Please note as a student of Virginia Tech you are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of this information. This information is a guide updated in Fall of 2024. For the most up-to-date information please check the Pamplin College of Business resources, the Finance Department website and check with your academic advisor.
Financial Planning and Wealth Management (CFP)
What is Financial Planning and Wealth Management
This major is designed for students who want to pursue a career in financial planning and wealth management.
Firms may work primarily with individuals and families, or in some cases may also manage assets for foundations, trusts, or employee retirement plans.
Financial planning professionals work in client-facing roles advising clients as well as in back-office positions managing plan development, asset management, operations, and compliance.
As a CFP Board-Registered curriculum, the major combines the traditional finance curriculum with the education requirements for a student to take the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) examination after graduation.
Certified Financial Planner™ is the most widely recognized professional designation within the financial planning profession.
What does a CFP do?
Providing financial advice to individuals and families is one of the fastest-growing career opportunities for finance graduates and is no longer strictly about client acquisition and product sales. Students should have excellent people skills to earn the trust of clients and the desire to support those relationships as the clients’ needs and market conditions change. But success also requires a genuine interest in the financial markets and products the ability to converse with and educate clients at their level of understanding to help generate understanding and buy-in.
In addition to the client-facing roles advising and educating clients, there are back-office positions managing plan development, asset management, operations, and compliance. Financial planning software support is another opportunity.
This career area encompasses several job functions and career paths, including financial planning, wealth management, private banking, insurance, estate planning and trust management, and employee retirement plan education and management. Graduates are eligible to take the Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) exam to earn the highly recognized designation as a CFP® professionals.
Student Competencies
Apply knowledge of financial planning principles, practices, skills, and functions
Understand client interaction, communication, and relationship management.
Collect, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate qualitative and quantitative data about the client’s personal and financial circumstances necessary to formulate recommendations.
Use logic and reasoning to synthesize and integrate knowledge into cohesive and defensible recommendations matched to the client situation.
Utilize oral, written, and graphic communication skills appropriate to the client to summarize the situation and present recommendations.
Understand how the CFP Board professional standards and enforcement, regulatory, and compliance issues are applied workplace.
Develop the competence necessary for the CFP® exam.
Target Skill Sets
Attention to detail
Written and oral communication skills
Problem-solving and analytical perspective
Adaptability
Interpersonal skills and humility
Team-oriented, but capable of working independently
Work ethic and drive
Commitment to life-long learning
Entry Careers:
Wealth Planner
Client Service Associate
Junior Planner
Financial Planning Associate
Financial Planning Resident
Associate Advisor
Financial Planning Analyst
Wealth Management Analyst
Paraplanner
Client Service Coordinator
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
FinTech and Big Data Analytics
The FinTech and Big Data Analytics Major (FBDA) is designed to meet an increasing need in the financial industry, as it rapidly embraces the use of cutting-edge technology for data collection, analysis, and decision-making.
This major includes a much more rigorous curriculum in math and programming than the typical finance degree and concludes with a capstone finance class that applies these technical skills to address emerging real-world financial problems. The major combines coursework from multiple disciplines in addition to the traditional finance curriculum
What is FinTech?
FinTech is the integration of finance, computer science and computation modeling, and data analytics (CMDA) to solve very complex quantitative finance problems.
The application of computer science and CMDA to finance has created efficiencies and streamlined financial processes throughout many industries around the globe.
The finance industry has rapidly evolved in embracing FinTech/Quantitative Finance skill sets, and this major addresses’ the need for personnel who are adeptly trained in finance, computer science, mathematics, and statistics.
Student Knowledge Outcomes:
In-depth knowledge of finance and advanced analytical and computer science skills
Technical, highly specialized industry knowledge (STEM)
Target Skill Sets
Mathamatics
Statistics
Computational Modeling
Entry Careers:
Quantitative Research
Investment Management
Artificial Intelligence
Data science
Finance Major with a curriculum Option requirement
The Undergraduate Program in Finance offers significant coursework in finance, analytics, modeling, and accounting, all of which are essential for success as a financial professional. Students learn the fundamental theory underlying the core areas of finance, the application of the various theoretical models in financing decision-making, and various analytical approaches for solving financial problems. The program maintains a strong focus on coursework that will help students apply their knowledge to realistic situations.
In addition to taking the University required course, College required courses, and Finance courses, students majoring in Finance are also required to choose a Finance Option.
Investment Management and Chartered Finance Analyst(CFA™)
This option is designed for students who are interested in pursuing a career in investment management. Career opportunities in investment management include working at institutional money management firms, such as mutual funds and insurance companies, as well as managing money for individuals and families. The CFA® certification, which one receives after passing all three of the CFA® exams, is a globally recognized professional certification for the investment management profession.
Student Knowledge Outcome:
Asset and investment management on behalf of individuals, corporations, governments, and other institutions
Understand stocks, bonds, derivatives, and international finance.
Preparation for the level 1 Chartered Financial Analyst™ (CFA™) exam
Targeted Skillsets:
Portfolio Management
Sales and Trading
Research
Investment Management
Asset Allocation
Example Careers:
Research Analyst
Portfolio Manager
Wall Street
Investment Banking
Corporate Financial Management
Many of the major decisions in a business are driven by financial analysis. These include how much capital needs to be raised and the sources to use, how to allocate it within a business, the optimal amount of leverage and liquidity, how to improve a business’ profitability and return on its capital, how to quantify and hedge financial and business risks, and whether to pursue large projects, contracts, acquisitions, mergers and/or divestitures. The object of the Corporate Financial Management Option is to equip students with the analytical tools and skills used in the various types of financial decisions made by businesses. Students can also utilize those same skills in the public sector as well as with employers such as investment banks and consulting firms.
