This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2026-2027 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
The concentration in financial planning prepares students for careers in financial planning by providing a comprehensive curriculum and experiential learning opportunities. The program is designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to meet the Certified Financial Planner board's educational requirements. Through a combination of coursework, case studies and hands-on experiences, students gain expertise in areas such as investment planning, tax strategies, risk management, estate planning and retirement planning. Graduates of the program will be well-prepared to sit for the CFP® exam upon completion of their degree, positioning them for success in the financial planning profession.
Learning goals
The program is designed to equip students with the comprehensive knowledge, analytical skills, and ethical framework necessary to develop and implement effective financial strategies for individuals and families. Students will be able to integrate advanced financial concepts with real-world applications, enabling them to make informed decisions that enhance clients' financial well-being and contribute to their long-term financial security..
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program:
- Students will be able to identify and use relevant data to calculate appropriate quantitative measures that help in making informed financial decisions.
- Students will be able to describe and expound on several financial solutions in a structured, organized and deliberate manner with comparisons, anecdotal evidence and descriptive analysis.
- Students will be able to express the analytic, quantitative and ethical dimensions of a business problem and proposed solutions in a clear, well-organized manner that is free of bias or distortions.
- Students will be able to identify and analyze ethical dimensions of a business situation and relate those dimensions to general and professional ethical standards.
Financial planning concentration-specific outcomes
- Students will be able to identify, gather and apply relevant financial data to calculate key quantitative measures, enabling them to make well-informed and strategic financial planning decisions for client.
- Students will be able to articulate and compare various financial planning strategies in a structured and organized manner, using comparisons, case studies and descriptive analysis to present tailored financial solutions that meet clients' unique needs.
- Students will be able to evaluate financial planning scenarios by considering their analytic, quantitative and ethical aspects, and clearly communicate proposed solutions in a well-organized, unbiased and professional manner.
- Students will be able to identify and critically analyze the ethical dimensions of financial planning situations, applying both general and professional ethical standards to ensure responsible and client-focused decision-making.
Special requirements
The School of Business has special academic policies, including policies on transfer credits, that apply to all undergraduate degrees.
School of Business progression policy
Students enrolled in undergraduate programs of the School of Business engage in a demanding curriculum designed to set them up for success in the world of business. In order to successfully maintain progress towards graduation, students are required to meet the following criteria in order to remain in their majors:
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Students are required to pass major and ancillary requirements within two attempts. If a student withdraws from a course, it will count as an attempt.
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Upon the third attempt at a course, students will be placed on business probation and must pass the course successfully in that third attempt.
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Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 major GPA.
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If a student's major GPA drops below 2.0, they will be placed on business probation and allowed one semester to raise their major GPA to 2.0.
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Upon notification of being placed on business probation, students will receive a registration hold, and must meet with their business adviser prior to the add/drop deadline of the pursuant semester in order to create an action plan to either pass the repeated course successfully, or increase their major GPA.
Students who do not meet the performance expectations of business probation in that same semester will be required to change their major prior to the start of the next semester.
Students may appeal the change of major via the associate dean of the School of Business. Students must initiate the appeal with their assigned academic adviser. The associate dean may, at their discretion, extend the time period needed to meet the requirements, generally by only one semester. A student who wishes to appeal must submit his or her appeal at least one week prior to the start of the next semester in which they register for classes.
