or 400- level course (three units)