Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC) and Dalhousie University today announced a new MBA stream that recognizes the high standards of competence of Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professionals.

CFP professionals will now enjoy advanced standing in the MBA Financial Services (FS) program. It means those eligible will be able to earn an MBA FS by taking one third fewer courses. The MBA FS is specifically tailored to professionals in the financial services industry.

While it’s not a master’s degree in financial planning specifically, FPSC President and CEO Cary List says, “CFP professionals can now marry what they learn through the skills and knowledge gained through an MBA with the knowledge, skills and abilities gained from being a CFP professional.”

“The Dalhousie — CFP partnership brings together the complementary advantages of a tailored program and real life experience,” says Raymond Klapstein, Dalhousie Faculty of Management Associate Dean, Continuing Education. “Our focus on financial services professionals has allowed continued growth and learning in their careers.”

Adds List, “It’s particularly exciting to us that the universities are recognizing the important role of professional certification, and in particular, Dalhousie’s desire to collaborate with allied professions to deliver unique solutions tailored to students’ needs.”

Courses in the program include: accounting, advanced corporate finance, advanced marketing, business economics, international business, quantitative decision-making, information systems for the information age, management skills development, risk management, strategic leadership and change and two additional courses.

There are currently more than 17,000 CFP professionals in Canada, FPSC says.