Degree requirements for Finance, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a concentration in financial planning
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| FIRE 312 | Financial Modeling | 3 |
| FIRE 317 | Investments | 3 |
| • Concentration requirements | ||
| ACCT 301 | Federal Income Taxation for Individuals | 3 |
| FIRE 201 | Personal Financial Planning | 3 |
| FIRE 309 | Risk Management and Insurance | 3 |
| FIRE 441 | Funds Management in Financial Institutions | 3 |
| FIRE 449 | Employee Benefit Planning | 3 |
| FIRE 453 | Estate Planning | 3 |
| FIRE 463 | Financial Planning Capstone | 3 |
| Approved financial planning elective | ||
| Select a course from the list below. | 3 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| • Ancillary core courses | ||
| ACCT 203 & ACCT 204 | Introduction to Financial Reporting and Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 6 |
| BUSN 301 | Career and Professional Development | 1 |
| BUSN 323 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BUSN 325 | Business Communications | 3 |
| BUSN 499 | Business Knowledge Exam | 0 |
| ECON 210 | Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| ECON 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| FIRE 311 | Financial Management | 3 |
| INFO 360 | Business Information Systems | 3 |
| MGMT 303 | Creativity and Ideation | 3 |
| MGMT 310 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT 434 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
| SCMA 301 | Business Statistics I | 3 |
| SCMA 320 | Production/Operations Management | 3 |
| • Additional ancillary requirements | ||
| BUSN 201 | Foundations of Business 1 | 3 |
| or BUSN 205 | Introduction to the World of Business | |
| BUSN 212 | Business Problem Solving and Analysis (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 4 |
| or MATH 200 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. 2 | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
BUSN 205 satisfies general education AOI for global perspectives.
Students may choose electives to reach the minimum total of 120 credits.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Approved financial planning electives
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 410 | Advanced Tax Accounting | 3 |
| BUSN 400 & BUSN 401 | Principles of Consulting and International Consulting Practicum (must get credit for both courses to count toward degree completion) | 6 |
| ECON 307 | Money and Banking | 3 |
| ECON 402 | Business Cycles and Forecasting | 3 |
| ECON 403 | Introduction to Mathematical Economics | 3 |
| FIRE 305 | Principles of Real Estate | 3 |
| FIRE 315 | Real Property Management | 3 |
| FIRE 316 | International Financial Management | 3 |
| FIRE 319 | Financial Mathematics | 3 |
| FIRE 320 | Actuarial Probability Concepts | 3 |
| FIRE 359 | Issues in Risk Management and Insurance | 3 |
| FIRE 417 | Security Analysis and Portfolio Management | 3 |
| FIRE 429 | Property and Liability Insurance | 3 |
| FIRE 441 | Funds Management in Financial Institutions | 3 |
| FIRE 445 | Real Estate Investment Analysis | 3 |
| FIRE 451 | Options, Futures and Swaps | 3 |
| FIRE 461 | Cases in Financial Management | 3 |
| FIRE 469 | Advanced Property/Casualty Insurance: Alternative Markets | 3 |
| FIRE 491 | Topics in Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 1-3 |
| FIRE 492 | Independent Study in Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 1-3 |
| FIRE 493 | Internship in Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (requires departmental approval) | 3 |
| MKTG 442 | Services Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 335 | Professional Selling I: The Art of Persuasion | 3 |
What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| BUSN 201 or BUSN 205 | Foundations of Business 1 or Introduction to the World of Business 1 | 3 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| UNIV 191 | Student Success Special Topics or Introduction to the University or Education and Career Planning | 1 |
| General education courses | 6 | |
| Open elective (prerequisite to BUSN 212 suggested) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| ACCT 203 | Introduction to Financial Reporting | 3 |
| BUSN 212 or MATH 200 | Business Problem Solving and Analysis (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 4 |
| ECON 210 | Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ACCT 204 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| FIRE 311 | Financial Management | 3 |
| ECON 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| SCMA 301 | Business Statistics I | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| BUSN 301 | Career and Professional Development | 1 |
| BUSN 325 | Business Communications | 3 |
| FIRE 201 | Personal Financial Planning | 3 |
| MGMT 303 | Creativity and Ideation | 3 |
| MGMT 310 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ACCT 301 | Federal Income Taxation for Individuals | 3 |
| FIRE 309 | Risk Management and Insurance | 3 |
| FIRE 312 | Financial Modeling | 3 |
| INFO 360 | Business Information Systems | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| BUSN 323 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| FIRE 317 | Investments | 3 |
| FIRE 441 | Funds Management in Financial Institutions | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| FIRE 449 | Employee Benefit Planning | 3 |
| Approved financial planning elective | 3 | |
| Open electives | 9 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| BUSN 499 | Business Knowledge Exam | 0 |
| FIRE 453 | Estate Planning | 3 |
| FIRE 463 | Financial Planning Capstone | 3 |
| MGMT 434 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |
BUSN 205 satisfies general education AOI for global perspectives.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.