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Undergraduate

Financial Planning Concentration

See People, Not Just Numbers

At A Glance

## Description
## Description

Program Type

Concentration in the financial services major (BS)

Accreditation

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

Outcomes

Preparation for Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)

On this page:

Student in classroom

There’s never been a better time to be a financial planner. With many in the profession hitting retirement age and the baby boomer generation in need of financial consultation, professional opportunities are plentiful. Factor in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis – and the cynicism toward corporate and investment banking that resulted – and you can understand why ethical financial planners are in high demand.

The course of study in our financial planning program, a concentration in our financial services major, is registered by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board), equipping you with the necessary technical and professional skills for a successful career as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), the top credentialing certification in the profession.

Watch video: Financial Planning | Meet the College Major #FinancialPlanning #Shorts

Program Distinctives Why Study Financial Planning at George Fox?

  • Upon completing the program, you will have met the educational requirement of the CFP Board and be eligible to sit for the CFP® exam.

  • Wealth Management, a respected digital resource for financial advisors and estate planning professionals, ranked our financial planning program 23rd in the nation.

  • You will be involved in a completely residential educational experience with all in-person classes with top-tier faculty.
  • You will engage with an industrial advisor board made up of some of the largest financial planning and wealth management firms in the Northwest – firms that are ready to hire our students as interns and full-time hires.
  • We are one of only a handful of Christian universities in the country that offer a CFP Board-registered residential financial planning degree program. We are also one of the only CFP Board-registered residential financial planning degree programs in the Pacific Northwest region.

Courses / Curriculum What Will I Study?

Perhaps the biggest myth about the financial planning field is that it’s all about numbers – and that you have to be really good at math. Not true!

While numbers are certainly involved, most of financial planning is about having conversations with people, asking questions and listening well, and developing a strategic financial plan that will help them accomplish their most critical life goals. All of this happens while journeying with individuals for much of their lives and sharing in their emotional ups and downs.

Our curriculum takes the “human element” of financial planning into account. In addition to learning about numbers, you’ll explore how stewardship and generosity play a primary role in helping individuals and families experience their most meaningful financial lives. The topics you will study include:

  • Stewardship
  • Creating personal financial statements
  • Client counseling and communication
  • Insurance and risk
  • Tax planning
  • Retirement and investing
  • Estates and gifting
View Financial Planning Courses View Financial Services Major Courses

Cornerstone Core

The Cornerstone Core is a set of 12 courses across 10 academic disciplines that undergraduate students take at George Fox to cultivate their character within the Christian context.

Learn more about general education

As an alternative to Cornerstone Core, students can participate in our great books honors program.

Career Outlook What’s After George Fox

Employment opportunities in the financial planning sector are expected to grow faster than average during the next five to 10 years. A more complex financial environment, coupled with an increasing number of baby boomers who need to invest their retirement savings wisely, both contribute to this positive outlook. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for personal financial advisors is expected to increase 13% between 2022 and 2032.

Jobs our graduates have held
  • Associate Advisor, Aldrich Wealth
  • Associate Advisor, Human Investing
  • Analyst, Goldman Sachs
  • Financial Associate, Finity Group
  • Financial Planning Assistant, Wealthbridge Advisors
  • Associate Advisor, Springwater Wealth Management
  • Financial Paraplanner, McGee Wealth
  • Client Associate, Rathbone Warwick
  • Junior Associate, AIM Wealth Advisory Group
  • Operations Specialist, Ameriprise Financial Services
Student in graduation cap and gown
Portrait of Emma Greenough

Emma Greenough

I love the financial planning program because it allows me to use my love of problem solving and math and learn how finances can be utilized to reach our goals. Additionally, I love its practical applications for everyday life and the integrative focus on living out our faith through our wealth. Each of my professors has been caring, encouraging and supportive in both my academic and personal life and has truly made me feel known within this community.

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