Description of Major
The College of Applied Studies offers a full bachelor of science degree and major in Financial Planning. This program aims to prepare students to become effective and successful financial planners and is registered by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards . Upon graduation, students will be eligible to take the CFP® Certification Examination and be knowledgeable in both the academic and people skills required for financial planning practice. Students will learn from professors who have applied experience as well as academic credentials for Financial Planning. The Financial Planning major courses can be taken fully online, which provides ultimate flexibility for students in their undergraduate studies.
The goals of the Financial Planning program include:
- Prepare students for entry or advancement in their desired financial planning-related careers with integral financial knowledge and interpersonal skills
- Provide students hands-on experience applying skills related to financial planning
- Help students develop quantitative and qualitative skills to be a critical consumer of research, financial policies, and related laws
- Equip students with advanced knowledge of financial planning and building a foundation for their careers
- Engage students in interdisciplinary coursework that further equips students in the applied skills necessary to be successful in financial planning-related careers – including courses from Entrepreneurship, Psychology, and Communication.
Additional skills to be developed from this program include student competencies of:
- Integrating knowledge about financial markets, estate planning, tax laws, and risk management to develop financial and investment recommendations
- Determining client goals and developing a comprehensive financial plan
- Evaluating effectiveness of financial planning activities
- Understanding the importance of effective communication and interpersonal skills when working with clients of different backgrounds
- Engaging with ethics in decision making
- Utilizing applied skills from other academic fields to build a foundation for a fruitful financial planning career
Admission Requirements
In the first two years at FSU, students should take courses to complete the following requirements: General Education requirements, Multicultural Course requirements, and Prerequisite Coursework requirements. Some courses may fulfill requirements in multiple areas. Upon completion of lower-level coursework (or AA degree), to be considered for admission to the Financial Planning major (program is the same name as the major) students must successfully complete the pre-requisite coursework below with a C- or better and have a GPA of at least 2.0 (on a 4.0 system). Questions about admission? Talk to one of our advisors today!
Prerequisite Coursework (21 hours; 7 courses)
The following courses must be completed with a C minus or better prior to entering the Financial Planning Major:
- ACG 2021 (3) Introduction to Financial Accounting
- ACG 2071 (3) Introduction to Managerial Accounting
- CGS 2100 (3) Microcomputer Applications for Business or CGS X518 (3) Spreadsheets for Business
- ECO 2013 (3) Principles of Macroeconomics
- ECO 2023 (3) Principles of Microeconomics
- MAC 2233 (3) Calculus for Business and Non-Physical Sciences
- STA 2023 (3) Business Statistics
Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual,” available at the Florida Virtual Campus website.
Coursework in the Major
Once accepted into the Financial Planning program, students in this major must complete 39 credit hours in the core curriculum (which includes all courses required meet the education requirement needed to sit for the national CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ exam). Additionally, students must complete 21 hours of approved, interdisciplinary courses chosen from academic areas of Entrepreneurship, Marketing/Advertising, Human Development/Behavior, Organizational Management/Leadership, Communication, and Technology to enhance applied skills for financial planning. More specific information is listed below:
Required Core Courses (39 hours; 13 courses)
- Introduction to Financial Planning
- Advanced Financial Planning
- Family and Consumer Economics
- Ethics and Financial Planning
- Personal Investment Concepts I
- Personal Investment Concepts II
- Personal Risk Management & Insurance Planning
- Personal Income Tax Concepts
- Psychology for Financial Planning
- Retirement Planning
- Estate Planning
- Communication for Business and the Professions
- Career Readiness Seminar and Capstone in Personal Financial Planning
Required Specialized Interdisciplinary Courses* (21 hours; 7 courses)
All students choose courses that best fit their needs and interests across areas of Entrepreneurship, Innovations & Leadership, Marketing/Advertising, Social Science, Organizational Management/Leadership, Communication and Information/Technology.
Courses may vary in availability and may not be all available each semester. The approved course list below is a sample and will be updated on a semester-by-semester basis. Each semester, an approved list will be provided to students in the major each semester to help in academic planning. For local Panama City students some courses can be taken in-person if preferred. Questions? Our advisors stand ready to help build your academic plan.
Entrepreneurship Area (Required)
ENT 2000 Introduction to Entrepreneurship (required)
Innovations & Leadership Area: Choose (1) from the following
CTE 4470 Sustainability & Human Rights in the Business World
ENT 3173 Franchising
ENT 3451 Accounting Essentials for Entrepreneurs
HFT 4224 Hospitality Leadership and Ethics
PAD 3017 Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Marketing/Advertising: Choose (1) from the following
ADV 3008 Principles of Advertising
ADV 3410 Hispanic Marketing Communication
ADV 4603 Account Planning
COM 3521 Digital Media Campaigns
PUR 3000 Introduction to Public Relations
Social Science: Choose (1) from the following
EDF 4210 Educational Psychology
PAD 3003 Public Administration in American Society
PAD 3013 Future Studies
PAD 4223 Budgets and Finances in Managing Public Affairs
SYA 3741 Sociology of Death and Dying
SYA 4400 Social Statistics
SYD 3020 Population and Society
SYD 3800 Sociology of Sex and Gender
SYO 3100 Families and Social Change
SYO 3200 Sociology of Religion
Organizational Management/Leadership: Choose (1) from the following
COM 3120 Communication for Organizing
HFT 3240 Managing Service Organizations
HFT 3424 Hopsitality for Financial Analysis
HFT3603 Law for Hospitality Operations
PAD 4144 Managing the Nonprofit Organization
Communication: Choose (1) from the following
COM 4132 Communication and Stress Management
HFT 3242 Communication in Hospitality
MMC 4300 Diffusion of Innovations
RTV 3001 Media Techniques
SPC 3210 Contemporary Human Communication
Information/Technology: Choose (1) from the following
CIS 3250 Ethics and Computer Science
COM 3332 New Communication Technology
HFT 4448 Tech. & Big Data Applications in Hospitality
SYO 4461 New Media and Social Change
Computer Skills Competency: (0 hours beyond prerequisites)
CGS 2100 (3) or CGS 2518 (3) meets this requirement.
Oral Communication Competency: (3 additional hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. COM 2080 Online Communication and Presence will fulfill the OCC requirement.
Language Requirement
All students must meet the foreign language admission requirement. Students do not have an additional language requirement for the B.S. degree. The B.A. degree requires proficiency in a foreign language through the collegiate intermediate (22XX) level.
Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36
Major Coursework 60
Minor Coursework 0
Computer Skills 3
Oral Communication Competency 0-3
Other Coursework 0
Electives to bring total hours to 120
Mapping
Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. All students should review the Academic Map for their major with their academic advisor to ensure they stay on track and eligible to remain eligible for their major.
Remarks
- A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
- Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
- The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
Employment Information:
Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Representative Job Titles: Analyst, Auditor, Bank Officer, Business Consultant, Controller, Financial Planner, Financial Advisor, Independent Broker, Insurance Agent, Internal Revenue Agent, Investment Advisor, Stock Broker, Bank Officer
Representative Employers: CPA Firms, Banks, Investment Firms, Major Corporations, Small Businesses, Management Consulting Firms, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Governments: Local, State, Federal, Non-Profit Organizations.
