UD College of Business Financial Planning Program
The University of Dallas Satish and Yasmin Gupta College of Business (CoB) has recently received a multiyear grant from Schwab Advisor Services for a new financial planning program. Schwab Advisor Services is a partner of the Charles Schwab Foundation, an investment and planning corporation.
Using this grant money, the CoB is launching the University of Dallas Financial Planning Program, which will support comprehensive financial planning by providing curriculum and other resources aligned with industry standards. Serving as the college leadership for the financial planning program are the current associate professor of finance Dr. Jenny Gu, (PhD, CFA, CFP) and Oscar Carranza, the director of corporate relations and partnerships.
This grant offers the perfect opportunities to restructure some of the business school’s curriculum. Although specifics in regards to majors and concentrations have not been decided yet, both undergraduate and graduate financial planning programs will be available for registration for the Fall 2026 semester.
The new courses being developed will cover the following: fundamentals of managerial finance; investments; risk management, insurance and estate planning; derivatives; income tax; retirement planning; financial planning capstone and portfolio management, alongside the graduate school’s core business classes.
The grant also includes the installation of The Bloomberg Terminal, a cutting edge comprehensive financial services platform. The Terminal provides market data, analysis and tools to students as soon as the data is available.
Said Gu, “In a couple weeks, [close to] early April, a new Bloomberg Terminal will be installed in the library. It will be connected to a dedicated keyboard designed specifically for the platform. Students who are interested in stocks and investments will be especially excited, as it will give them access to the same data and analytical tools used by professionals in the industry.”
For prospective accountants and financial advisors, the most notable part of the Financial Planning Program is support for the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam. Said Gu, “For prospective financial advisors and wealth managers, a key feature of the Financial Planning Program is its strong focus on preparation for the CFP® exam. Designed for both undergraduate and graduate students, the program emphasizes the combination of technical expertise and ethical decision-making that is essential in the profession. With a curriculum aligned with the rigorous CFP® certification requirements, students will be prepared to sit for the exam after completing the program and will be well positioned to pursue careers with financial advisory firms, wealth management companies and registered investment advisor (RIA) firms nationwide.”
Not only will students be supported in preparing for and taking the CFP exam, but scholarships are also being provided for the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam, the Uniform Investment Adviser Law exam and the Bloomberg Market Concepts certification, which is free to earn for students using the Bloomberg Terminal.
Another added avenue of support for business students will be through student development and mentoring. This includes professional development opportunities, industry events and connections with the DFW Financial Planning Association. “We are establishing a dedicated advisory board composed of industry professionals, leaders and UD alumni with experience in financial planning. The program is designed to equip students with both knowledge and practical insights, while also helping open doors to career opportunities after graduation,” said Gu.
The multiyear grant aims to support strong CFP® exam pass rates, high job placement outcomes, and stronger partnerships with leading firms in the financial planning industry. With the new financial planning program, UD business students will be equipped with all the tools they need to skyrocket their career after graduation.
Said Gu, “This creates strong opportunities for students to be recruited by firms such as JPMorgan, Fidelity and Charles Schwab. We have strong relationships with many of these organizations. Industry partners consistently tell us that UD students are exceptionally well trained in liberal arts, critical thinking and communication, and this program will further strengthen their technical expertise and professional finance skills.”
The Financial Planning Program affects much more than just business majors. With new undergraduate classes in the works, financial literacy will become accessible to all majors. Said Gu said, “Even if you are a marketing or accounting student, it is important to understand financial planning. Everyone needs to know how to make informed decisions about retirement, saving and investing for themselves and their families.”