LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, Jan. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- During a time of uncertainty in the job market due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spalding University School of Business is offering unique undergraduate and graduate academic programs on campus and online – including a bachelor’s program in financial planning and a master’s program in business communication – designed to help both traditional-age college students and working professionals increase their skills or prepare for a career change.
Spalding – a private institution that has existed for 100 years in downtown Louisville, Kentucky – recently became the first university in Louisville to offer a bachelor’s degree program in financial planning, which fulfills the educational requirements to earn the coveted designation of Certified Financial Planner (CFP), as affirmed by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board).
Financial planning is one of four concentration options in Spalding’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program, which can be completed online, on campus or through a hybrid of the two. The Spalding financial planning program prepares students to sit for the CFP Certification Exam, helping them get a jump-start while in college on a career in a growing, respected field in the finance industry.
The number of CFP-designated professionals in the United States has grown 27 percent since 2013, according to the CFP Board. CFPs routinely earn an average income near or exceeding $100,000.
“Spalding is proud to offer financial planning courses approved by the CFP Board through both our bachelor’s in business administration program and through a post-bachelor’s certificate program,” said Dr. Michelle Reiss, Chair of the Spalding School of Business. “We are confident that students who enroll in these programs at Spalding are headed down a path to professional success.
Reiss continued: “To achieve a CFP certification, financial planning professionals must complete an educational requirement, pass the CFP exam and fulfill a work experience requirement. Spalding stands out as the only institution in Louisville to offer the opportunity for aspiring financial planners to complete the CFP educational requirement as part of their bachelor’s degree studies. This saves students time and money while readying them to enter this rewarding, growing, trusted profession. And because Spalding’s program in financial planning is offered not only on campus but fully online, a student can be located anywhere in the country while receiving their education from our historic institution.”
In addition, Spalding stands out as one of the nation’s only universities to offer a fully online master’s in business communication (MSBC), which is an alternative to an MBA that focuses on teaching communication, problem-solving and other “soft skills” necessary to succeed in the workplace.
Spalding’s online master’s in business communication can be completed from anywhere in as little as 10 months with concentrations offered in Accounting, Healthcare Management, Human Resource Management, Organizational Leadership and Sports Management. The GRE or GMAT is not required to apply. Graduate certificates in HR Management and Sports Management are also available.
“We find that the skills that the MSBC is specifically designed to develop – leadership and social influence, emotional intelligence, complex problem-solving, creativity, and initiative – are often the skills most sought by employers and industry leaders,” said Dr. Robin Hinkle, MSBC Program Director. “Both recent college graduates or experienced professionals would be well-served by the training provided in our master’s program at Spalding.”
Those interested may apply for any undergraduate, graduate within the Spalding School of Business by visiting spalding.edu/apply or learn more about any program at spalding.edu/request-information. All Spalding School of Business programs are available online and delivered in the university’s signature six-week block schedule format in which students focus on 1-2 courses at a time for six weeks before taking a one-week break and starting new courses in another six-week session.
In addition to financial planning, Spalding’s other Business Administration concentrations are marketing, human resource management and sports management.
The School of Business also offers a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a post-bachelor’s certificate in accounting – either of which can be taken online or on campus – that will prepare students to sit for the Certified Public Accountant exam.
More information on all School of Business programs is available at spalding.edu/business.
About Spalding University: Established in 1814 and located in downtown Louisville since 1920, Spalding is a historic, private institution that offers graduate, undergraduate and accelerated programs in a range of areas of study. The regionally accredited university offers an innovative schedule of seven six-week sessions per year, allowing students to earn a bachelor’s degree at their own pace. Its athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III. Spalding was recognized as the world's first Compassionate University. More information is available at Spalding.edu.
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