UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jobs in finance, such as personal financial advisers and analysts, are forecast for double-digit growth over the next 10 years, and a new Penn State online degree will help prepare students for careers in this field.
A new accredited online bachelor of science degree in finance is being offered through Penn State World Campus and Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.
Faculty from the Sam and Irene Black School of Business at Penn State Behrend will teach courses within the major. World Campus will deliver the 120-credit program, which will begin in the fall.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, financial sector jobs will see robust growth through 2022. For instance, jobs in personal financial advising are forecast to increase by 27 percent, and the number of financial analyst jobs is predicted to increase by 16 percent.
The growth shapes up to offer students promising career opportunities in finance, said Greg Filbeck, the Samuel P. Black III Professor of Insurance and Risk Management at Penn State Behrend.
“The demand for finance majors continues to grow as the baby boomer population continues to move into retirement,” Filbeck said. “They will need the assistance of financial experts both from a planning and portfolio management perspective. In addition, both corporations and banks need well-trained individuals to retain their competitive edge.”
The bachelor’s degree in finance provides students a foundation in the principles of business, economics and accounting. Courses encompass all components of the finance field, such as investments, corporate finance, financial markets and more.
Students who complete the degree may go on to secure jobs such as financial planners, financial analysts, security analysts, portfolio managers, bankers and risk managers as well as jobs in corporate tracks that lead as high as the chief financial officer.
The online finance degree is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB, which requires institutions to pass rigorous standards for quality.
The accreditation is widely recognized, and accredited institutions have high-quality faculty, challenging curriculum, and educational and career services. Less than 5 percent of the world’s 13,000 business programs have earned the accreditation.
In addition, Filbeck said adult learners in the online finance major can complete the 18-credit Certificate in Financial Planning, which is a registered program with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. It gives students an introduction to areas of insurance, taxes, investments, retirement planning and estate planning.
“The bachelor of science in finance offered through World Campus allows students an exposure to all areas related to the finance profession. For those students who are interested in financial planning, the Certificate in Financial Planning can be completed in conjunction with the finance major,” he said.
Applications are now being accepted for the online bachelor of science degree in finance. For more information, visit the program’s website.
Mike Dawson
408 The 329 Building, University Park, PA 16802
