Program Description
Financial service providers cultivate strong relationships with clients by understanding their needs, evaluating the risks, and offering custom-designed solutions to meet their financial goals. The Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) – Financial Services degree program provides the opportunity to develop necessary planning competencies, professional skills, and required technical knowledge needed for a career in financial services. This four-year program, delivered at the honours level, offers a clear pathway to many successful and exciting career opportunities in banking, insurance, investment management, and estate and financial planning. Students will learn through a combination of active learning approaches, which include group work, major individual case analyses, multiple projects requiring industry engagement, and meetings with industry professionals outside of the college.
By the mid-point of this program, the faculty team ensures students will be ready to begin their preferred major – either in financial planning or property and casualty insurance. Students will encounter a blend of extensive technical analyses and opportunities to develop their professional ‘soft’ skills. They will apply and further refine their program-related skills and abilities through an 8-month, paid, full-time co-op work-term situated between third and fourth year. The program curriculum is aligned with the body of knowledge and course requirements (in whole or in part) for a number of professional licenses.
As a successful graduate of the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) – Financial Services degree program, students will meet the pre-requisite conditions to challenge professional examinations and/or receive advanced standing into the following licenses/designations:
- Personal Financial Planner (PFP) granted by the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI)
- Qualified Associate Financial Planner (QAFP) granted by Financial Planning Canada (FP Canada)
- FP Canada’s Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
- Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP)
- Additional licenses for insurance and securities
