Accredited Online Finance Degrees in Florida [2024 Guide] - Best Accredited Bachelor's, Master's, and MBA in Finance Programs in Florida

Study Finance in Florida

Aside from the sunny weather, Florida offers a robust lineup of online finance degrees you can use to start a new career or advance in your current position. Online options are available from many of the state’s institutions, including large universities like Florida State.

Moreover, you can pursue an undergraduate degree or a master’s degree online, opening up even more possibilities for getting the training you desire. All this can be done from the comfort of your home, whether you live in Florida or not!

Below is a list of some of the popular choices to consider for getting an online finance degree.

Online Finance Degrees in Florida

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online finance degrees in Florida:

Florida Atlantic University
University of West Florida
Florida State University
Florida International University
National University
Keiser University
Lynn University
Purdue Global
Capella University
Southern New Hampshire University

Florida Atlantic University

Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance

The Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Florida Atlantic University is a typical 120-credit program. While the focus is certainly on money, you’ll learn much more about finance and your ability to plan monetary operations, manage funds, and analyze the performance of various financial institutions.

The curriculum focuses on a broad set of topics that enhance your understanding of broad and specific financial principles. On the one hand, you’ll learn how to use financial modeling and analyze capital markets. On the other hand, you’ll learn how to build securities and portfolios that have excellent short-term and long-term returns. With these and other skills, you might qualify for a range of careers, including:

Investment Banker
Hedge Fund Manager
Financial Planner
Budget Analyst
Investor Relations Manager

This program requires you to complete various categories of coursework, beginning with general education requirements. These courses – which include studies in areas like citizenship, humanities, natural sciences, and math – are required of all students, not just those in finance. Of the 120 credits needed to graduate, nearly half are general education courses. In fact, you must complete at least 60 credits before you can be admitted to the BBA in Finance at Florida Atlantic.

In addition to general education classes, you must also complete a sequence of pre-education courses. These classes introduce you to essential principles that are important to understand in finance, economics, management, and other business fields. You’ll take classes in Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, and Introductory Statistics. Also required are classes in Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, and Methods of Calculus.

Once you begin the major-area studies, you’ll work mostly in two realms – business core courses and finance major courses. The business core includes advanced studies in areas like Marketing Management, Financial Management, and Business Law. Other required classes include Management and Organizational Behavior, Management Information Systems, and Quantitative Methods in Administration. These and other classes enhance your understanding of the business world and how finance fits into it.

From there, you’ll take three specific finance courses: Advanced Managerial Finance, Financial Institutions, and Investment Analysis. You’ll supplement these required classes with four finance electives of your choice. This is where you get to customize your degree.

For example, if you’re interested in finance and real estate, you would take Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Investment, Principles of Real Estate, and a Real Estate Internship as your four electives. Conversely, if you’re interested in finance’s role in insurance, you’d take Insurance and Financial Planning, Risk Management and Insurance, Financial Derivatives, and participate in a Risk Management and Insurance Internship.

To qualify for admission, you must:

Be admitted to FAU as an undergraduate student.
Complete 60 or more college credits.
Satisfy FAU’s foreign language requirement.
Satisfy FAU’s civic literacy requirement.
Have a 2.5 GPA or higher for all pre-business foundation courses.

Applications are accepted to this program for any term – spring, summer, or fall. This gives you greater flexibility for starting the program on a timetable that works best for you.

University of West Florida

Online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

The University of West Florida offers an online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration that focuses on financial markets, corporate finance, and investments. You’ll learn about major theories of finance, specialized financial topics, and learn how to solve common and complex financial problems. Likewise, you’ll learn about legal and ethical issues in this field and develop the skills required to communicate complex financial topics to various stakeholders.

As a result of your studies, you’ll have two avenues for obtaining additional credentials beyond your degree. You can choose to pursue certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

This program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This is a prestigious distinction that less than five percent of business schools in the world have. As such, you can rely on the University of West Florida’s finance program to properly prepare you for the next step, no matter if that’s pursuing a graduate degree or entering the world of work.

