Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning
The Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning prepares professionals to enter, or advance within, careers in banking, investments, insurance, wealth management and related fields. Financial planners and advisors use their knowledge of investments, tax law, insurance and real estate to recommend financial options to individuals based on their short term and long term financial goals. These options may relate to retirement planning, estate planning, taxes, funding for college, and general investment options. Increased investment by businesses and individuals is expected to result in increased career opportunities for financial planners and advisors.
The Financial Planning program is approved by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. Completion of this 21 credit program allows students to sit for the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) examination. Several courses in the curriculum have also been approved for Continuing Education (CE) credits by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.
All courses can be completed during evenings and weekends. A maximum of two three-credit courses completed during the last ten years may be applied toward the Certificate in lieu of equivalent required courses. All students must demonstrate computer competency or meet this requirement by completing Computer Applications (MIS 101).
| Course Requirements* | |
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| ACCT 330 | Tax Accounting |
| FIN 210 | Financial Planning |
| FIN 301 | Investments |
| FIN 310 | Employee Benefits and Financial Planning |
| FIN 315 | Principles of Risk Management |
| FIN 345 | Financial Institutions and Markets |
| FIN 410 | Estate Planning |
*Descriptions are available in the Course Catalog
Admissions Requirements
B.A. or B.S. degree with an overall GPA of at least 2.5.
Admissions Procedures
Have official college transcripts sent to the Office of Adult & Graduate Programs. Submit a completed Advanced Certificate Application, along with a $30 application fee**.
**You can also choose to apply online for free.