College chases lucrative field for new major

TAMPA — The University of South Florida's Muma College of Business is introducing a new major in personal financial planning.

The new major will be available to business students this fall, according to a statement. The program stems from following industry trend lines: The need for financial planners is projected to grow 30% over the next several years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, more than 50% of financial advisors in the country are more than 50 years old, while only 4% are less than 30 years old, USF officials say.

Laura Mattia, a certified financial planner who earned a doctoral degree at Texas Tech University, is the director of the newly formed financial planning program and will create the curriculum. She plans to prepare students for success by providing them with academic and professional insights on financial communication, ethics and technology, according to the statement.