Professional Financial Services

This one-year post-grad program is designed for university and college graduates looking for a career in financial services. You'll learn about personal financial management, tax and retirement planning, insurance, investment and estate planning. You’ll also study the importance of people skills - critical for working with clients, evaluating their needs and offering financial advice.

Program Details

Full Time Offerings

Part Time Offerings

Full Time Offerings

I am a domestic* applicant and I am ready to apply to Fanshawe!

1. Review the Admission Requirements to ensure you meet the program requirements.
2. Check the Program Details for availability and campus locations.
3. Click the Apply now below to visit OntarioColleges.ca. The Admissions office will email you with next steps, your Fanshawe student ID number and other details.

*Domestic applicants include Canadian citizens, permanent residents, protected persons and Convention refugees.

I am an international applicant and I’m ready to apply to Fanshawe!

1. Review the Admission Requirements to ensure you meet the program requirements.
2. Check the Program Details for availability and campus locations.
3. Apply now through Fanshawe College’s VAS (Virtual Application System). Our International Centre will assess your application and, if accepted, provide you with a Letter of Admission as soon as possible.

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Your Learning Experience

Professional Financial Services is a one-year Ontario College Graduate Certificate program designed to leverage a university or college credential in any discipline by providing a fast track to a career as a professional financial planner. An intensive curriculum prepares graduates to provide clients with professional advice to build wealth and ensure financial security through setting goals, managing finances, minimizing tax, managing life's risks, and building investment portfolios, as well as customer relations and providing products to clients.

The program will also provide the opportunity to complete educational components of industry designations including:

• Qualified Associate Financial Planner (QAFP™)
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) Note: an approved degree is a requirement beginning in 2022
• Personal Financial Planner (PFP®)
• Registered Retirement Consultant (RRC)

You’ll also complete the Canadian Securities Course (CSC) and Life License Qualification Program (LLQP) courses related to industry licensing.

Graduates of Fanshawe’s Professional Financial Services program are prepared to enter the financial services sector in a variety of fields, including customer service, banking, wealth management, life insurance, investments and credit financial planning. Graduates are self-motivated, goal-oriented and are suited to a variety of junior- to intermediate-level positions, including:

• sales representative
• customer service supervisor
• call centre supervisor
• loan officer
• mortgage specialist
• bank supervisor
• insurance advisor
• investment advisor
• tax advisor
• credit counsellor
• financial planner
• wealth manager
• retirement planners
• estate planner
• securities dealer

Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduate employment rates among large colleges in Ontario?

Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Professional Financial Services program:

Client Associate

Help manage portfolios and develop new business while engaging with private clients to offer support, uncover business opportunities and proactively improve the client experience.

Financial Advisor

Provide personalized financial advice to clients to assist with important financial decisions.

Financial Planning Associate

Start your career in the financial services sector by providing administrative support to financial planners and their clients.

Financial Planner

Develop comprehensive financial plans to help clients achieve their long-term financial goals.

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Evaluate the Canadian financial services industry, capital markets efficiency, regulatory issues and global integration.
2. Evaluate Canadian statute law as it applies to the formulation of financial planning strategy.
3. Analyse client information to formulate financial planning strategies.
4. Develop a financial services business plan to build long term relationships, maintain efficient client communication and ensure accurate client records management.
5. Analyse compliance cases to reconcile planner advice and conduct, against accepted industry conduct and practice standards that reflect the industry code of ethics.
6. Analyse customer credit capacity and select loan instruments to meet customer needs.
7. Evaluate client risk tolerance, net worth and wealth creation potential to select appropriate investments most likely to achieve client goals and objectives.
8. Evaluate financial products and recommend asset allocation strategies in a constantly changing economic and political environment.
9. Analyse client or business risk management needs and recommend appropriate insurance product strategies.
10. Plan tax minimization strategies for clients.
11. Evaluate client estate and personal care needs in order to recommend strategies to ensure efficient estate distribution and continuity of personal care.
12. Create a comprehensive financial plan.