Bachelor of Science Personal Financial Planning
The Personal Financial Planning concentration explores the process of developing comprehensive financial plans for individuals. Financial planners help individuals determine financial goals and objectives and the best strategies for obtaining these goals. The rapid growth of multi-income families in the U.S. has placed more and more people in a position of needing sophisticated financial planning techniques to manage their personal economic affairs. As a result, one of the fastest growing career paths in the financial services industry is financial planning, and the Certified Financial Planning TM (CFP®) designation has become the most widely recognized and sought-after financial planning credential among consumers.
The Personal Financial Planning concentration is registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in Washington D. C. We are one of only three institutions in the state of Kentucky with Board registered degree programs! This registration confers a special advantage on our graduates. Upon completion of our CFP® board-certified program, students are allowed to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.
Please take a moment to browse our site for more information on our faculty, curriculum, unique opportunities available to our students and much more.
Western Kentucky University does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, Certified Financial PlannerTM, and CFP® (with flame logo) certification marks. The CFP® certification is granted only by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP® Board-Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience, and examination requirements.
The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the marks CFP®, Certified Financial PlannerTM, and CFP® (with flame logo) which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.
Personal Financial Planning Admission Requirements
Students must meet the following requirements to gain admission to the Finance Program: (Prospective majors may take no more than 12 credit hours in the major prior to admission to the program).
- Earn a minimum of 60 hours of course work with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5
- Completion of the following eight admission courses: ACCT 200, ACCT 201, CIS 141, COMM 145, ECON 202, ECON 203, ECON 206 and MATH 123 or MATH 136 or MATH 137 or MATH 142 or MATH 237 or a Math ACT of at least 26 or a Math SAT of at least 610.
- Earn a minimum 2.5 GPA in the eight admission courses listed above.
- Completion of FIN 300
Students not meeting the above admission requirements will not be admitted to the Personal Financial Planning Program and cannot register for any additional courses in the major beyond the 12 credit hours permitted prior to admission to the program.
Personal Financial Planning Curriculum
The Personal Financial Planning concentration (reference number 664) requires 79 hours of professional and elective courses and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. No minor or second major is required or prohibited Finance majors must earn a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in 300 and 400 level finance courses. In addition, finance majors must earn a "C" or better in both FIN 330 (Principles of Finance) and FIN 332 (Investment Theory). All finance students must complete FIN 300 prior to admission to the finance program. All finance majors will be required to participate in an assessment process in FIN 499 (Senior Assessment) prior to graduation.
When planning a program of study in this department, each student should be aware of University academic requirements and regulations for graduation. Specific attention should be given to (a) Academic programs and (b) Colonnade requirements.
A minimum of 120 earned hours are needed to receive a Bachelor's of Science degree in Personal Financial Planning.
Required Courses
|
ACCT |
200 | Introductory Accounting - Financial |
|
ACCT |
201 | Introductory Accounting - Managerial |
|
CIS |
141 |
Basic Computer Literacy |
|
CIS |
243 | Principles of MIS |
|
ECON |
202 | Principles of Economics - Micro |
|
ECON |
203 | Principles of Economics - Macro |
|
ECON |
206 | Statistics |
|
FIN |
161 | Personal Finance |
|
FIN |
300 | Career Readiness in Finance |
|
FIN |
330 | Principles of Finance |
|
MKT |
220 | Basic Marketing Concepts |
|
ACCT |
220 | Principles of Financial Accounting |
|
FIN |
399 | Career Readiness in Finance |
|
FIN |
332 | Investment Theory |
|
FIN |
389 | Financial Analysis and Modeling |
|
FIN |
437 | Corporate Asset Management |
|
FIN |
438 | Corporate Funds Management |
|
FIN |
433 | Financial Markets and Institutions |
|
MGT |
200 | Legal Environment of Business |
|
MGT |
210 | Organization and Management |
|
MGT |
314 | Operations Management |
|
MGT ENT |
498 496 |
Choose one of the following: Strategy & Policy Small Business Analysis & Strategy |
|
ECON |
307 | Financial Data Modeling |
|
FIN |
331 | Applied Investments |
|
FIN |
332 | Investment Theory |
|
FIN |
333 | Advanced Topics in Personal Financial Planning |
|
FIN |
350 | Risk Management & Insurance |
|
FIN |
400 | Personal Financial Planning Practice Management |
|
FIN |
401 | Personal Financial Planning Practice Management Lab |
|
FIN |
437 | Corporate Asset Management |
|
FIN |
438 | Corporate Funds Management |
|
FIN |
444 | Retirement Planning |
| FIN | 445 | Estate Planning |
| FIN | 450 | Financial Plan Development |
|
FIN FIN |
439 449 |
Choose one of the following: Security Analysis and Portfolio Management Practicum in Portfolio Management |
| FIN | 499 | Senior Assessment |
View/Print the sample Finance, Bachelor of Science Finish in Four Plan
For additional information, contact Dr. Ron A. Rhoades, Program Director for the Personal Financial Planning Program.
