The program, A New Model for Understanding Retirement Risk, is a two-and-a-half day program offered through a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania business school. The program, which provides financial professionals with extensive training in retirement income strategies, is part of an effort to further distinguish the firm’s Masters Council program, which is the top-ranking tier of financial professionals selling Prudential Annuities products and services.

The Wharton executive education program builds on the business model created by Prudential Annuities to help address some of the risks of investing inside the five years before and the five years after retirement, a press announcement explained.

The program was initially launched last fall, which sold out quickly, Prudential said (See Prudential Joins With Wharton to Offer Retirement Risk Education for Financial Professionals). Prudential Annuities offered its Masters Council program members an opportunity to attend the January 2008 session. At that session, Wharton Executive Education program trained 75 participants during each of two consecutively scheduled two and a half day sessions from January 5 through January 8 and January 9 through January 12, 2008. In total, 300 financial professionals have attended the customized program.

Interested participants are required to complete a two-hour, online prerequisite program created and administered by Prudential Annuities. Admission to the free Wharton program is determined on a first-come, first-served basis upon completion of the online program, the company said