In addition to the standard general education credits (of which you must complete 60 credits), you must also complete required prerequisite courses. These courses, which are listed below, are mandated by the state to be completed before you graduate:

Principles of Financial Accounting
Principles of Managerial Accounting
Personal Computer Applications
Principles of Economics Micro
Principles of Economics Macro
Calculus with Business Applications
Elements of Statistics

These courses are foundational in nature, meaning they give you a broad overview of selected topics. You’ll use the basic knowledge and skills you acquire in these classes to be more successful in the required business coursework in this degree.

The required business core is 30 credits of studies in areas like finance, information systems, and management. For example, you’ll take two information systems courses: e-Business Systems Fundamentals and Introduction to Business Analytics. You’ll also take three management-oriented classes: Management Fundamentals, Operations Management, and Strategic Management.

These classes are supplemented by more general business coursework. You’ll take a Legal and Ethical Environment of Business class to get a better sense of problems that you might encounter working in the financial industry. You’ll also take a Writing for Business course, which helps you develop strong written communication skills for business applications.

The last component of your studies is a finance specialization numbering 30 credit hours. This is the part of the program that dives deep into advanced financial topics, such as:

Financial Markets and Institutions
Financial Statement Analysis
Financial Theory and Practice
Problems in Corporate Finance
Investments

You’re also required to complete a course in Security Analysis and Portfolio Management. These courses, along with the previously discussed coursework, might help you pursue a career as an Investment Analyst, Investment Advisor, or Portfolio Manager, to name but three options.

Admissions requirements for this program are as follows:

Apply to UWF and pay the $30 application fee.
Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
Submit ACT or SAT scores.
Submit a completed residency application form.
Submit a completed departmental application form.
Earn a grade of C or better in all College of Business coursework.

Florida State University

Online Bachelor of Science in Financial Planning

Florida State University’s online Bachelor of Science in Financial Planning readies you to work with individuals to plan their financial future. This includes estate planning, managing retirement portfolios, and providing investment advice.

Not only will you gain the subject-specific expertise to be an effective financial planner, but you’ll also gain the professional skills to be good at your job. You’ll learn how to practice ethically, communicate effectively, and obey relevant laws and regulations. With these and other skills, you’ll be ready to sit for the CFP exam upon graduation.

Before you can begin this program in earnest, you must first complete general education requirements and seven prerequisite courses. The prerequisite courses are fundamental to your understanding of financial principles and techniques:

Introduction to Financial Accounting
Introduction to Managerial Accounting
Microcomputer Applications for Business (or Spreadsheets for Business)
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Calculus for Business and Non-Physical Sciences
Business Statistics

While these classes explore disparate topics, they all share one thing in common: they are basic-level classes that teach you essential skills necessary for success in the rest of the program.

Your major-area studies include 39 credits of coursework in finance-related topics. This includes courses like Introduction to Financial Planning, Advanced Financial Planning, and Consumer Economics. You’ll also take an ethics course, two Personal Investment Concepts courses, and a class that explores Personal Risk Management and Insurance Planning. Other required finance courses include the following:

Personal Income Tax Concepts
Retirement Planning
Estate Planning
Communication for Business and the Professions
Career Readiness Seminar

You’re also required to take a Psychology for Financial Planning course that helps you understand the processes of decision-making, planning, and the stressors associated with financial concerns.

A personal financial planning capstone is also required. The capstone is your opportunity to synthesize everything you learn throughout the program and demonstrate your understanding of broad finance topics. Likewise, you’ll use what you’ve learned to analyze case studies and may also have the opportunity to solve real-world financial planning problems using the know-how you’ve gained in the program.

Florida State further requires you to take 21 credits in interdisciplinary courses closely related to finance. You’re free to choose which courses you take within the following fields:

Entrepreneurship
Marketing/Advertising
Communication
Human Development/Behavior Analysis
Organizational Management/Leadership
Information/Technology

You must take at least one class in each of the above areas to satisfy these requirements. An additional 3-credit course in oral communications is also required.

