The master of science in financial planning is designed for students who aspire to become financial planners, investment advisers or money managers, or who may be interested in one of the many elements — estate planning, insurance, taxes, real estate, for example — of this broad and rapidly growing field. Golden Gate has one of the oldest accredited programs in financial planning in the country, having offered our first courses more than 20 years ago.
At the heart of this degree is a core of courses that examine the key functions of financial planning: financial planning principles, income tax planning, risk management, estate planning, investments, employee benefits and retirement planning. Not only do these courses provide the academic foundation of the discipline, they also satisfy the educational requirements necessary for the premier Certified Financial Planner™ designation; thus, students can prepare to sit for the CFP® exam while they are earning an advanced academic degree in financial planning.*
*Golden Gate University is a “Registered Program,” which provides authorized coursework covering all of the knowledge requirements of the CFP.® Golden Gate University does not award the CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ designations. The right to use the marks CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ is granted by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to those persons who have met its rigorous educational standards, passed the CFP Board’s certification examination, satisfied a work experience requirement and agreed to abide by the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Only persons registered with the CFP Board are permitted to sit for the certification examination. CFP® certificates and licenses are issued only by the CFP Board.
Requirements for the Master of Science in Financial Planning The MS in financial planning 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.” Individual foundation program courses may be waived if the student has previously completed comparable courses at a regionally accredited college or university. Students may be admitted to advanced program courses before completion of the entire foundation program, but must complete the foundation program by the time that 12 units have been earned in the advanced program.
Computer Proficiency Requirement
Applicants are expected to demonstrate a working familiarity with computers and software applications appropriate for graduate studies. Deficiencies in computer proficiency may require additional work as determined by the faculty.
Math Proficiency Requirement
Students admitted to this program are expected to possess a level of mathematical skill at least equivalent to College Algebra (MATH 30). Students may meet this requirement by satisfying one of the screening criteria listed under the heading “Proficiency in Mathematics, English and Computer Skills Required for Certain Master’s Degrees” on p. 114.
Foundation Program — 12 units
ACCTG 201 Accounting for Managers
ECON 202 Economics for Managers
FI 203 Financial Analysis for Managers
MATH 240 Data Analysis for Managers
Advanced Program — 30 units
Core Courses — 24 units
FI 420 Personal Financial Planning
FI 421 Personal Investment Management
FI 422 Retirement and Employee Benefits Planning
FI 425 Income Tax Planning
FI 426 Estate Planning
FI 430 Business Development in Financial Services
FI 434 Cases in Financial Planning
FI 483 Insurance Planning
Electives — 6 units
Take two 300- or 400-level graduate courses with FI prefixes.
Courses appropriate for careers in financial planning include
FI 305 Financial Statement Analysis
FI 307 Financial Modeling
FI 344 Fundamental Analysis of Securities
FI 346 Derivative Markets
FI 350 Portfolio Management
FI 352 Technical Analysis of Securities
FI 360 Behavioral Finance
FI 450 Practicum in Financial Planning
FI 460 Real Estate
FI 463 Real Estate Finance and Investment
FI 497 Internship in Finance
FI 498 Special Topics in Finance
For the most up-to-date program information and course listings, visit www.ggu.edu.
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