Financial Planning (B.A., B.S.)

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Great financial planners work in the overlap between dollars and people. They’re equally comfortable navigating intricate financial regulations and their clients’ complex lives.

Demand for personal financial advisors is expected to grow at a faster than average rate of 7% through 2028. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median U.S. salary for financial planners is $89,000. On average, certified financial planners earn 25% more than non-certified financial planners.

Nebraska Wesleyan University equips you to guide people through some of the most important decisions of their lives. You can have a rewarding career helping others make their long-term financial goals a reality.

Put yourself in perfect position for certification.

Nebraska Wesleyan’s online financial planning courses are designed to prepare you well for your certification exam. Those courses combine with personal support from NWU faculty through academic advising and instruction. You’ll enter that exam ready to succeed.

Financial advisors and planners are accredited by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP® Board), which ensures that advisors and planners meet strict educational, professional and ethical requirements.

The CFP® Certification has been an industry gold standard for over 30 years and the NWU program will help you prepare for the crucial CFP® exam. In fact, 90% of consumers see an advisor’s certification as a key component of deciding who to work with.

Coursework for Financial Planning

Academically equivalent, both bachelor of art and bachelor of science degrees will prepare students for a career as a Financial Planner or Advisor.

To become a Certified Financial Planner, students must complete four key requirements:

  • Education
    • Complete a bachelor's degree.
    • Complete a seven-course sequence from a CFP Board Registered Program (the LCMC consortium qualifies as a CFP Board Registered Program).
  • Exam
    • Complete a 170 question, 6-hour multiple choice exam offered in March, July, or November).
  • Experience
    • Complete 6,000 hours of professional experience relating to financial planning or complete 4,000 hours of an apprenticeship. This experience must be completed within five years of sitting for the exam.
  • Ethics
    • Complete the ethics declaration form and pass a background check.

Financial Planning (B.A. or B.S., 66 hours)
Required Courses63 hours
ACCT 1310 Principles of Accounting I3 hours
ACCT 1320 Principles of Accounting II3 hours
BUSAD 2000 Principles of Marketing3 hours
ECON 1530 Macroeconomic Principles3 hours
ECON 1540 Microeconomic Principles3 hours

Mathematics course (choose from):

3-5 hours

Statistics course (Choose from:)

3 hours
BUSAD 2300 Business Communication3 hours
BUSAD 2500 Principles of Management3 hours
BUSAD 2700 Business Law I3 hours
BUSAD 3300 Quantitative Methods3 hours
BUSAD 3700 Financial Management3 hours
BUSAD 3710 General Principles of Financial Planning*3 hours
BUSAD 3720 Risk Management & Insurance Planning*3 hours
BUSAD 3730 Investment Planning*3 hours
BUSAD 3740 Tax Planning*3 hours
BUSAD 3750 Retirement Savings & Income Planning*3 hours
BUSAD 3760 Estate Planning*3 hours
BUSAD 4450 Financial Plan Development*3 hours
BUSAD 4600 Business Ethics3 hours
BUSAD 4970 Business Internship3 hours
Capstone3 hours
BUSAD 4800 Strategic Management3 hours

*This course is offered remotely via NWU's partnership with a Consortium. The partnership allows students to earn NWU credit for specific courses. Classes are designed by top academics and industry leaders, vetted by NWU, and taught by experts in the field.