To receive a financial advisor degree, you will typically need to complete high school or receive an equivalent certification and then be accepted at a college or university. You will then need to work on your bachelor’s degree, during which time you will likely need to take a number of general education classes as well as classes in business, mathematics, and finance. Once you finish your bachelor’s degree you can then typically find work as a financial advisor, though it can be fairly competitive. If you wish to receive a financial advisor degree of a higher level, such as a master’s degree, then you will need to complete further education in a post-graduate program.
A financial advisor degree is typically a Bachelor of Science in Finance and can be received after about four years of education at a college or university. You will typically need to be accepted at such a school before attending classes, which means you will need to meet the admission requirements established by a school. This will usually include having a high school diploma or passing General Education Development (GED) tests. You may also need to have a high grade point average (GPA) and receive high scores on some standardized tests to be admitted to certain financial advisor degree programs.
Once you are accepted into a school that offers a financial advisor degree, then you will need to begin working on the coursework required to receive your degree. This will typically include one or two years of general classes in subjects such as science, math, language, and history. You will also need to complete a number of courses that are more specifically related to finance and financial advising before receiving a financial advisor degree. These courses will typically include math and business classes as well as classes specifically dealing with finance, such as risk management, corporate finance, and investment management courses.
After you complete the necessary coursework, then you can receive your financial advisor degree. You can then enter the workplace and find work at a financial consultation firm or similar agency, or you may wish to continue your education and work on a post-graduate degree. This will typically involve applying to graduate programs and taking Graduate Record Examination (GRE) tests, which are typically required to be admitted to a graduate program to earn a higher financial advisor degree such as a Master of Science in Finance. Beyond this type of coursework, you may also want to receive secondary certification, such as various financial licenses, in order to be more attractive to prospective employers.