As a result of completing these classes, you’ll be ready to enter the financial planning industry with hands-on experience. You’ll also have the qualitative and quantitative skills necessary to conduct financial research, examine related laws and regulations, and analyze financial policies.

The following admissions requirements must be met before you’re eligible to declare financial planning as your major:

Be admitted to FSU and in good standing.
Complete all general education requirements.
Complete all multicultural course requirements.
Complete all required prerequisites with a C- or better.
Have a 2.0 GPA or higher for all coursework.

Florida International University

Online Master of Science in Finance

The Master of Science in Finance from Florida International University is a 12-month, fully online program that can open many new career opportunities. In fact, completing this program prepares you well to pursue the Level 1 CFA credential as well as many upper-level roles in the financial industry.

Over the course of your time in this program, you’ll complete 12 courses for 36 total credits. All classes are accelerated – they’re just eight weeks long. While the pace of learning is very rapid, you only take two courses at a time to help you manage the workload.

Your coursework is divided into two sections: core classes and specialization courses. As the name implies, core courses explore fundamental aspects of finance. For example, you’ll take a class in Corporate Finance that examines everything from capital structure management to working capital management to long-term financing. You’ll also take a course in Quantitative Methods in Financial Analysis that focuses on the statistical and mathematical tools used by finance professionals.

Another required core course for this degree is Securities Analysis. This course explores securities and how securities are organized and operate on the market. You’ll learn about risk-reward structures, debt securities, common stock, and other common types of securities as well.

The remaining six core courses each explore a niche topic in finance:

Financial Markets and Institutions
Financial Futures and Fixed Income Investments
Financial Risk Management
Global Financial Strategy
Portfolio Management

The final core course is Financial Planning and Statement Analysis. This class takes a look at corporate financial planning and corporate financial statements. You’ll learn how to arrive at reliable estimates of earning power, risks, and valuation, too.

You can also choose from three distinct specialization courses to add to your degree: Machine Learning Applications in Finance, Big Data in Finance, and Financial Innovations. In each case, you’ll learn critical skills for using cutting-edge technology to carry out your duties.

The Machine Learning specialization introduces you to the Python programming language. You’ll learn how to implement various finance concepts and theories in Python, as well as essential principles of machine learning and how it can be used in financial applications.

The Big Data specialization explores data analytics applications in finance. It also explores how businesses and organizations can use big data to make more informed financial decisions. Doing so can help organizations not only save money, but make more money as well.

The final specialization option, Financial Innovations, explores new developments in FinTech. You’ll analyze the impact of FinTech on the financial industry, study cryptocurrencies and blockchain, and gain an appreciation of P2P technologies and alternative lending as well.

You’ll need about 20-30 minutes to complete the application process. You must also pay a $30 application fee at the time you apply. To qualify for admission, you must meet the following requirements:

Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
Have a 3.0 GPA or higher for all upper-division undergraduate work
Submit official GMAT or GRE scores.
Demonstrate English proficiency if it is not your native language.

National University

Online Bachelor of Science in Financial Management

You’ll gain an understanding of finance theories and practical training in financial decision-making processes with the Bachelor of Science in Financial Management from National University. This program includes training in data analysis, which is rapidly growing in finance, accounting, and other business-related areas.

To graduate, you must complete 180 quarter units. The curriculum starts with general education requirements.

You are required to complete at least 69 quarter units of general education courses. These classes cover a broad range of liberal arts topics, including math, science, English, and social sciences. These courses are mandatory for all students, regardless of major. While a certain number of units are required in each broad field, you have significant flexibility in choosing which classes fulfill these requirements.

For instance, you might select U.S. History Prior to 1877 and European History Since 1917 to meet the social sciences requirements. Alternatively, you might choose Introduction to Criminal Justice and Introduction to Anthropology. The combinations of courses you can take to meet the general requirements are virtually limitless.

The next phase involves courses that prepare you for the finance major. These 200-level introductory courses include Principles of Macroeconomics and Principles of Microeconomics, which are common requirements for finance and other business degrees. These classes cover economic activities at broad and narrow levels, respectively.

