BS in Personal Financial Planning

Degree Program Description

The BS in Personal Financial Planning is comprised of two track options: Financial Advising and Financial Management Services.

Major Program Requirements

Students who pursue the BS in Personal Financial Planning have two track options:  Financial Management Services or Financial Advising. 

Financial Management Services Track:

This program is comprised of five areas: departmental core requirements, supporting coursework, professional foundation, communication, and professional specialization courses. Students in the Financial Management Services track must earn at least a grade of C (2.0) or better in FINPLN 2183 and FINPLN 3283. A grade in the D range is allowed in only one course in the program (unless otherwise noted). 

Departmental Core Requirements25
FINPLN 2083Financial Planning Careers 11
FINPLN 2183Personal and Family Finance 13
FINPLN 3282Financial Counseling 13
FINPLN 3283Financial Planning: Computer Applications 13
FINPLN 4187Tax Planning 23
FINPLN 4188Community Agencies and Volunteerism 23
FINPLN 4380WAssessing the American Dream - Writing Intensive 23
FINPLN 4382Financial Planning: Risk Management 23
FINPLN 4383Financial Planning: Investment Management 23
Supporting Coursework30
ECONOM 1014Principles of Microeconomics 1, 43
or ABM 1041 Applied Microeconomics
ECONOM 1015Principles of Macroeconomics 1, 43
or ABM 1042 Applied Macroeconomics
ECONOM 3229Money, Banking and Financial Markets 2,33
ECONOM 4351Intermediate Microeconomics3
or ECONOM 4328 Financial Economics
MANGMT 3540Introduction to Business Law 2,33
or ABM 3256 Agribusiness and Biotechnology Law
or ECONOM 3367 Law and Economics
MATH 1400Calculus for Social and Life Sciences I 2,33
or MATH 1500 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
PSYCH 1000General Psychology3
SOCIOL 1000Introduction to Sociology3
ACCTCY 2036Accounting I 2,33
or ACCTCY 2010 Introduction to Accounting
or ACCTCY 2026 Accounting I
STAT 2500Introduction to Probability and Statistics I 2,33
or ABM 2225 Statistical Analysis
Professional Foundation9
ABM 1200Applied Computer Applications3
One Course in any two of the following three areas:6
Ethics:
ABM 3241Ethical Issues in Agriculture3
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
PUB_AF 1000Principles of Public Policy Administration3
Communication3
COMMUN 1200Public Speaking3
or COMMUN 3571 Group Decision Making Processes
or COMMUN 3575 Business and Professional Communication
or AGSC_COM 2220 Verbal Communication in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
Professional Specialization Requirements18
At least 9 hours must be at the 3000 level or higher.
Contact your department advisor to focus your additional credits in a specific area.

Financial Advising Track:

This program is comprised of five areas: departmental core requirements, supporting coursework, professional foundation, communication, and professional specialization courses. If students complete the requirements successfully, they will be eligible to earn a Minor in Economics. Students must apply and declare their intention to earn a Minor in Economics by contacting the advisor in the Department of Economics. Students in the Financial Advising track must earn a grade of B- (2.7) or better, in FINPLN 2183 and a grade of C (2.0) or better in FINPLN 3283.  A grade in the D range is allowed in only one course in the program (unless otherwise noted).

Departmental Core Requirements25
FINPLN 2083Financial Planning Careers 11
FINPLN 2183Personal and Family Finance 23
FINPLN 3282Financial Counseling 13
FINPLN 3283Financial Planning: Computer Applications 13
FINPLN 4187Tax Planning 13
FINPLN 4188Community Agencies and Volunteerism 33
FINPLN 4380WAssessing the American Dream - Writing Intensive 33
FINPLN 4382Financial Planning: Risk Management 13
FINPLN 4383Financial Planning: Investment Management 13
Supporting Coursework33
ECONOM 1014Principles of Microeconomics 13
ECONOM 1015Principles of Macroeconomics 13
ECONOM 3229Money, Banking and Financial Markets 3,43
ECONOM 4328Financial Economics3
ECONOM 4351Intermediate Microeconomics3
MANGMT 3540Introduction to Business Law 3,43
or ABM 3256 Agribusiness and Biotechnology Law
or ECONOM 3367 Law and Economics
MATH 1400Calculus for Social and Life Sciences I 3,43
or MATH 1500 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
PSYCH 1000General Psychology3
SOCIOL 1000Introduction to Sociology3
ACCTCY 2036Accounting I 3,43
or ACCTCY 2026 Accounting I
STAT 2500Introduction to Probability and Statistics I 3,43
or ABM 2225 Statistical Analysis
Professional Foundations9
ABM 1200Applied Computer Applications3
One course in any two of the following 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
Professional Development:
AG_ED_LD 3010Leadership in Today's World3
PUB_AF 1000Principles of Public Policy Administration3
Communication3
COMMUN 1200Public Speaking3
or COMMUN 3571 Group Decision Making Processes
or COMMUN 3575 Business and Professional Communication
or AGSC_COM 2220 Verbal Communication in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
Professional Specialization Requirements18
ACCTCY 2037Accounting II 3,43
or ACCTCY 2027 Accounting II
STAT 3500Introduction to Probability and Statistics II 3,43
FINPLN 4386Financial Planning: Employee Benefits and Retirement Planning 13
FINPLN 4393Financial Planning: Estate and Gift Planning 13
FINPLN 4389Financial Planning: Capstone 13
FINPLN 4993Internship in Personal Financial Planning 3,43

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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. 

Financial Management Services Track:

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
American History or Government3ECONOM 1015 or ABM 10423
General Elective3ENGLSH 10003
MATH 11003FINPLN 21833
PSYCH 10003MATH 14003
Science W/Lab3SOCIOL 10003
 15 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ECONOM 1014 or ABM 10413Communications3
FINPLN 20831ECONOM 32293
FINPLN 32833FINPLN 32823
General Elective3ACCTCY 2010 or 20363
STAT 25003Professional Elective3
Humanities3 
 16 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FINPLN 41873FINPLN 41883
FINPLN 43823General Elective6
FINPLN 43833Professional Specialization Elective6
General Elective (WI Recommended)3-4 
Professional Elective 3 
 15-16 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FINPLN 4380W3FINPLN 43873
General Elective3General Electives3-6
MANGMT 35403Professional Specialization Electives3
Professional Specialization Elective3Humanities3
Humanities3 
 15 12-15
Total Credits: 118-122

Financial Advising Track:

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
American History or Government3ECONOM 1015 or ABM 10423 
General Elective3ENGLSH 10003 
MATH 11003FINPLN 21833 
PSYCH 10003MATH 14003 
Science W/Lab3SOCIOL 10003 
 15 15  
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ECONOM 1014 or ABM 10413ACCTCY 20363 
FINPLN 20831Communications3 
FINPLN 32833ECONOM 32293 
General Elective3FINPLN 32823 
STAT 25003STAT 35003 
Humanities3  
 16 15  
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ACCTCY 20373FINPLN 41883FINPLN 49933
FINPLN 41873FINPLN 43863 
FINPLN 43823FINPLN 43933 
FINPLN 43833General Elective6 
General Elective (WI Recommended)3-4  
 15-16 15 3
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
FINPLN 4380W3FINPLN 43873 
MANGMT 35403FINPLN 43893 
General Elective3General Electives3-6 
Humanities3Humanities3 
 12 12-15  
Total Credits: 118-122

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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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