Study financial planning abroad

Programs in financial planning teach students how to successfully manage the financial resources of clients. It involves developing and implementing strategies to meet a client’s financial goals.

You’ll study the basic principles of finance and investment closely before building a more specific understanding of insurance, taxation, retirement, risk management, and estate planning. As you practice developing personal financial plans for real-life case studies, you’ll sharpen the quantitative, managerial, and analytical skills so desired by employers.

Since every individual, family, organization, and business around the globe must manage its finances, financial planning is an excellent subject to study abroad. You’ll grow professionally as you learn about international financial practices and global markets.

BSc programs in financial planning take at least three years of full-time study, but many universities offer four-year courses including a 12-month industry placement. Sandwich years are a great way to put your first two years of learning into practice and build a professional network.

If you select the US as your study abroad destination, remember that your undergraduate degree will follow the four-year liberal arts model. You’ll take a mixture of liberal arts classes for the first half of your degree, before declaring a major in financial planning at the end of your second year.

MSc programs are available for students looking to dig a little deeper into the field and gain more specialist knowledge. Master’s programs can be studied full-time over one year or part-time over two years. Following your MSc, you can enroll in a research-based PhD program which normally lasts between three and six years.

You’ll mainly be taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials. Assessment methods vary from module to module, but exams, essays, reports, and financial plans usually feature.

What’s covered as part of your degree will depend on the university you choose and your level of study. However, here’s an idea of core modules that are common to most financial planning programs:

• Mathematical skills for financial planning
• Financial regulation and ethics
• Taxation theory and practice
• Pensions and retirement planning
• Tax, estate, and trust planning
• Fundamentals of banking
• Principles of investment and risk
• Financial market analysis

A degree in financial planning can pave the way to success across a range of sectors, including banking, business, insurance, and accounting.

Employers will be keen to snap up your numerical, analytical, and problem-solving skills, providing you with several exciting career opportunities. Here are some of the fast-paced and lucrative roles available to graduates:

• Financial planner
• Chief financial officer
• Financial advisor
• Financial analyst
• Financial consultant
• Investment analyst
• Stockbroker
• Risk analyst

Although earning a degree already boosts your employability, participating in work experience will give you an even better chance of landing your dream job. Speak to your university’s career office about internship opportunities at local banks, wealth management companies, brokerage firms, or any other relevant organizations.