A Transformative Investment in the Future of Financial Planning

Rowan University announced a landmark $10 million commitment by Edelman Financial Engines (EFE) to establish the School of Financial Planning. Designed to address the nation’s increasing shortage of qualified financial planning professionals. "Out of the nearly 1,500 nationwide business school programs that offer the standard accounting, finance and marketing curriculum, fewer than 200 of those schools offer a Financial Planning degree." -Ric Edelman.

The new school will be distinguished by curriculum at undergraduate and graduate levels, with an emphasis on preparing students to attain the Certified Financial Planner® professional designation. Rohrer College of Business Executive-in-Residence and University Distinguished Lecturer Ric Edelman will serve as founding head of the school.  

The school is developing curricula to offer a bachelor’s degree major and minor, as well as a master’s degree, certificate programs and executive education programs.

The Future of Financial Planning

Degree Offerenings

The minor in Financial Planning will equip students with essential skills for personal finance and prepares them for careers as financial advisors. Courses will cover financial investments, retirement, and estate planning, wealth transfer, tax, ethics, and other content. Students will meet the educational requirements for the CFP certification. The minor complements majors like accounting, finance, business, or liberal arts as financial planners in industry come from all backgrounds of study. 

Through a sequence of six courses, students will learn to:

• Analyze and apply financial theories and tools to create effective investment and retirement strategies.
• Evaluate risk and insurance solutions to protect client assets and manage uncertainty.
• Understand tax, estate, and trust planning frameworks to optimize wealth transfer and minimize tax liabilities.
• Develop holistic financial plans that incorporate budgeting, cash flow, investments, insurance, taxes, and retirement.
• Communicate recommendations effectively and ethically, demonstrating fiduciary responsibility and client-centered decision-making.

For more information about the minor in Financial Planning

About the Partners

As one of the nation's premier independent wealth management firms, Edelman Financial Engines (EFE) brings four decades of fiduciary expertise and a commitment to serving more than one million clients. Guided by that legacy, EFE is partnering with the Rohrer College of Business to help establish a new national model for financial planning education — one that connects academic excellence with the demands of a rapidly evolving profession. EFE's involvement extends beyond institutional support, with the firm's team working directly alongside Rohrer faculty to shape curriculum and prepare the next generation of financial planners for meaningful careers in the field.

Serving as Founding Head of the School of Financial Planning, Ric Edelman is a pioneer with forty years of industry leadership — a three-time Barron's #1 Independent Financial Advisor, Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of three lifetime achievement awards. He is partnering with the Rohrer College of Business faculty to shape curriculum and teach courses, helping establish a new national model for financial planning education.