This certificate is available to individuals who have interest in a financial planning career. Financial Planners have the opportunity for rewarding careers, both personally and financially. The courses in this program will give students a comprehensive understanding of the financial planning process which include topics such as taxes, estate, investment and retirement planning and ethical procedures.
This program is registered by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards.
Financial Planners help individuals plan their financial futures. A Financial Planner understands investments, taxes, estate planning issues and possesses excellent listening skills. Most Financial Planners work for themselves or work within small practices. This work pays well and is rewarding if you like to help people, set goals, develop and implement plans and celebrate the success of a goal met.
It is important to obtain the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation if pursuing a career as a Financial Planner. The Financial Planning Certificate would provide the courses required to meet the CFP Board educational requirements, which allows students to take the rigorous CFP exam upon completion.
To receive an undergraduate certificate (at least 15 units) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject matter areas with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
Please be aware that federal financial aid is not available for some certificates, if the certificate is pursued and completed as a stand-alone certificate (i.e., not completed concurrently with a degree program). See the "Details" tab for additional information.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 21 |
| Major GPA | 2.0 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 121 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Licensure | This program may lead to licensure. |
Purpose Statement
The purpose of the Financial Planning Certificate is to provide educational curriculum to students that will satisfy the Certified Financial Planning (CFP) Board’s requirements. Typically, the CFP designation requires students to take additional courses beyond their bachelor’s programs. However, with the Financial Planning Certificate, students will be able to complete all educational requirements in a typical four-year time period. Eventually, students earning a Certificate in Financial Planning will be eligible to sit for the CFP Board exam, which is a required component to earn the CFP designation.
In order to be approved as a CFP Board Registered Program, we have developed the NAU Financial Planning Program. The CFP Board requires that their 72 Learning Objectives (LO) be included in the program courses. The 7 total courses cover the 72 LO required by the CFP Board. By the end of the program, students will have knowledge of topics including investment planning, tax planning, estate planning, retirement planning, insurance and risk management, ethics, and financial plan development. While the Certificate in Financial Planning is included in the NAU Financial Planning Program, students can earn the Certificate separate from this program and are not required to meet the CFP Board education requirements. Through the Financial Planning Certificate, students will learn topics and skills that will help them succeed as a CFP professional. Additionally, students will learn how to write a comprehensive financial plan as it pertains to real-world clients and situations
Students will have countless career opportunities available to them post-graduation. With the CFP designation, students can choose to work for a firm or as individual business owner. In addition, there are several other opportunities that exist with the CFP designation including positions within financial institutions such as banks, investment firms, and the insurance industry.
Student Learning Outcomes
The relevant and innovative NAU Financial Planning Program curriculum includes the following student learning outcomes:
The W.A. Franke College of Business (FCB) offers more than a dozen undergraduate certificates, some of which are open to all Northern Arizona University students.
For a list of certificates open to non-business majors, contact the Office of Academic Services in the FCB.
The FCB does not accept upper-division transfer credits from programs not accredited by the AACSB (such as the University of Phoenix or the Bachelor of Business Administration program at NAU).
You must complete 12 units of certificate coursework that are not used in your major, minor, or other certificates, and you must complete at least 60% of certificate coursework at Northern Arizona University.
Take the following 21 units with a minimum gpa of 2.0:
Please note that if you are a Finance major you are not eligible to take FIN 303.
This certificate may be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program or as a stand-alone certificate. Federal financial aid cannot be used if the certificate is completed as a stand-alone certificate.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.