Potential Careers
- Financial planner
- Tax planner
- Personal financial specialist
- Portfolio manager
- Estate planner
- Asset analyst
Graduate Program
Master's of Taxation & Financial Planning (MS) Degree Program
Pursue Widener's online master's of taxation & financial planning or taxation certificate. You'll acquire the skills you need to elevate your career and enhance your clients' financial wellbeing.
At a Glance
Click to OpenOffered as
Master's
Certificate
Format
Master's: 100% Online
Certificate: On Campus
Credits
Master's: 31.5
Certificate: 12
Avg. Time to Completion
Master's: 2 years
Certificate: 1 year
College/School
Explore the Master's of Taxation & Financial Planning Degree and Certificate
The master's of science in taxation & financial planning (MS) degree is offered 100% online and can be completed part- or full-time. This program is designed for practicing financial advisors, accountants, attorneys, and recent economics, finance, and accounting majors, as well as others wishing to enter the field of taxation and financial planning.
Here, you'll complete flexible courses in retirement and insurance planning, investment management, and more—gaining competency and skills in industry products and strategies to support clients and small business owners. Emphasis is placed on planning for clients, as well as technical competence in practical applications of the current tax law.
Along the way, you'll draw on the expertise of industry-shaping faculty mentors who impart skills and knowledge that go above and beyond preparing for the CFP® exam. You'll graduate ready to develop comprehensive financial plans for businesses and individuals alike.
Not ready to pursue a master's degree? Kickstart your career advancement with our taxation certificate. Each course counts toward the graduate program, saving you time and money when you're prepared to take the next step.
Widener University's School of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Taxation & Financial Planning MS Program Information
The MS in taxation and financial planning program is registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. To be certified and authorized to use the CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™, and CFP certification marks, individuals must also complete additional examination, experience, and ethics requirements.*
View the Loading... for curriculum and coursework requirements for the master's of taxation and financial planning degree program.
The 12-credit taxation certificate will help you elevate your career, whether you're an accountant or financial planner looking to grow your skill set or an entrepreneur wanting to set your small business up for tax season success.
All credits from the certificate roll into Widener's taxation & financial planning master's program.
View the Loading... for curriculum and coursework requirements.
Master's of Taxation Outlook & Outcomes
Why Study Tax & Financial Planning at Widener?
Connect with Industry Leaders
Deeply embedded in the financial services industry, our master's program has forged relationships with J.P. Morgan Chase, Vanguard, and other corporate leaders. Throughout the program, you'll rub shoulders with industry experts and innovators. And through our vast alumni network, you'll engage with local employers seeking top talent.
Benefit from Training Beyond the CFP® Exam
Here, you'll acquire the knowledge to pass the CFP® exam and the skills to build a rewarding career. As you prepare to become a certified financial planner, you'll discover what it takes to serve a wide range of clients, thanks to competency-based courses that span the financial planning spectrum.
Learn from Industry-Shaping Faculty
From day one, you'll feel the value of practical courses taught by industry insiders. Our faculty infuse their own financial planning experience into their teaching, which means you'll graduate with a powerful skill set you can apply immediately.
Student Stories
Business Program Highlights
Our Faculty
"Students who complete our Taxation & Financial Planning programs graduate to become industry leaders in the financial service field. They work in home offices and boutique financial planning firms. Their careers have a positive impact on thousands of clients."
At the SBA, we are committed to ensuring that what you learn is immediately useful to you. In our classes, we provide multiple dimensions of the topics using real-world implications of financial concepts. We also teach our classes using the same tools and methods that are used by current financial professionals. Our goal is to help our students build a portfolio of competencies that will enhance their careers.
"I am an undergraduate and graduate Widener alum dedicated to guiding students to accomplish their goals. I mentor students who wish to have a career in accounting, taxation, or financial planning by embedding case studies with mock client situations into my courses, bringing in professionals to the classroom, and creating rigorous course content that will help students to pass licensing exams that will help them after graduation."
Recent News
Business Students Become Certified Tax Preparers at VITA Community Tax Clinic
Filing taxes can become a time consuming and costly annual process for many Americans. Students from the School of Business Administration helped to alleviate that burden this tax season.
Admissions & Aid
Our admissions and financial aid teams are here to support you every step of the way. Have a question? Ask away!
Admissions Information
Applying online is easy—and it's secure.
What you'll need to apply:
- Completed online application
- $35 application fee
- Personal statement (see below for prompt)
- Resume
- One letter of recommendation
- Official transcripts from all postsecondary schools attended
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.7
Note: GMAT or GRE scores are not required for admission to graduate business programs. However, applicants who have completed the GMAT or GRE may opt to submit their test scores to strengthen their admissions applications or scholarship applications.
Personal Statement
Please explain why you wish to do graduate work in the field you have selected with particular emphasis on your proposed area of specialization. Please limit this essay to no more than one typewritten page.
We use a rolling admission format, meaning you can apply when it's convenient for you. We do recommend that you apply multiple weeks prior to the semester you'd like to begin the program; this will give us enough time to process your application.
You can start during any semester: fall (late August), spring (mid-January), or summer (mid-May).
Financial Aid
Paths to Savings
85% of Full-Time Grad Students Receive Aid
Simply apply to Widener and complete the financial aid process to be automatically considered for scholarships and grants. Because Widener is a private institution, we are able to offer financial assistance that brings our education within reach for individuals who might otherwise not be able to afford it. You might be surprised at how much we are able to offer in assistance.
Applying For Financial Aid as a Graduate Student
In order to receive your part of the financial aid pie, all you have to do is submit your FAFSA. "FAFSA" stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and helps identify whether you are eligible for aid awarded by Widener, the government, and other sources.
Graduate Assistantships
Widener offers a limited number of graduate assistantships to enrolled students. GAs receive tuition assistance for their work. Once you're a student, contact your program director for more information.
Employer Discounts & Tuition Reimbursement
Widener University also partners with many local organizations and corporations to offer discounted tuition and other incentives to their employees. Don't see your company on the list? Ask them to become a partner. In addition, employers often offer educational reimbursement benefits. We encourage you to explore these opportunities and will be glad to provide any necessary documentation.
20% Discount for Widener Alumni
(some restrictions apply)
If you graduated with a degree from Widener, you may qualify for a 20% tuition discount. The first step to see what you qualify for is to submit your application. Widener offers students many paths to savings, and while we don't offer "double discounts", we'll make sure you'll get the biggest financial benefit you're eligible for. Only students who have completed an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree are eligible. Students who have pursued a 4+1, 4+2, or 3+3 pathway, graduate assistantship, Widener-funded scholarship, or other tuition discount may not be eligible if the financial discount granted surpasses 20%.
Program Cost
Graduate Admissions Office
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Hyatt Hall
14th St
Chester, PA 19013 - 610-499-4282
- gcs@widener.edu
