Program Information
The Undergraduate Certificate in Financial Planning is designed for students who are interested in understanding the complex and comprehensive nature of personal finance. Students will learn all aspects of the financial life cycle, allowing them to develop their own financial plan or begin a journey to become professional financial planners, investment advisers, or money managers. Personal finance is a broad and rapidly-growing field with many career opportunities. This course of study satisfies the educational requirements necessary for the premier Certified Financial Planner™ 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.
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 Financial Planning Undergraduate Certificate, students who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university 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).
Student Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this certificate program will gain:
- The skills and knowledge of personal financial planning that are represented in the full range of topics covered by the CFP™ examination.
- Interpersonal skills necessary to maintain successful client relationships and to work effectively with colleagues, individually or in teams.
- The quantitative, analytical, and technical skills needed to address complex financial situations.
- The ability to apply their knowledge to real-world problems in financial planning.
- Knowledge of the legal and regulatory environment in which financial planning occurs and familiarity with relevant licensing, reporting, and compliance requirements.
- The ability to recognize the ethical dilemmas that may arise in financial planning practice and familiarity with appropriate responses to those dilemmas, as reflected in the CFP™ Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility.