Online Masters and Certificate Programs at California Lutheran University

About California Lutheran University Online

California Lutheran University is located in an intellectually rich community nestled in the Conejo Valley, halfway between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. With its intimate size and beautiful setting, CLU provides the perfect place for lively debate, a diverse curriculum and a learning environment that values the intellectual needs and abilities of the individual.

One of the newest of CLU's innovative business programs is the online MBA and certificate program in Financial Planning. This program, designed for financial professionals, is constructed to enable working students to earn an MBA or a certificate in financial planning totally online. The CLU program is the only online MBA program completely geared toward financial planning and services professionals.

Whether employed, taking care of children or managing other social and professional responsibilities students of all ages, regardless of location, can achieve intellectual and career advancement in the world of finance by taking part in the accelerated online learning program at California Lutheran University.

Why Choose California Lutheran University Online?

Numerous benefits exist for obtaining an MBA or Certificate in Financial Planning from California Lutheran University Online:

• Degree Accreditation - CLU is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
• The validity of your degree from CLU will be immediately recognized by industry professionals and appreciated.
• Leadership - For the fifth year, US NEWS and World Report has ranked California Lutheran University in the top tier of Western Regional Colleges.
• National Accolades - Recently, the USDLA (United States Distance Learning Association) named CLU as the recipient of the 2007 Silver Award for Excellence in Distance Learning.
• Degree Prestige and Value - With an MBA in Financial Planning, you will be prepared to sit for the prestigious CFP Certification Examination. As a Certified Financial Planner, you will provide personalized financial advice to individual or corporate clients and achieve high levels of financial planning professionalism and expertise. According to a 1999 Newsday, Inc. article, the average annual salary for a certified financial planner practitioner is $66,000,, ranging from $30,000 for entry-level professionals to $200,000.
• Flexible Schedules - Curriculum is designed for busy, achievement-oriented, non-traditional students.
• Maintain your responsibilities at home while you build a new future for yourself.
• Knowledge Excellence - CLU courses are taught by a dedicated and tenured faculty and nationally recognized financial planning experts.
• Their experience and skills can help you better apply classroom knowledge to the real world.
• Online Campus - California Lutheran University offers a state-of-the-art Virtual Student Resource Center with 24/7 academic and technical support
• Ask for advice on academic, financial, technical or professional matters any time - night or day.
• Financial Aid - Aid is available to all online students who qualify.
• Financial Aid is available to U.S. graduate students in the form of Stafford Loans.
• Fast Online Degree Completion - The accelerated program allows a student to complete the CFP program in about 1 and a half years.
• Academic credits obtained previously may go toward your online degree completion. Students may petition to transfer up to six semester credits of graduate coursework taken at other regionally accredited colleges or universities. Students may also be eligible to transfer up to 9 credits for previously earned master's degrees.

Enjoy the Online Experience at California Lutheran University

Taking online courses at CLU is similar to participating in courses in a traditional classroom setting, except that students attend classes through an online portal. Online courses at CLU are taught using LearningEdge Live Classroom, a program that creates a virtual face-to-face classroom. This state-of-the-art format provides instructors and students with an online meeting space where they can attend live class sessions, speak to the instructor and other students, display financial statements, listen to lectures, watch videos, and even write on a whiteboard.

If important concepts need to be discussed, instructors may also initiate discussions and clarifications via threaded discussions and email with the class. Students are encouraged to initiate discussions on various topics throughout the course.

Each class contains a pre-recorded audio lecture (synchronized with PowerPoint) covering readings from the required textbook(s) along with homework assignments, quizzes, and case studies.