Personal Financial Planning

A Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. Registered Program

• Average Cost
  ^$5,945^*
  *excludes books and other fees
• Certificate Program
• Formats
  On Campus / Online
  
  Duration
  15-26 months
  
   Course Schedule
  
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Transfer Credit

Students who complete the Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program (including the accelerated option) are eligible to transfer credits into a graduate degree in financial planning at California Lutheran University. Please note a grade of “B” or higher is required for transfer credit. Learn more about transferring credit.

“My experience in UCI Division of Continuing Education’s Personal Financial Planning certificate program made me a better financial planner. Earning the UCI PFP Certificate and then the CFP® mark were essential to advancing in my profession. While in UCI Division of Continuing Education's program, I decided to enroll in California Lutheran’s graduate degree program in financial planning to take my career even further. Having UCI’s coursework transfer to Cal Lu’s program was fantastic, as I am not sure that I would have pursued it otherwise. The combination of the UCI PFP certificate and Cal Lu’s graduate degree is a match made in heaven. It really elevates you in the minds of your clients.” Cindy Havenhill, CFP®, M.B.A.

Advisory Committee

• Linda Barlow, CFP®, financial consultant and Principal, Barlow & Parker Wealth Managers
• Don DeBok, CFP®, Financial Planner
• Michael Feldman, Head of the Wealth and Private Bank, Union Bank
• Delia Fernandez, CFP®, financial planner, Fernandez Financial Advisory
• Ryan Hook, CFP®, Wealth Manager, Creative Planning, Inc.
• Ray Kim, CFP®, President and CEO, Diligent Financial Group, Inc.
• Gary Miller, CFP®, Principal, Trusted Financial Advisors
• Timothy Neuville, CFP®, ChFC, CLU, financial advisor, Raymond James Financial Services

Career Advancement Network (CAN)

We are proud to provide our certificate students and alumni with newly enhanced career services that include one-on-one coaching, technology tools, webinars and workshops, networking events, mentorship/internship opportunities, and a rich collection of free online career resources. Learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much does the program cost?
• Courses can cost $720-$755 USD depending up on the course units. Course fees are due at the time of enrollment (pricing subject to change). There is also a one-time candidacy declaration fee of $125 USD, to be paid prior to your third class. The entire program costs $5,945 USD. Please keep in mind that this cost does not include textbooks, which some of our instructors do require. Textbook information for specific courses can be found on our website on the enrollment page. You may order books from a third party vendor such as Amazon.com. If you are an international student, be sure to order your textbooks well in advance of the start date of your online course to allow time for international shipping. Prices are subject to change without notice.
• How long will it take me to complete the entire program?
• This program consists of 8 courses. Students pursuing the educational requirements to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination are required to complete the 8 required courses. Typically our students take 1-2 courses per quarter and spend about 10-12 hours per week on coursework (per course). The quarterly start and end dates are available on the Academic Calendar.
• Do I have to apply and be accepted before I start?
• No. Since UCI Division of Continuing Education (DCE) is the continuing education unit of the university, there are no academic requirements needed to apply for the certificate program, however, the coursework is at a post-baccalaureate level.
• What is the “declaration of candidacy”? When do I have to complete it?
• The declaration of candidacy can be thought of as declaring your major for the certificate program. This lets our student services know that you intend to complete the entire program, and puts you on track for the certificate when you have completed all requirements. We strongly recommend that you complete the declaration of candidacy and pay the applicable fee prior to enrolling into your third class.
• What format are these courses available?
• We have 2 course formats for our evening program: online and in-person (currently remote). The online format typically does not include live class meetings, but remains instructor paced. This means the instructor sets the schedule of the course including assignment due dates. For the most part, assignments are largely due about once or twice a week. For the in-person (remote) format, classes are held once a week in the evening (typically 6:30-9:30pm). Like online classes, there are assignments, quizzes, and exams as well. Most of our students take 1-2 courses per quarter based on their schedule. You can expect up to about 10-12 hours of coursework per week per course.
• I’ve never taken an online class. How does it work?
• All of our classes run asynchronously, meaning classes are not in "real time" and you can access the content 24 hours a day. Still, each course has a specific start and end date and students must complete assignments by the deadlines listed in the course syllabus in order to earn credit. The courses are structured week-to-week, from Monday to Sunday, and you are expected to log in multiple times during the week to keep up with class discussions and assignments.
• What order should I take classes in?
• We encourage most students to begin with Principles of Financial Analysis and Survey of Personal Financial Planning as the introductory courses, but the majority can be taken in any order. You’ll end the program with the Practicum course in your final quarter as it wraps up everything you have learned. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or I can be further assistance.
• I’m a currently licensed insurance agent. Can my experience/licensure be substituted for the Insurance Planning course?
• We are not able to substitute coursework with your insurance licensure.
• I am an international student / I am located overseas – am I able to enroll?
• Yes. As an open-enrollment program, international students are welcome in the program. As listed on our website, all certificate programs at UCI DCE (classroom and online formats) require professional-level English language proficiency in listening and note-taking, reading comprehension and vocabulary, written expression, and oral presentation. We find that students cannot truly benefit from the online program without a strong command of verbal and written English skills. More specifically, non-native English speakers interested in our certificate program should score a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (100 for the Internet-based test). You are not required to have a student visa while taking online courses from your home county.
• Do you offer job placement at the end of the program?
• No. While UCI DCE does not offer placement services, our certificate certainly puts you in a good position to find employment. Additionally, the networking to be done in the class can also be invaluable. Our advisors, instructors, and a good number of our students, are current professionals in the educational consulting field, and are an excellent resource for hiring trends and opportunities.
• Is UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education an accredited institution?
• Yes.We are affiliated with the University of California system of schools, and are accredited through WASC. DCE programs are all approved by the respective school within UCI. For more information, please see UCI Accreditation.
• I can’t find the answer to my question.
• If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Finance Programs at FinancePrograms@ce.uci.edu.

English Proficiency Requirement
All certificate programs at UCI Division of Continuing Education (classroom and online formats) require professional-level English language proficiency in listening and note-taking, reading comprehension and vocabulary, written expression, and oral presentation.