Financial Planning Graduate Certificate

Program Information

The graduate financial planning certificate requires the completion of seven courses (21 semester units), plus any necessary prerequisite courses. No comprehensive examination is required. The graduate financial planning certificate meets the educational requirement of the Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation.*

See Certificate Program Admission Policies for more information.

All courses must be completed at Golden Gate University with a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 (“B” average) or better in courses taken at Golden Gate University that are applicable to the program’s requirements. See Graduate Student Academic Standing Standards for more information.

Course prerequisites are indicated in the course description for each course and must be satisfied prior to enrolling in a given course. Prerequisites may be satisfied through transfer of equivalent coursework from external institutions or by taking the courses at GGU.

* After successfully completing GGU’s graduate financial planning certificate, students are eligible to sit for the CFP® examination if they register with the CFP Board. Students can sit for the CFP® examination before completing the experience requirement. Golden Gate University does not award the CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ designations. The right to use the marks CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ is granted by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) to those persons who have met its rigorous educational standards, passed the CFP Board’s certification examination, satisfied a work experience requirement and agreed to abide by the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Only persons registered with the CFP Board are permitted to sit for the certification examination. CFP® certificates and licenses are issued only by the CFP Board (www.CFP-Board.org).

Required Courses - 21 units

The seven courses that make up the graduate financial planning certificate also comprise much of the core of the MS degree in financial planning. Thus, students who complete the certificate program need only three additional courses (as well as any foundation courses that may be required) in order to complete the MS degree. Students should speak with the director of the financial planning program about this exciting opportunity.

FI 420 Personal Financial Planning 3 unit(s)
FI 421 Personal Investment Management 3 unit(s)
FI 422 Retirement and Employee Benefits Planning 3 unit(s)
FI 425 Income Tax Planning 3 unit(s)
FI 426 Estate Planning 3 unit(s) (Must be taken as part of the final six units of the program)
FI 434 Cases in Financial Planning 3 unit(s)
FI 483 Risk Management and Insurance Planning 3 unit(s)