PFP CFP Program at the Leeds School of Business

Personal Financial Planning(PFP) Programs

Personal financial planning is offered as either a track optionwithin theFinance emphasis area (PFP Track), or by taking the courses as business electives (Business Electives Pathway). As a planning professional, you will be helping individuals and families reach their financial goals and objectives by applying your broad understanding of financial topics and concepts, in-depth technical knowledge of wealth management and financial planning strategies and awareness about client communication, including relationship building, active listening during client discovery and presentation of planning recommendations.

The program’s curriculum has been approved by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. After successfully completing the PFP courses, you will be eligible to sit for the national CFP® Certification Examination. The CFP® designation is a professional mark that will help set you apart within the financial-services industry.

Personal Financial PlanningTrack Career and Advising Guide


Requirements for the Personal Financial Planning Track (CFP® Exam Eligibility)

Students who have elected the Finance emphasis area with the PFP track are required to complete FNCE 2010 Fundamentals of Financial Analysis, FNCE 3010 Corporate Finance and ACCT 3220 Corporate Financial Reporting 1 plus the six track courses (listed below). You are not required to take FNCE 4040 Derivative Securities or 4850 Business Senior Seminar in Finance.

  • FNCE 3820 – Principles of Personal Financial Planning and Insurance
  • FNCE 3030 – Investment and Portfolio Management (required of all finance students)
  • ACCT 3440 – Income Taxation of Individuals
  • FNCE 3040 – Retirement Planning
  • FNCE 3060 – Estate Planning
  • FNCE 4840 – Personal Financial Plan Development Capstone

You can declare for both Finance and PFP emphasis areas. If that is your decision, then you will need to complete FNCE 4040 Derivatives Securities and FNCE 4850, Business Senior Seminar in Finance.

Requirements for the Personal Financial Planning Business Electives Pathway (CFP® Exam Eligibility)

Students who do not declare for the FNCE Emphasis area can complete the coursework by taking the courses listed below as Business Electives.

  • FNCE 3820 – Principles of Personal Financial Planning and Insurance
  • FNCE 2830 – Personal Investment Management
  • ACCT 3440 – Income Taxation of Individuals
  • FNCE 3040 – Retirement Planning
  • FNCE 3060 – Estate Planning
  • FNCE 4840 – Personal Financial Plan Development Capstone


An emphasis will be placed on mentoring, internships and placements specific to the personal financial planning field in cooperation with national &local wealth management firms and planning practitioners.

Upon Graduation

All undergraduate Financestudents from Leeds School of Business earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. Additionally, your transcript will show that your major is FINANCE with an option in Personal Financial Planning.

Contact: Harry Starn, MS, CFA, CFP®
harry.starn@colorado.edu
303-492-7658


Certificate in Personal Financial Planning

The Personal Financial Planning Certificate is available to undergraduate students who are not enrolled in the Personal Financial Planning Track. The certificate does not allow eligibility to sit for the CFP® exam, however it is designed to differentiate students seeking to position themselves for potential career opportunities within the financial services industry and acquire personal skillsets for financial planning and wealth management.This certificate has been approved by the Leeds School of Business and is administered by the Office of the Registrar. Upon successful completion, the certificate will post to your official transcript.

Coursework (12 credits)

Required Courses:

  • FNCE 3820 – Principles of Personal Financial Planning and Insurance
  • FNCE 2830 – Personal Investment Management

Select two (2) of the following courses

  • ACCT 3440 – Income Taxation of Individuals
  • FNCE 3040 – Retirement Planning
  • FNCE 3060 – Estate Planning

Students must maintain a 2.7 grade-point average or higher for the four courses taken.

Experiential
In addition to the four courses, students must select and complete a relevant experiential learning activity. Examples of pre-approved learning activities include an internship with a financial-services company, the FPA’s virtual externship program, or completing the Leeds self-study SIE Canvas Course and passing the SIE exam. When an alternative, experiential activity is preferred, the student will need to receive pre-approval from the certificate-program’s faculty director.

Personal Reflection and Exit Interview
After completion of the academic and experiential requirements, students will document their overall experience in a reflection paper (2-3 pages), which satisfies the established “reflection letter” guidelines. The papers will be graded on a pass/fail basis. Students will meet with the faculty director for their exit interview.

Apply for Admission
You can declare for the certificate by completing this application “” Once declared, the faculty director will reach out to set up an initial meeting. If you have any questions regarding the certificate, then please contact the certificate faculty director, Harry Starn, at harry.starn@colorado.edu.