Other preparatory courses include:

Financial Accounting Fundamentals
Managerial Accounting Fundamentals
Legal Aspects of Business I
Introduction to Quantitative Methods

The majority of your studies will focus on the major, comprising 16 courses and 72 quarter units. Major requirements are divided into business and finance categories.

In the business section, you’ll take five upper-division classes such as Business Finance, Intermediate Accounting, and Marketing Fundamentals. You must also complete a course in Principles of Management and Organizations, covering management roles, theories, and human resource management in business settings.

For the finance section, eleven courses are required. You’ll study various aspects of financial management, including the role of financial institutions like the Federal Reserve in the economy. This includes examining the commercial banking system, investment companies, pension funds, and more.

A course like Working Capital Management will teach you how to manage assets and liabilities at the corporate level, focusing on credit policies, cash management, and secured inventory financing. Additional required finance courses include:

Risk Management and Insurance
International Financial Management
Finance and Banking
Capital Structure and Financing
Valuation of a Corporation

You must also complete a financial capstone project, where you’ll explore a finance topic of your choice. Your ability to integrate knowledge from previous courses to address case studies and conduct finance-related research will be evaluated.

Each course in this program is only four weeks long, allowing you to take one or two classes at a time instead of the traditional four or five. With year-round enrollment, you can start your studies almost any time that suits you.

To apply as a first-year student, you must have a high school diploma. Depending on your prior academic experiences, you might need to take tests in English, math, or both.

Do Employers Take Online College Degrees Seriously?

Employers’ perceptions of online college degrees have evolved significantly over recent years. Many employers now take online degrees as seriously as traditional ones, particularly when the degree is from an accredited and reputable institution. The key factors that influence their view include the accreditation status of the college or university, the reputation of the program, and the specific skills and knowledge that the candidate demonstrates.

In today’s job market, the focus is often on the skills and competencies that a candidate can bring to the role. Online degrees can provide the same level of education and rigor as traditional degrees, and they can also demonstrate a candidate’s self-motivation, time management skills, and ability to balance multiple responsibilities. These are highly valued qualities in the workplace.

However, it is important to be aware that some employers may still have reservations about online degrees, particularly if the degree is from an institution that is not well-known or lacks proper accreditation. To mitigate this, you should research and choose accredited programs from reputable institutions. Additionally, gaining relevant work experience, internships, or certifications can further bolster your credentials and make you a more attractive candidate to employers.

The trend is increasingly in favor of recognizing and valuing online degrees, especially when they come from accredited and respected institutions. Your ability to effectively demonstrate your skills and experiences will ultimately play a significant role in how seriously your degree is taken by potential employers.

What are the Career Opportunities With a Finance Degree in Florida?

With a finance degree, you can explore numerous career opportunities in Florida. The state’s economy, characterized by its vibrant tourism, real estate, and finance sectors, offers various paths for finance graduates.

In the banking sector, you might find roles as a financial analyst, loan officer, or branch manager, where you assist clients in managing their finances and investments. Investment firms also offer positions such as portfolio manager or investment banker, where you analyze market trends and provide investment advice.

Corporate finance is a prominent area, offering positions like financial manager, where you oversee financial operations, and risk manager, where you assess and mitigate financial risks for businesses. Financial planning is another key sector, with roles such as financial advisor, helping individuals and businesses create strategies to achieve their financial goals.

Florida’s strong real estate market presents unique opportunities for finance professionals. Many real estate companies require finance experts to manage their investments and financial planning. Roles in this sector include financial analysts who evaluate financial data and chief financial officers who oversee the financial health of the company.

Additionally, Florida’s tourism industry creates demand for finance professionals to support the financial operations of hotels, resorts, and other related businesses. In this sector, you may work as a financial manager or analyst, helping to optimize financial performance and strategic planning.

In short, a finance degree in Florida provides you with a wide range of career options in banking, investment, corporate finance, financial planning, real estate, and tourism. The state’s diverse economy offers a strong foundation for you to build a successful career in finance.

Popular Online Finance Degree Programs in Florida [2024 Guide]