BS in Personal Financial Planning

Degree Program Description

The Bachelor of Science in Personal Financial Planning degree prepares students to work with individuals and families in a wide range of financial service occupations, such as financial planning, insurance, investments, banking, financial counseling, financial education, social work, and more. The degree program meets the educational requirements for those who want to sit for the national CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ exam to meet the growing demand for personal financial planners. With a strong foundation in financial planning, many students also choose to pursue additional minor(s) or certificates in business, accounting, economics, social work, public health, and other related programs.

Major Program Requirements

Students earning a Bachelor of Science in Financial Planning are required to complete all University general educationUniversity graduation and degree requirements, including selected foundational courses, which may fulfill some University general education requirements.

If you are planning to transfer courses (including AP credit) and would like information on how they apply to a degree program(s), you can email CAFNRadvising@missouri.edu for general recommendations. 

Students are admissible to transfer into Financial Planning with a 2.0 cumulative GPA. You are directly admissible as a freshman when you meet the University admissions requirements. 

Foundational Courses
ENGLSH 1000Writing and Rhetoric3
HIST 1100Survey of American History to 18653
or HIST 1200 Survey of American History Since 1865
or HIST 1400 American History
or HIST 2210 Twentieth Century America
or HIST 2240 Flight in America: From the Wright Brothers to the Space Age
or POL_SC 1100 American Government
or POL_SC 2100 State Government
MATH 1100College Algebra3
MATH 1400Calculus for Social and Life Sciences I3
or MATH 1500 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
ABM 1041Applied Microeconomics3
or ECONOM 1014 Principles of Microeconomics
ABM 1042Applied Macroeconomics3
or ECONOM 1015 Principles of Macroeconomics
ABM 2225Statistical Analysis3
or STAT 2500 Introduction to Probability and Statistics I
COMMUN 1200Public Speaking3
or COMMUN 3571 Group Decision Making Processes
or AGSC_COM 2220 Verbal Communication in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
Core Requirements
FINPLN 2083Financial Planning Careers2
FINPLN 2183Personal and Family Finance 13
FINPLN 3282Financial Counseling3
FINPLN 3283Financial Planning: Computer Applications3
FINPLN 4187Financial Planning: Tax Planning 23
FINPLN 4188Community Agencies and Volunteerism5
FINPLN 4380WAssessing the American Dream - Writing Intensive3
FINPLN 4382Financial Planning: Risk Management 23
FINPLN 4383Financial Planning: Investment Management 23
FINPLN 4386Financial Planning: Employee Benefits and Retirement Planning 23
FINPLN 4393Financial Planning: Estate and Gift Planning 23
FINPLN 4389Financial Planning: Capstone 1, 23
Supporting Coursework
PSYCH 1000General Psychology3
SOCIOL 1000Introduction to Sociology3
ACCTCY 2036Accounting I3
or ACCTCY 2010 Introduction to Accounting
or ACCTCY 2026 Accounting I
ECONOM 3229Money, Banking and Financial Markets3
ABM 4240Microeconomics Theory and Applications3
or ECONOM 3251 Managerial Economics
or ECONOM 4351 Intermediate Microeconomics
MANGMT 3540Introduction to Business Law3
or ABM 3256 Agribusiness and Biotechnology Law
or ECONOM 3367 Law and Economics
Professional Foundations
ABM 1200Applied Computer Applications3
One Course in any two of the following three areas:6
Ethics:
ABM 3241WEthical Issues in Agriculture - Writing Intensive3
PHIL 1100The Difference Between Right and Wrong: An Introduction to Ethics3
PHIL 2420Ethical Issues in Business3
T_A_M 2600Moral and Ethical Issues in the Global Fashion Supply Chain3
Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity:
BL_STU 1000Introduction to Black Studies3
H_D_FS 2300Multicultural Study of Children and Families3
H_D_FS 1600Foundations of Family Science3
H_D_FS 1610Intimate Relationships and Marriage3
SOCIOL 1010Social Problems3
ANTHRO 2030Cultural Anthropology3
Pofessional Development:
AG_ED_LD 3010Leadership in Today's World3
AG_ED_LD 2250Introduction to Leadership3
AG_ED_LD 2260Team and Organizational Leadership3
AG_ED_LD 4240Leading Organizational and Community Change3
PUB_AF 1000Principles of Public Policy Administration3
Professional or General Electives
Students may choose additional electives/minors/certificates to earn a total of 120 credit hours. See advisors for various options for minors, certificates, and courses.
1

Requires a grade of C- (1.7) or higher. 

2

Courses required to sit for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM exam

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Semester Plan

Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available. A student must take a minimum of 120 credit hours to graduate. 

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
FINPLN 20832FINPLN 21833 
ABM 1041 or ECONOM 10143ABM 1042 or ECONOM 10153 
MATH 11003ENGLSH 10003 
American History or Government3MATH 14003 
Science W/Lab3SOCIOL 10003 
 14 15  
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
FINPLN 32823FINPLN 32833 
ABM 2225 or STAT 25003FINPLN 43823 
ABM 12003COMMUN 1200 or AGSC_COM 22203 
PSYCH 10003ACCTCY 2036, 2010, or 20263 
General Elective3General Elective3 
 15 15  
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
FINPLN 43833FINPLN 43863FINPLN 49933
FINPLN 41873FINPLN 41885 
ECONOM 32293MANGMT 3540, ABM 3256, or ECONOM 33673 
Professional Foundation3Humanities3 
General Elective 3  
 15 14 3
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
FINPLN 43933FINPLN 4380W3 
ABM 4240, ECONOM 3251, or ECONOM 43513FINPLN 43893 
General Elective3Humanities3 
Professional Foundation3General Electives6 
General Elective (WI Recommended)3  
 15 15  
Total Credits: 121

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Degree Audit

The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree. 

MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.

Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.

Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.

For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.

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Major and Career Exploration

The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.

  • If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.

  • If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major

  • If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.

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