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Financial planner working with clients

Get a family financial planning certificate

This graduate certificate is designed for working professionals seeking to become a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and enhance their personal financial knowledge through the convenience of a fully online program. We offer all of the courses needed to be prepared to sit for the CFP® exam, but the graduate certificate on its own does not grant certification.

Overview

Complete the education requirements in order to sit for the Certified Financial Planner® exam. The journey to earning your CFP® certification begins with a solid education. There are two parts to the education requirement. The first part involves completion of a specific set of financial planning course content delivered by a CFP® Board Registered program. OSU’s Family Financial Planning program is approved as a CFP® Board Registered program. Upon completion of all courses, you will submit your transcript to the Financial Planning Board of Standards, an industry group that supports the financial planning industry and administers the exam. Once your credentials are approved, you may sit for the CFP® exam, which is administered by the CFP® Board.

 

This program builds your literacy in financial counseling, retirement planning and family financial planning to prepare you to create and deliver financial strategies and solutions for others.

 

Successful completion of this certificate program requires 18 credit hours (six courses) of graduate-level coursework. Credit hours are transferable to additional graduate degree programs. 

 

Family Financial Planning, MS

What sets Family Financial Planning apart from other programs?

 

Coursework

Courses in this fully online program are delivered through Canvas, OSU's online learning platform. We facilitate peer-to-peer collaboration and community building using technology.

 

Required (18 credit hours):

  • FFP 5403: Estate Planning for Families
  • FFP 5453: Retirement Planning, Employee Benefits and Family
  • FFP 5553: Insurance Planning for Families
  • FFP 5603: Investing for the Family's Future
  • FFP 5653: Personal Income Tax for Family Financial Planning
  • FFP 5803: Case Studies for Family Financial Planning 

Course information

 

Admissions Requirements and Deadlines

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with applicants strongly encouraged to apply at least three months prior to the preferred starting term. Applicants will be notified of admission status within four to six weeks of submission.

 

To apply to the program, submit the following:

  • Graduate College application
  • Transcripts from all previously attended institutions (undergraduate degree from an accredited university with a minimum 3.0 GPA required; admission with qualifications may be considered)
  • Professional goal statement
  • Academic vita/resume
  • Three professional letters of recommendation

Student studying

Cost

Tuition rates for IDEA programs are the same for both in-state and out-of-state students and are set at an affordable, common price per credit hour.

 

2024-2025 Estimated Cost
  Cost
Total cost per credit hour $610
Total cost per 3-credit hour course $1,830
Estimated total program cost $10,980
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