The Certificate in Financial Planning is a Registered Program with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board). This program provides an introduction to personal financial planning and includes the areas of insurance, taxes, investments, retirement planning, and estate planning.
This certificate indicates completion of the educational coursework component of CFP Board’s CFP® certification program. To be authorized to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and certification marks, individuals must complete additional examination, experience, ethics, and other requirements.
The college also offers a four-year degree in Finance.
Requirement Courses
- FIN 330: Personal Financial Planning\
- ACCTG 310: Federal Income Taxation (Prerequisites: ACCTG 211 or FIN 301)
- FIN 420: Introduction to Investments
(Prerequisite FIN 301) - FIN 430: Estate Planning (Prerequisites: IN 330 and ACCTG 310)
- FIN 450: Retirement Planning\
- FIN 491: Financial Planning Capstone (Prerequisites FIN 330, FIN 420, FIN 450 and concurrently with FIN 430)
* Students must earn a "C" or better in each of the required courses to earn the Certificate in Financial Planning.
Recommended Schedule By Semester
Sophomore Year
- Fall: FIN 330, ACCTG 211
- Spring: ECON 102 or ECON 104, SCM 200
Junior Year
- Fall: ACCTG 310, FIN 301
- Spring: FIN 420, FIN 430
Senior Year
- Fall: FIN 450
- Spring: FIN 491
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the financial planning program available in the evenings or weekends?
A: No.
Q: Can the financial planning program be completed online?
A: No.
Q: What prerequisites are required before entering this program?
A: There are no prerequisites required to enter this certificate program. However, there are prerequisites for some of the required courses in the program. These prerequisites are identified in the required course table above.
Q: Can credit be given for courses taken at other institutions?
A: The prerequisite courses can be completed elsewhere. The seven courses in the financial planning program must be taken here.
Q: Can I use courses from more than one institution to complete the educational requirement to obtain the CFP® certification?
A: Yes, but you will be required to justify to the CFP Board of Standards that you have covered all of the required topics.
Q: Will I be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional once I complete your program?
A: No, the CFP® certification is granted by the CFP Board of Standards and you must meet all of their requirements. Successful completion of our program fulfills only the educational requirement.
Contact
For more information about the program or about the CFP® Certification, please contact Rick Hedderick, Assistant Teaching Professor of Finance, at [email protected] or 814-898-6435.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S., which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.