Curriculum & Schedule
Whitworth's MSFP is a 10-to-17-month, low-residency program that incorporates online and on-campus residency to engage students across a multistate area, with the option to take elective courses online or in person at our downtown Spokane location. We recognize the demands of working professionals and their commitments outside of school. Our cohort model means transparent academic planning so you can move confidently between your home, work and academic life.
- Low-residency intensives and online options put the focus on learning where you are and keeping connected to your community.
- Accelerated courses help you focus on one subject at a time.
- Accelerated cohort model gets you certified and working in the field faster.
Have your CFP certification? Click here.
M.S. in Financial Planning - 30 credits (for those with no CFP certification)
Fall Semester
| Course | Course Dates | Modality | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| FP 540 Financial Counseling* | Aug. 14-Sept. 22 In person Aug. 17-20 (downtown Spokane) |
Online with intensive |
3 |
| FP 543 Retirement Planning & Employee Benefits* | Sept. 25-Nov. 3 | Online | 3 |
| FP 545 Tax Planning* | Nov. 6-Dec. 16 | Online | 3 |
Spring Semester
| FP 550 Wealth Management I* | Jan. 2-Feb. 9 In person Jan. 6-8, 2024 (downtown Spokane) |
Online with intensive |
3 |
| FP 553 Wealth Management II* | Feb. 12-March 22 | Online | 3 |
| FP 558 Estate Planning* | March 25-May 10 | Online | 3 |
Summer Semester
| FP 560 Capstone in Financial Planning* | May 20 - June 28 In person June 1-9 (north Spokane campus) |
Online with intensive |
3 |
* Course requires an on-site intensive in Spokane, Wash.
All required courses are necessary for eligibility to site for the CFP exam.
On-Site Experiences
On-site experiences are essential to this program. They create a sense of community and networking among cohorts, allows for hands-on application of financial planning and counseling tools, and create career opportunities among the firms that sponsor residency dinners. Each on-site experience includes leadership dinners where students will be exposed to industry trends, practitioner knowledge, insights, potential employment opportunities and industry-specific leadership lessons.
Required in-person dates for 2023-24:
- Aug. 17-20, 2023
- Jan. 6-8, 2024
- June 1-9, 2024
| Elective Courses (9 credits from the following) | ||
|---|---|---|
| FP 548 | Biblical Stewardship of Resources** | 3 credits |
| MB 501 | Organizational Behavior & Leadership | 3 credits |
| MB 505 | Managerial Accounting | 3 credits |
| MB 510 | Corporate Finance | 3 credits |
| MB 513 | Operations & Project Management | 3 credits |
| MB 515 | Advanced Financial Statement Analysis | 3 credits |
| MB 517 | Business Statistics & Decision Analysis | 3 credits |
| MB 522 | Economics of the Firm | 3 credits |
| MB 525 | U.S. Business Transactions Law | 3 credits |
| MB 526 | Integrated Marketing Strategies | 3 credits |
| MB 529 | Strategic Management | 3 credits |
| MB 530 | Entrepreneurship & New Venture Creation | 3 credits |
| MB 535 | Optimizing Human Resources | 3 credits |
| MB 540 | Risk Management (in person only) | 3 credits |
| MB 545 | Change Management (in person only) | 3 credits |
| MB 550 | Executive Leadership (in person only) | 3 credits |
| MB 551 | Transferable Team Performance | 2 credits |
| MB 552 | Design Thinking | 1 credit |
| MB 553 | Leadership in Society | 3 credits |
| MB 560 | Institute of Leadership Intensive 1*** | 3 credits |
| MB 561 | Institute of Leadership Intensive 2*** | 3 credits |
| MB 562 | Institute of Leadership Intensive 3*** | 3 credits |
| MB 591 | Leadership Internship | 3 credits |
* Required coursework to sit for the CFP® Exam
**Offered during the 2024-25 academic year
*** Exclusive credits obtained in the Institute of Leadership
Add a Concentration
Concentration in Executive Leadership (9 credits)
| MB 550 | Executive Leadership | 3 credits |
| MB 551 | Transferable Team Performance | 2 credits |
| MB 552 | Design Thinking | 1 credit |
| MB 553 | Leadership in Society | 3 credits |
Courses in the Executive Leadership Concentration are a combination of traditional, hybrid online and practicum formats, in addition to a three-day outdoor excursion, completed over one summer.
Concentration in Innovation & Change Management (10 credits)
| MB 540 | Risk Management | 3 credits |
| MB 545 | Change Management | 3 credits |
| MB 552 | Design Thinking | 1 credit |
| MB 553 | Leadership in Society | 3 credits |
Concentration in Strategic Management (9 credits)
| MB 529 | Strategic Management | 3 credits |
| MB 540 | Risk Management | 3 credits |
| MB 545 | Change Management | 3 credits |
Concentration in Biblical Stewardship & Leadership (9 credits)
| FP 548 | Biblical Stewardship of Resources | 3 credits |
| MB *** | Leadership Elective | 3 credits |
| MB *** | Leadership Elective | 3 credits |
Concentration in Comprehensive Leadership (9 credits)
Students pursuing a concentration in comprehensive leadership will complete the MSFP degree requirements listed above in addition to the following, as part of Whitworth's Institute of Leadership:
| MB 560 | Dynamics of Self-Analysis & Actualization | 3 credits |
| MB 561 | Dynamics of Human Capital & Group Culture | 3 credits |
| MB 562 | Dynamics of Organizational Effectiveness | 3 credits |