Program overview

We offer a CFP Board-approved program that prepares students to take the CFP® Exam. Our material and class instructions cover the 72 Principal Knowledge Topics prescribed by the CFP Board. Our courses are designed to meet your needs, whether you are a career changer or longtime planning professional. 

The program aims to prepare students for rewarding careers as financial consultants to individuals, families, and small businesses. The curriculum builds a foundation to provide advice about investment, tax, and estate planning, as well as on issues such as risk management, employee benefits, and business succession.

Students who successfully complete all the required courses and satisfy the CFP® Board’s education requirement will be eligible to sit for the CFP® exam. See CFP Board’s education requirement. Upon completion, students will receive a certificate of completion from Fairleigh Dickinson University which they can proudly display on their wall and share with their clients. 

Curriculum

Our program is a non-credit certificate program made up of six financial planning courses that run consecutively and culminate with a 7th capstone course. The duration of the program is around 24 months.

Each class module runs once a week and meets twelve times on Zoom. There are usually two weeks off between modules.

The courses range from introductory areas to more specific areas of focus. Briefly, the seven courses, are listed in sequence are:

  1. CFP6100: General Principles of Financial Planning
  2. CFP6200: Risk Management & Insurance Planning
  3. CFP6300: Investment Planning
  4. CFP6400: Income Tax Planning
  5. CFP6500: Retirement Planning
  6. CFP6600: Estate Planning
  7. CFP6700: Capstone in Financial Planning

Admissions Requirement

To join the program and sit for the CFP® exam, students need a baccalaureate degree in any discipline from an accredited college or university.

Program faculty

Instructors for this program have a range of expertise, specializations and financial work experience. Most, if not all, hold a CFP® designation with most having more designation such as MBA, CPA, JD, CFA, and various professional certifications.

 

For information about the CFP Board’s education and experience requirements, exam fees, and test information, click here.

 

 

Contact Information
fp@fdu.edu
Ron West, Program Director