Mount Royal's new degree responds to rising interest in financial matters

Mount Royal College Press Release

Mount Royal's newest degree program is a good investment for students looking for a career that will pay real dividends. The Bachelor of Applied Financial Services, which is accepting students for Fall 2002, will prepare students to work in the financial services area within the banking, insurance, accounting and investment industries.

'Career opportunities in the field have never been better,' says Barbara Hibberd, Program Chair of Accounting and Insurance, School for Business and Entrepreneurial Studies. 'As the banking and insurance industries offer more financial services, new jobs are being created that require a new combination of employment skills.'

Hibberd attributes this growth to the movement of the banking and insurance industries into financial services, as well as shifts in public attitudes, including increasing uncertainty about the availability of government pensions upon retirement. Twenty years ago, only the wealthy became involved in estate planning and building stock portfolios but today, especially with the rise of the Internet and increased access to financial reports on companies and the ability to buy and sell stocks online, interest in financial investment is widespread.

Graduates of the Applied Financial Services degree program will be well-prepared to enter this market. The financial services courses in the curriculum prepare the students to write the exam leading to the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, as well as the Canadian Securities Course exam. Students will also take courses in accounting, finance, marketing, business law, and communications. Two paid work terms provide students with the opportunity to gain practical experience and make valuable industry contacts.

Mount Royal College collaborated on the program design with Lakeland College and Fairview College. Program design and direction were based on the work of a provincial task force consisting of the three post-secondary institutions and representatives from banking, investment planning, insurance, financial planning and public accounting firms. Lakeland College and Fairview College introduced their programs on a limited intake basis in fall of 2001.

'One of the advantages of the MRC program will undoubtedly be the extensive background of our Career Services department in maximizing the opportunities available to students during their Field Studies semesters,' says Hibberd. 'When it comes to combining theory with practical industry experience, no one does it better than MRC.'

For more information, phone the MRC Advising Centre at (403) 240-0148, email admissions@mtroyal.ca or visit http://www.mtroyal.ca.