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Personal Financial Planning Program Gets Approval From CFP Board of Standards

By Keith Morelli

TAMPA (November 6, 2017) --  The Muma College of Business's new Personal Financial Planning course of study was approved last week by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in Washington, D.C.

The undergraduate program began this semester and offers finance majors a chance to break into a field in which their services are in growing demand and paychecks are relatively high.

USF was notified of the board's approval of the program in a letter dated Nov. 1.

"CFP Board is pleased to approve the program at the Muma College of Business as a CFP Board Registered Program," said Blaine Aikin, chair of CFP Board's board of directors. "As student interest in financial planning as a career continues to grow, we anticipate that this program will contribute significantly to the number of qualified candidates seeking to attain the CFP certification, the standard of excellence for competent and ethical financial planning."

The board is an independent non-profit organization whose mission is to grant, uphold and promote financial planning certification. Students completing the financial planning program at the Muma College of Business will have met the education requirements for the CFP certification examination administered by board.

CFP Board currently oversees more than 300 programs at more than 200 institutions and certifies financial planning education programs at the college or university level that meet the educational criteria for individuals seeking CFP certification.

"With students looking for a career that offers growth, freedom and an opportunity to give back to the community, the financial planning profession should be on the top of the list," said program Director Laura Mattia, herself a certified financial planner. "The key to a flourishing career in financial planning is creative problem solving, relationship building and communication skills.

"From budgeting and planning for retirement to managing taxes and insurance coverage," she said, "financial planners help their clients bring all the pieces of their financial lives together to improve their family's well-being."

The classroom-delivered program consists of seven courses with a total of 21 credit hours. Key elements include:

• Employer involvement: Financial services employers from over 20 area firms are committed to developing the program and to working directly with the students.
• Certified Financial Planner preparation: The program will provide what the students need to sit for the Certified Financial Planner designation, the gold standard in the industry.
• Business degree: The program is offered at the Muma College of Business, an AACSB-accredited business school which prepares students for successful careers in business.
• Skills for success: The program has been carefully crafted to include unique skills for success such as financial technology, sales, effective communication and coaching, ethics, behavioral finance and other wealth-management tools.

"I applaud the thorough and thoughtful methodology used in the development of your statement of objectives and program objectives," said May Kay Svedberg, director of education with the CFP Board of Standards. "Your capstone syllabus is well written and meets CFP Board expectations.