California State University, Fullerton is ranked as one of the nation's top Personal Financial Planning Programs. Learn more at: https://www.financial-planning.com/list/colleges-for-financial-planning. 

Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics has continuously offered a CFP Board-registered personal financial planning degree program since 1990. It prepares students to become professional, competent, and ethical personal financial planners. 

A Participant-Centered Approach

The College’s Professional Certificate in Personal Financial Planning Program teaches students “how to think” as financial planners so that they can “hit the ground running” upon graduation. Throughout the courses, students are encouraged to apply their knowledge to real-life financial planning situations via:

• Regular guest lecturers who are leading practitioners in the financial services industry
• Heavy use of case studies involving personal financial planning situations
• Discussions of current events in the financial markets and the financial services industry

This approach emphasizes the application of knowledge of course material to the actual practice of personal financial planning, so that students will be able provide sound guidance to their future clients, no matter the complexity.
Day and the evening courses are offered to accommodate the needs of working students. Students completing the program will be eligible to sit for the CFP® examination without further preparation or coursework.

Curriculum

"How do I earn my CFP Certification?"

Academic requirements

Student information

The College’s Professional Certificate in Personal Financial Planning Program consists of the seven courses listed below:

• ACCT 308 – Concepts of Federal Income Tax Accounting
• FIN 328 - General Principles of Personal Financial Planning
• FIN 340 – Introduction to Investments
• FIN 360 – Principles of Insurance
• FIN 408 – Retirement Planning
• FIN 409 – Estate Planning
• FIN 410 – Theory and Practice of Personal Financial Planning