Wealth Management & Financial Planning

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Wealth Management & Financial Planning

The overall goal of the Wealth Management and Financial Planning program is to expand student understanding of the theory and practice of managing financial resources for individuals, families, and organizations. We pursue this goal through quality teaching and advising, significant research, and appropriate community involvement.

Upon graduation, Wealth Management and Financial Planning majors from John Carroll University should have a strong academic foundation that allows them to:

Enter a career in financial planning or wealth management and have the potential to lead.
Enter a quality graduate program in a variety of fields, especially in business.
Seek further professional certification in financial planning or wealth management (for example, as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), or other related certifications).

PROGRAM INFORMATION

Personal financial advisors work in various types of organizations including commercial banks, investment companies like RIAs, investment banks, insurance companies, brokerage companies as well as regulatory agencies. You can also work as a financial planner, investment advisor, or wealth manager helping individuals and families to achieve their financial goals.

Whether in a corporate, institutional, or consumer setting, finance applies fundamentals from economics, accounting, and mathematics to financial decision making.

As you master financial theories, you will be asked to apply the insights to such areas of real-world practice as budgeting, tax planning, estate planning, insurance planning, risk management, wealth management and retirement planning.

The Wealth Management and Financial Planning (WMFP) program at the Boler College of Business is registered with Certified Financial Planner (CFP ®) Board of Standards. As a CFP Board Registered Program, graduates of the Boler WMFP program will have met the educational requirements to sit for the CFP® exam. CFP® certification is one of the most highly regarded certifications in the financial planning profession.

ESG plays an increasingly important role for many investors. The Wealth Management and Financial Planning program at Boler assists students interested in learning more about this trend. It is important that our students understand how to create a portfolio for their clients that emphasizes ESG, without compromising long-term growth.

Core Courses

Students must complete the University’s Integrative Core Curriculum in addition to the Boler Core Curriculum. In completing the Integrative Core Curriculum, Boler College of Business students must take PL311 (Business Ethics) as one of the choices in the category of Jesuit Heritage.

Prospective Wealth Management and Financial Planning majors must complete FN 312 with a minimum grade of C.

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Major Courses

Major Courses
EC 3302	Macroeconomics Theories of the determination of the level of national economic activity: output, income, employment, and its relationship to economic growth, stability, and the price level. Particular emphasis on the components of aggregate demand and aggregate supply. Prerequisite: EC 201, EC 202; MT 130, MT 133 and MT 134, or MT 135; or permission of chair.
FN 3342	Investments Prerequisite: FN 312 (minimum grade of C), MT 130 (minimum grade of C). Principles in the selection and management of investments, from the viewpoints of large and small investors.
PFP 3301	Introduction to Financial Planning An introductory course concerning the process and principles of financial planning. The course of study includes an examination of the financial planning process, client interactions, financial statements, cash flow and debt management, time value of money, housing, education planning, overview of risk management, investments planning, retirement plans, and ethics.Prerequisite: FN 312 (min grade C).
PFP 3371	Tax Planning A detailed study of specific provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that relate to taxation of individuals and tax planning concepts in business and individual transactions. This course also examines the alternative minimum tax (AMT), tax management strategies, taxation of real property transactions, passive and at-risk rules, as well as charitable contributions in the context of personal financial planning. Prerequisite or corequisite: PFP 301.
PFP 3372	Retirement Planning This course provides students with a strong and rigorous foundation in retirement planning and employee benefits. In particular, the course offers students an overview of the retirement planning process, knowledge of retirement plans (both public and private plans), and tools and strategies used by financial professionals to help individuals, families, and companies choose and implement effective retirement planning strategies. Prerequisites or corequisites: PFP 301 and PFP 371.
PFP 3373	Estate Planning The course provides an overview of gift, estate, and generation skipping transfer taxation, including financial and estate planning applications. Topics include trusts, wills, probate, advanced directives, charitable giving, wealth transfers, and related taxes. Prerequisites or corequisites: PFP 301 and PFP 371.
PFP 4490	Cases in Financial Planning This course serves as a capstone experience for students of financial planning. Emphasis is on the application of financial planning knowledge and development of a complete financial plan. Prerequisites: PFP 301 and PFP 371. Prerequisites or corequisites: PFP 372, PFP 373, and PFP 374.

Students may choose to pursue a double major in Finance and Financial Planning and Wealth Management. Interested students should consult with their advisors and review the suggested sequence of courses found on the Boler College website.

Students may also choose to double major in Economics and Financial Planning and Wealth Management. Interested students should consult with their advisors on how to complete requirements for both majors.

Electives

Electives
FN 4405	Seminar in Finance Prerequisites: minimum grade of C in FN 312 and/or as announced. Contemporary issues in finance not covered in depth in other departmental courses. Topics, method of presentation, and requirements designated by the seminar leader.
FN 4418	Real Estate Finance Introduction to real estate with a focus on financial aspects; theory and measurement of returns and risks on real estate and real estate-related assets; valuation theory for owner-occupied and income-producing properties. Prerequisite: FN 312 (minimum grade of C).
FN 4439	International Business Finance Tools and techniques necessary to understand the financial management of the firm in an international environment. Exchange rate determination, risk analysis, transactions denominated in foreign currency, nontraditional trading practices, and the unique problems faced by multinational firms. Exchange rate risk in foreign securities investments. Prerequisite: FN 312 (minimum grade of C).
FN 4442	Risk Management & Insurance Fundamentals Focuses on the management of business risks whose outcomes are subject to some degree of direct control (e.g., fire damage that may be preventable), as compared to risks whose outcomes are a result of changing market forces. Prerequisite: FN 312 (minimum grade of C).
FN 4444	Managing Financial Risk with Derivatives Introduction to analytical and decision-making processes used to transfer risk with futures and options. Theory and application of pricing, speculating, and hedging techniques in financial markets. Prerequisite: FN 312 (minimum grade of C).
FN 4452	Portfolio Management Focuses on the Dornam Fund, a student-managed investment portfolio. Provides theory and experience in professional money management; identification of investment objectives, information assessment for security selection, and evaluation of fund performance. Prerequisite: FN 342; permission of instructor.
FN 4498	Independent Study Research project supervised by a member of the department willing to act as advisor. The student selects an aspect of finance, establishes goals, and develops a plan of study that must be approved by the chair and filed with the dean’s office. Consult the chair for department guidelines established for such study. Prerequisite: Finance major with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0; permission of chair or instructor.

Students must take one of the seven above courses.

Recent Placements

Pursue a Double Major with Finance

Students who wish to double major in both Finance and Financial Planning & Wealth Management can do so with the addition of 15 credit hours of coursework (EC 301, AC 310, FN 316, FN 440, & FN441 [15 credit hours]). This combination is particularly useful for students who not only wish to earn a CFP® credential but also the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential. Students who intend to pursue a double major with finance may use the same financial planning and wealth management elective to count as their finance elective.

To view the suggested course sequence for the double major with Finance, please visit the Boler advising page.

View Suggested Course Sequence

Get Bloomberg Certified

We encourage every Boler student to earn Bloomberg Certification. By completing the (free) self-paced Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) e-learning course, you gain a credential that tells employers you have a firm grasp of the gold standard financial markets data platform.

Get Certified