Student Knowledge Outcomes:
Understand and apply the concepts of financial analysis and valuation.
Be able to utilize financial accounting data to analyze businesses and their cash flows.
Understand how business are financed and how to optimize the use of capital.
Understand how international issues impact financial decisions.
Understand how to use financial instruments to hedge financial risks to businesses.
Be able to use Excel to construct financial forecasts and model future financial results.
Target Skill Sets
Interest in becoming part of a businesses and contributing to its profitable growth.
Strategic thinking combines with quantitative analysis.
Ability to organize and analyze data to solve problems.
Ability to make data-based decisions and apply them in a variety of real-world settings.
Entry Careers:
Corporate and public-sector financial planning, budgeting, and analysis
Corporate treasury (cash management, financing, and lender relations)
Contract and project analysis
Corporate risk management and hedging
Consulting
Investment Banking
Financial Accounting (CPA™)
Many employers seek students with strong skills in both accounting and finance, and this option is designed to provide students with strength in both areas. The Financial Accounting option combines upper-level coursework in both accounting and finance, and most students in this option graduate with a double-major in those two subjects. Some of those students go on to take the CPA exam after graduation and go into roles with accounting firms, while others go into a variety of finance career paths. The object of this option is to equip students with the analytical tools and skills used in financial decision-making, along with an extensive knowledge of accounting practice. Accounting is the language of finance, and strong accounting skills give Finance majors a significant competitive advantage.
Student Competencies:
Understand and apply the concepts of financial analysis and valuation.
Possess expertise in financial reporting, tax planning, and managerial accounting practices.
Understand financial instruments and their impact on corporate financial statements.
Combine diverse skill sets to make better-informed financial and managerial decisions.
Targeted Skillsets:
Ability to organize and analyze data.
Ability to use Excel to organize and solve problems.
Ability to make data-based decisions and apply them in a variety of real-world settings.
Attention to detail.
Example Careers:
Auditor
Corporate Tax Planning
Corporate and public-sector financial planning, budgeting, and analysis
Contract analysis
Valuation
Investment Banking
Consulting
Financial Risk Management
Banks and other financial firms are clamoring to recruit from the credit-savvy pipeline created by combining the FNRM courses and RMA Credit Essentials Certificate. The reputation of the program is growing quickly and broadly. You can get in on the ground floor now. But equally important are the skills of analysis and an understanding of businesses that will serve you well in any future career as well as in your personal life.
FNRM option allows students to pursue many paths involving financial risks, focusing on banking, valuation, credit analysis, business analytics, credit markets, and a hands-on experiential capstone for those eligible. Any situation where a business has to assess the viability of a counterparty to fulfill its financial obligations will require the skills from the FNRM option. Employers are eager to obtain talent with those skills.
Student Competencies:
Superior education in risk management through a wide variety of courses and experiences with a strong foundation in credit underwriting and credit portfolio management
Ability to evaluate the financial health & operations of a business.
Unrivaled experience in credit, corporate analysis, and communications
Personal and professional growth applying course matter on a rapid time scale.
Target Skill-Sets
In-depth analysis of financial statements
Constructing financial models of companies
Problem solving
Researching businesses, industries, and business models (business analytics)
Ability to collaborate and allocate work in teams.
Loan portfolio management
Communication of complex financial issues as related to accept vs. reject loan decisions.
Managerial expertise through the experience of lending real money
Networking with company executives, advisors, bankers
Entry Careers:
Commercial & Investment Banking
"Direct Lending" (Private Debt/Equity)
Venture Capital
Investment Portfolio Management
Corporate Finance
Your guide to finance at Virginia Tech, rebuilt for students entering under the 2026–2027 catalog.
The six finance programs below list 124 total credits in the current catalog. Earlier students should follow their own approved catalog year.
Use this guide to compare pathways, then open the official curriculum and roadmap for your program. The lists below explain the main requirements; your degree audit determines how transfer credit, substitutions, and electives apply.
Official Finance catalog ↗Catalog checked September 16, 2026. Older 2025–2026 checksheets are not the course plan for this entering class.
| Requirement | Courses |
|---|---|
| Business problem-solving sequence | BUS 1004, BUS 2004, BUS 3004, BUS 4004 · 3 credits each |
| AI literacy | BUS 1204 · 3 credits |
| Experience | BUS 3754 Internship in Business · 1 credit BUS 3900 Bridge Experience · 0 credits |
| Management & marketing | MGT 3404 and MKTG 3104 · 3 credits each |
These college requirements total 22 credits. A major-specific course may satisfy an experiential requirement where the catalog permits it. Pamplin+ also develops communication, ethics, global perspective, entrepreneurship, and service skills through the curriculum.
Pamplin+ and college requirements ↗The degree core totals 21 credits across the six listed finance programs. Each course is 3 credits.
Major requirements also include BIT 2405, BIT 3414, FIN 2164, FIN 4144, FIN 4214, and FIN 4234. Add the option courses shown below. The two specialized majors have their own major course lists.
For students interested in company funding, financial strategy, valuation, and business decisions.
For students interested in securities research, portfolio analysis, and investment decisions.
For students interested in lending, borrower analysis, fixed income, and financial institutions.
For students interested in interpreting financial statements and connecting accounting information to finance decisions.
For students interested in client relationships and comprehensive personal financial planning.
For students interested in programming, quantitative finance, and using data to solve financial problems.
The current Finance options include Private Credit & Commercial Banking. Follow the current catalog names when declaring your program.
The current Blackwood Department catalog lists a separate B.S. in Real Estate requiring 120 credits. Explore that program and ask your advisor about combining it with finance.
Explore the Real Estate major ↗