What Is a Financial Planning Degree? A Guide for Prospective Students

Key Takeaways

• A financial planning degree is an undergraduate program focused on helping individuals and families set and reach financial goals through budgeting, investing, retirement planning, tax planning, and estate planning
• Coursework typically covers personal finance, investment planning, risk management, insurance, retirement planning, estate planning, and the ethics of financial advising
• Skills built include financial analysis, the ability to assess financial situations, develop tailored financial plans, and apply ethical standards used by financial planners and personal financial advisors
• Online programs offer the flexibility working adults need, with options to transfer prior credits and study around work and family commitments
• University of Arkansas Grantham offers the Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentration, a business degree that blends broad business knowledge with focused financial planning expertise

Personal financial decisions shape nearly every part of a person's life, from how they save for retirement to how they plan their estate, manage risk through insurance, or build wealth over time. The growing demand for personal financial advisors who can guide individuals and families through those decisions has made financial planning one of the most relevant areas of study in the financial services industry.

A financial planning degree gives students the knowledge and skills to step into that work. It builds the academic foundation needed to assess clients' financial situations, develop tailored financial plans, and provide advice grounded in ethical standards and the Certified Financial Planning principles.

For working adults considering their next step in education, a financial planning degree opens a meaningful path. This guide breaks down what a financial planning degree typically covers, what skills you build, and how the Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentration at the University of Arkansas Grantham approaches financial planning education for adult learners studying online.

What Is a Financial Planning Degree?

A financial planning degree is an undergraduate program focused on the financial planning process, which is the work of helping people and organizations set financial goals and build plans to reach them. Students explore areas like budgeting, saving, investing, retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, and risk management.

Financial planning sits within the broader business and financial services industry. It overlaps with related fields like personal finance, wealth management, and financial advising, but its focus is specifically on the planning process: assessing financial situations, designing customized financial plans, and guiding clients through long-term decisions.

A bachelor's degree with a concentration in financial planning typically builds toward roles like personal financial planner, investment advisor, or financial advisor working within firms, banks, insurance companies, and wealth management services.

What You Study in a Financial Planning Program

A financial planning-focused degree typically covers both broad business foundations and specialized financial planning topics.

Foundational business coursework builds knowledge in areas like:

• Business management and business communication
• Microeconomics and personal finance
• Financial accounting and managerial accounting
• Business law and management information systems

Financial planning coursework dives deeper into the planning process, including:

• Fundamentals and ethics of financial planning
• Insurance planning and risk management
• Investment planning and investment strategies
• Income tax planning
• Retirement planning
• Estate planning
• Capstone work integrating the full financial planning process

Skills developed through the program include:

• Financial analysis and the ability to assess financial situations
• Developing tailored, comprehensive financial plans
• Applying ethical standards used by financial planners
• Advising on managing debt and building wealth
• Communicating complex financial information clearly

How a Financial Planning Degree Fits Into the Business Education Ladder

Financial planning education is part of a stackable academic pathway. Students often begin with an Associate of Arts in Business Administration and Management, build foundational business knowledge, and then continue into a bachelor's program for deeper specialization. Associate degrees serve as a strong stepping stone into a bachelor's, not as an ending point.

After completing a financial planning-focused bachelor's degree, students often pursue graduate study, such as a Master of Business Administration. UA Grantham offers both traditional and accelerated MBA options for graduates interested in advancing their academic credentials.

What to Look for in an Online Financial Planning Program

When evaluating an online financial planning program, focus on what matters most for adult learners and working professionals:

• Accreditation and institutional credibility
• Flexibility, including 100% online programs with monthly start dates that make it possible to study around work and family
• Transfer credit policy, particularly important for adult and military students
• Cost per credit hour and financial aid options
• Faculty experience and academic support services

The Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentration at UA Grantham

The Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentration is University of Arkansas Grantham's dedicated financial planning program. It combines broad business knowledge with focused financial planning coursework, giving students the practical tools and expertise needed to help individuals and corporations set and reach financial goals.

The Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentration is 120 total credit hours and is delivered 100% online, with eight-week terms and monthly start dates. The program is designed for working adults studying around personal and professional commitments.

Coursework in the Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentration covers the full financial planning process, including investing, retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, insurance planning, and the ethics of financial advising. The Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentration aligns with the Certified Financial Planning principles, preparing students to apply real-world financial planning theories to complex situations.

Graduates of the Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentration can build a foundation for opportunities across the financial services industry, including financial advisory firms, banks and credit unions, insurance companies, investment firms, corporate finance departments, wealth management services, nonprofit organizations offering financial education, and government agencies managing retirement and benefits programs.

Is a Financial Planning Degree the Right Path for You?

A financial planning program tends to fit students who enjoy problem solving, are comfortable with numbers, and are drawn to working with people on long-term, personal decisions. For working adults and transfer students, a degree like this is best approached as a long-term academic investment in skills and knowledge that build over time.

Ready to Pursue a Financial Planning Degree?

A financial planning degree opens up an academic foundation that applies across the financial services industry. If you're ready to explore an online financial planning option built for adult learners, learn more about the Business Administration (BBA) Financial Planning Concentrationor apply today.