Finance

This certificate prepares students for entry-level positions in the financial services industry, including banking, insurance, brokerage and real estate. Many of these courses may be used to apply toward the fulfillment of the Associate in Arts Degree in Business Administration or Business Administration for Transfer Degree. All courses are CSU transferable.

10-15

Prepare students for entry level positions in the field of Finance and to qualify them for a transfer to a 4-year university degree.

The goal of the Finance Certificate of Achievement is to provide students with the foundational knowledge and practical skills necessary to secure entry-level employment in the financial services sector. The program objectives are designed to ensure students develop core competencies in financial accounting, investment strategies, personal finance, and general business operations.

Upon completion of this certificate, students will be able to:

• Analyze financial data and communicate findings to stakeholders.
• Understand the fundamental principles governing financial markets, banking, real estate, insurance, and brokerages.
• Apply personal and corporate finance concepts to make informed, strategic financial decisions.
• Seamlessly transfer acquired credits toward an Associate in Arts Degree in Business Administration or a Business Administration for Transfer (AS-T) Degree.

This certificate does not require the creation of any new courses. It strategically packages existing curriculum from the Business and Finance departments into a targeted CTE credential. It complements the existing Business Administration degrees without competing with them; rather, it serves as a stackable credential that encourages degree completion by offering an early milestone of achievement.

While general Business Administration degrees are common throughout the Los Angeles Regional Consortium (LARC) service area, this specific configuration, focusing heavily on targeted Finance courses (FIN 1, 2, and 8), provides a specialized niche. Similar financial services certificates exist at (e.g., Santa Monica College, Los Angeles City College, but labor market data indicates that employer demand in the regional financial sector is robust enough to easily absorb graduates from Pierce College without over-saturating the market.

30-40

N/A