Program Description Are you a pro at managing money with an added interest in stocks, bonds, investing and financial planning? Have you considered getting paid to help others manage their financial portfolios? The three-year Finance – Business Administration program provides advanced education and training in business, financial planning, investments, and life and health insurance. This structure will ensure you complete the program with the skills to gain a competitive edge in the job market. During the program you’ll have the opportunity to write the Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC)® exam to be eligible for mutual fund licensing, as well as the Canadian Securities Course (CSC)® exams to be eligible for a securities license. The requirements for each designation/certification listed above are set by the granting body, not Durham College. In order to qualify for any of these designations/certifications, students need to follow and meet the required processes. You will also have two options to gain valuable skills in the workforce and will either complete a field placement or a co-operative education (co-op) experience.
NOTE: Students enrolling in this program are required to purchase their own laptop.
The three-year Finance – Business Administration advanced diploma program and the two-year Finance – Business diploma program have a common first two years of studies. However, the third year provides a unique opportunity for students to complete a four-week placement in their final semester of study, which will give them a practical finance experience and the opportunity to apply the theories and concepts learned throughout the program.
Through the program and field placement, students will gain the skills and knowledge required to work in the field of financial services. In addition to a foundation in business, learning will be focused on a diverse selection of studies including, personal financial management, tax and retirement planning, investments and estate planning. An emphasis placed on training in financial services in various areas including, financial project management, call centre operations, financial analysis, planning and control, and preparation of financial plans. You will learn how to:
Keep a simple set of books for small businesses using accounting concepts and practices Understand the needs of clients in order to create relevant financial goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and time-sensitive Examine other countries, businesses and individuals to observe how they tackle the problem of scarce resources in order to satisfy needs and wants Efficiently use industry-standard money management software to perform transactions, keep track of sales and expenses and create financial reports. Efficiently use retirement planning software to forecast retirement scenarios for different situations or clients. In the third year, you will learn to:
Plan, manage, execute and close a project, taking into consideration all project constraints Create and monitor a project using computer software Identify and utilize statistical methods, some of which include frequency distributions; graphic representation of data; probabilities; and linear correlation and regression making extensive use of the statistical capabilities of Microsoft Excel. There are opportunities for graduates to pursue further education qualifications and related licenses. Successful graduates will be able to:
Co-ordinate the processing and maintaining of financial records in compliance with relevant policies, procedures and regulations for individuals and/or organizations. Co-ordinate the preparation and presentation of financial information in compliance with relevant legislation and regulations for individuals and/or organizations. Analyze financial reports and develop and evaluate a financial plan to meet individuals’ and/or organizations’ needs and objectives. Develop, implement, evaluate and co-ordinate marketing strategies to promote financial products and services and to enhance customer service. Analyze and evaluate within a Canadian context the impact of economic variables, legislation, ethics, technology and the environment on individuals’ and/or organizations’ operations. Career options:
Accounting clerk Budget coordinator Contact centre associate Credit officer Financial advisor Financial analyst Financial planner Investment advisor or broker Insurance representative Mortgage specialist Relationship manager Security analyst
