Mar 28, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

Personal Financial Planning B.S.


TOTAL DEGREE HOURS: 120
Plans of Study

The Personal Financial Planning program aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers in the financial planning and related industry. A financial planner takes a “big picture” view of a client’s financial situation and makes financial planning recommendations based on the client’s needs in areas such as budgeting and saving, taxes, investments, insurance and retirement planning. Alternatively, the planner may work with a client on a single financial issue but still within the context of that client’s overall situation.

Admission Standards for the Program


To matriculate to the upper-division courses required for the B.S. Personal Financial Planning, students must earn a minimum grade of C- in the following courses and an overall 2.5 GPA in all seven (7) courses:

  • Financial Accounting: ACG X021/ACG X022 (or ACG X001 & ACG X011)
  • Managerial Accounting: ACG X071 (or ACG X301)
  • Computers in Business: CGS X100 (or acceptable substitute)
  • Principles of Macroeconomics: ECO X013
  • Principles of Microeconomics: ECO X023
  • Elementary Calculus: MAC X233 or MAC X230
  • Statistics: QMB X100 or STA X023 or STA X122

Progression Requirements - Muma College of Business


All students entering USF for the first time in Fall 2017 or later, who subsequently earn three (3) D and/or F grades in any or any combination of the following courses at USF will be required to change their major to a major more appropriate to their goals and academic performance and to a major not conferred by the Muma College of Business. The courses are: ACG 2021 , ACG 2071 , CGS 2100 , ECO 2013 , ECO 2023 , MAC 2233   (or equivalent), and QMB 2100   (or equivalent).

Graduation Requirements - Muma College of Business


Satisfactory completion of the following requirements: 

  • General Education Program (36 credit hours), including State Core General Education Requirements;
  • State Computation (6 credit hours); 
  • State Communication (6 credit hours, in addition to ENC 1101  and ENC 1102 ); 
  • Minimum of 120 unduplicated credit hours;
  • A minimum adjusted grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on all coursework taken at USF and an overall 2.0 GPA average on all college-level coursework;
  • Major and college requirements in a chosen degree program;
  • Nine credit hours of coursework taken during the summer term(s) (if entered USF with less than 60 credit hours); 
  • Registration and successful completion of at least thirty (30) of the last sixty (60) credit hours;
  • 42 credit hours of upper-level coursework;
  • Civics Literacy;
  • Foreign language admissions coursework.

State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites - Muma College of Business


Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program.

Transfer credits will be accepted from accredited institutions; however, all hours earned may not be applied toward USF business degree requirements. Individual courses will be evaluated by an academic advisor and appropriately credited toward requirements in the student’s program at USF.

Florida public state or community college students enrolled in an Associate of Arts (AA) program should normally complete the general education requirements and the State Mandated Common Prerequisites at a Florida College System institution. As a rule, AA students should avoid taking any business courses at the state or community college that are listed as 3000- and 4000-level courses at USF. Normally, courses in finance, marketing, management, and accounting, as well as other business administration courses, taken at the lower division level will not be accepted for upper division credit at USF in business administration. In general, business courses taken at the lower level, at technical schools, or as part of professional or military training, are not applicable to the degree programs of the Muma College of Business. Exceptions to this policy will be made only upon proper validation of such courses. Validation consists of successfully completing specified advanced courses in the discipline.

Florida College System students pursuing an Associate of Science (AS) program in Business Administration are fully admissible to USF Muma College of Business, but may only earn a major in Management. Please see a business advisor to determine the articulation courses, discuss admission to the Muma College of Business and prepare a program plan for degree completion. 

Florida College System students pursuing an Associate of Science (A.S.) program in any other discipline should contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies, SVC 2002, (813) 974-4051, for information regarding course transferability and degree articulation.

Completion of the following State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites (or equivalents) with a grade of C- or higher in each course and an overall 2.5 GPA in the seven (7) courses:

  • ACG X021 Principles of Financial Accounting or ACG X022 or (ACG X001 & ACG X011) - 3-6 credit hours
  • ACG X071 Managerial Accounting or ACG X301 - 3 credit hours
  • CGS X100 Computers in Business or CGS X100C or CGS X570 or CGS X060 or CGS X531 or CGS X000 or ISM X000 or CGS X518 or CGS X101 - 3 credit hours
  • ECO X013 Principles of Macroeconomics - 3 credit hours
  • ECO X023 Principles of Microeconomics - 3 credit hours
  • STA X023 Introductory Statistics or STA X122 or QMB X100 - 3 credit hours
  • MAC X233 Elementary Calculus - 3 credit hours

Required Courses: (57 credit hours)


Business Foundation Courses (required of ALL Business majors): 9 courses; 27 credit hours


A minimum grade of C- in each Foundation Course and an overall 2.0 GPA is required.

Other business required courses (6 credit hours)


Required Supporting Courses: 3 courses; 9 Credit Hours)


The following courses are supporting courses for this major. They are required for the major. The degree will not be awarded if these courses have not been taken by the end of the student’s final semester.

Additional Information - Personal Financial Planning B.S.


GPA Requirements


Students must earn a 2.0 GPA on all major coursework at USF and have an overall 2.0 major GPA, including any applicable transfer work.

In computing entry grade point average, all Business and Economics courses taken for S or U grades will be converted to C or F, respectively.

Grading Requirements


Students are required to earn a C- or higher in all Personal Finance courses that are counted toward the major requirements.

Residency Requirement


Major Residency: Students must complete 15 credit hours of upper-level Financial Planning/Finance requirements in residence at USF.

College Residency: Muma College of Business residency requirements for graduation exceed the minimum requirements established for USF. Students are required to complete satisfactorily at USF a minimum of 50 percent (30-33 credit hours depending on major) of required Business courses, including 12-18 credit hours in the major field. Normally, independent study and independent research courses do not fulfill this requirement.

Internship Opportunities


It is recommended that Finance students participate in an internship course (FIN 4940 ) as part of their plan of study. This course is offered on an S/U basis only.

Research Opportunities - Muma College of Business


Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 4914  course. This course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The Office of High Impact Practices and Undergraduate Research (HIPUR) is able to assist with further inquiries.

Advising Information - Muma College of Business


Tampa campus location: BSN 2102
(813) 974-4290 or schedule an advising appointment online at https://www.usf.edu/business/undergraduate/advising/appointments.aspx

Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm (Friday is reserved for walk-in’s only)
Please refer to the website for most current office hours and advising availability information: https://www.usf.edu/business/undergraduate/advising/

For questions email bsnadvising@usf.edu
Be sure to include your name, U#, and contact information with your question.

St Petersburg campus location: DAV 134
Mon-Thu: 8:00a.m. – 6:00p.m.
Fri: 8:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.
(727) 873-4511 USFSP-advising@usf.edu
Website:  https://www.stpetersburg.usf.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-advising/about/index.aspx

Sarasota-Manatee campus location: SMC C107
(941) 359-4330  sar-advising@usf.edu
Website: https://www.sarasotamanatee.usf.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-advising/