Financial Planner Certifications & Degrees

We offer two graduate degrees and a certificate
option to help financial planners and advisors
develop their skills and advance their careers.

MBA in
Financial Planning

Balance financial planning knowledge with core business skills.

The MBA degree provides students with the skills needed to transform a planning practice into a planning business, or pursue a leadership position with a firm.

  • 15 courses (45 units)
  • 7 business and 8 financial planning courses

Learn more

Master of Science in
Financial Planning

Focus on building your financial planning and advisory skillsets.

The MS degree is designed for students who want to specialize in a particular aspect of financial planning or wealth management by choosing from a variety of elective courses.

  • 12 courses (36 units)
  • Choose elective courses to specialize

Learn more

Certificate in
Financial Planning

For individuals who want to gain eligibility to sit for the CFP® exam.

The certificate is designed for professionals or career changers who seek to acquire the skills necessary to become a certified financial planner.

  • 8 courses (24 units)
  • The fast track to earn your CFP®

Learn more

Financial Planning Scholarship

Together with the CFP Board, California Lutheran University has established a scholarship to increase the number of CFP® professionals from underrepresented populations in the financial planning profession in terms of gender, race and ethnicity.

$5,000 for students pursuing an MBA in Financial Planning
$3,500 for students pursuing an MS in Financial Planning

Applications for this scholarship may be submitted before program admission.

View scholarship

All programs offer the following benefits:

  • Take courses fully online
  • Start the program at any of the year-round terms
  • Accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
  • USDLA-award-winning online classes
  • Ranked by US News and World Report among the top 20 schools in the Western United States
US News RankingsUSDLAWASC Accredited

The CFP® Board is a nonprofit professional regulatory organization that requires education, ethics requirements, examination, and experience for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certificants. Along with completing the financial planning coursework and passing the CFP® Certification Examination, the CFP® Board also requires successful CFP® certificants to have financial planning-related work experience and adhere to their Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility.

The MBA and Certificate program in Financial Planning is registered by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board) in Washington DC. Candidates who plan to sit for the CFP Certification Examination must successfully complete a CFP Board-Registered Program.

The MBA and Certificate program in Financial Planning is registered by the AFCPE® Registered Education Program in Westerville, OH. Candidates who plan to sit for the AFC® Certification Examination must successfully complete a AFCPE® Registered Education Program.

Next Steps
©