NEW CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING MAJORS (BEGINNING FALL 2022)
Personal Financial Planning Curriculum
The Personal Financial Planning concentration (reference number 664) requires 87-88 hours of professional and elective courses and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. No minor or second major is required or prohibited Finance majors must earn a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in 300 and 400 level finance courses. In addition, finance majors must earn a "C" or better in both FIN 330 (Principles of Finance) and FIN 332 (Investment Theory).
When planning a program of study in this department, each student should be aware of University academic requirements and regulations for graduation. Specific attention should be given to (a) Academic programs and (b) Colonnade requirements.
A minimum of 120 earned hours are needed to receive a Bachelor's of Science degree in Personal Financial Planning.
Required Courses
| ACCT | 110 | Accounting for Decision Makers |
| ACCT | 220 | Principles of Financial Accounting |
| ECON | 202 | Principles of Economics (Micro) |
| ECON | 206 | Statistics |
| MATH | 123 | Mathematical Applications for Business |
| MKT | 220 | Basic Marketing Concepts |
| MGT | 210 | Organization and Management |
| ECON | 307 | Financial Data Modeling |
| BDAN | 250 | Introduction to Analytics |
| FIN | 330 | Principles of Finance |
| FIN | 161 | Personal Finance |
| MGT | 261 | Business Communication Fundamentals |
|
BA BA BA |
170 220 175 |
Choose one of the following: Business Students Basics Special Topics in Business Administration (Lower Division) University Experience - Business |
|
MGT ENT |
498 496 |
Choose one of the following: Strategy and Policy Small Business Analysis and Strategy |
|
FIN |
331 |
Applied Investments |
|
FIN |
332 |
Investment Theory |
|
FIN |
333 |
Advanced Topics in PFP |
|
FIN |
350 |
Risk Management and Insurance |
|
FIN |
389 |
Financial Analysis and Modeling |
|
FIN |
399 |
Career Readiness in Finance |
|
FIN |
422 |
Personal Financial Planning Practice Management |
|
FIN |
419 |
Behavioral Finance and Investing |
|
FIN |
405 |
Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Personal Financial Planning |
|
FIN |
433 |
Financial Markets and Institutions |
|
FIN |
437 |
Corporate Asset Management |
|
FIN |
438 |
Corporate Funds Management |
|
FIN FIN |
439 449 |
Choose one of the following: Security Analysis and Portfolio Management Practicum in Portfolio Management |
|
FIN |
444 |
Retirement Planning |
|
FIN |
445 |
Estate Planning |
|
FIN |
450 |
Financial Plan Development |
|
FIN |
499 |
Senior Assessment in Finance |
Electives - (3-4 hours)
| FIN | 403 | Securities Licensing and Investment Accreditations Lab (elective, can be repeated once) |
| FIN | 449 | Practicum in Portfolio Management |
| FIN | 435 | Commercial Bank Management |
| BDAN | 310 | Business Data Analytics |
| BDAN | 430 | Data Visualization |
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