Contents
Catalog Links

Finance (B.S.) Financial Planning Concentration

Program Overview

A major in finance trains students to apply financial principles and create financial models to formulate solutions to case studies and current events in both personal and corporate finance. This program has two concentrations to choose from: Financial Analysis or Financial Planning. These concentrations focus on practical application using state-of-the-art techniques that will uniquely prepare and equip students to be effective leaders in the field of finance.

The Financial Planning concentration is registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) and meets the CFP Board education requirement for students to be able to sit for the CFP® exam. Students earning this certificate will be prepared to take the Certified Financial Planning Exam. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from Messiah’s Finance program can:

  1. Students will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the required professional conduct and regulation for financial professionals. (ULO 4, ULO 5, ULO 6)
  2. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop a comprehensive financial plan for potential clients. (ULO 2, ULO 3)
  3. Students will use Microsoft Excel to create detailed budgets and long-term savings projections intended to achieve client retirement funding goals. (ULO 2)
  4. Recall, recognize, and interpret foundational content related to ACBSP accreditation Common Professional Component—disciplinary areas in which all business majors need to be proficient regardless of their major including Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Management, Law, Economics, Ethics, Information Systems, Global, Quantitative and Integrative (ULO 2)
  5. Apply business concepts, strategies and tactics (ULO 2)
  6. Conduct methodological secondary research into business issues. (ULO 3)
  7. Articulate how the Christian faith informs one’s work life, career, and daily business practices (ULO 4, ULO 5, ULO 6)

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

ACCT 141Financial Accounting

3
ACCT 242Managerial Accounting

3
ACCT 301Intermediate Accounting I

3
BUSA 102Opportunities in Business

1
BUSA 120Principles of Management

3
BUSA 381Business Law

3
BUSA 501Business Strategy and Execution

3
CIS 190Strategic Use of Information Technology

3
ECON 120Principles of Macroeconomics

3
ECON 220Principles of Microeconomics

3
 
ECON 307Money and Financial Markets

3
OR
FINA 307Money and Financial Markets

3
 
FINA 305Financial Management

3
FINA 351Investments

3
MRKT 130Marketing Principles

3
STAT 281Applied Statistics for Management

3

Three to four credits from the following:

MATH 107Applied Mathematics for Management

3
MATH 108Intuitive Calculus with Applications

3
MATH 111Calculus I

4

Financial Planning Concentration (15 credits)

ACCT 347Federal Individual Income Taxes

3
FINA 340Estate Planning

3
FINA 345Education and Retirement Planning

3
FINA 440Insurance and Risk Management

3
FINA 445Financial Planning Capstone

3

General Education Requirements

Experiential Learning requirement   0
General Education requirements   Credits
First Year Seminar IDFY 101/102H  3
Written Communication ENGL 110/110H 3
Oral Communication COMM 105 3
Mathematical and Scientific Ways of Knowing Mathematics (MATH 107, MATH 108, MATH 111) met/major
Science with Lab  3 or 4 
Social Scientific Ways of Knowing
 Social Science (ECON 120) met/major
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing 24GE History 3
Literary & Aesthetic Ways of Knowing
 Literature or Arts 3
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing
 Philosophy or Religion 3
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing 1st and 2nd Level Language 6
Intercultural Perspectives Intercultural Global or International Cross-cultural or 3rd Level Language 3
Bible
 24GE Bible 3
Christian Beliefs
 24GE Christian Beliefs 3
Holistic Wellness
 WELL 1xx 1
Ethics and the Common Good
 24GE Ethics and the Common Good 3
Intercultural Perspectives
 Intercultural U.S. or Domestic Cross-cultural 3
Common Learning
 Experiential Learning  
General Education requirements   43-44
Major requirements (inclusive of concentration)   61-62
Free Electives    17-19
Total credits   123