Specialized Programs of Study
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Program Policies and Resources
Substitutions, Waivers and Transfer Credit
Curriculum and Completion Requirements
Personal Financial Planning Special Events
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Paul Emery
Program Director
Personal Financial Planning
View the Brochure
EDP 302836
UC Berkeley Extension's Professional Sequence in Personal Financial Planning provides an academic path to the financial planning profession and courses that pave the way to take the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) Certification Examination. This specialized program of study employs materials and techniques that are consistent with modern principles and best practices, providing knowledge and skills that you can use immediately. It also offers the advantage of a curriculum that is overseen by an advisory board of business and education leaders and taught by working professionals with many years of practical business experience. Join our email list to stay informed about this certificate.
Courses
The table contains the required courses for the Professional Sequence in Personal Financial Planning, as well as the terms they are typically available for enrollment.
7 Required Courses, 1 Elective, 16 Semester Units (240 Hours of Instruction)
| Required Courses | Course Number | Units/ CEU | Classroom | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey of Personal Financial Planning | X433 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
Fall Spring Summer |
| Employment Benefits and Personal Financial Planning | X433.6 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
|
| Estate Planning | X433.2 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
|
| Income Taxes and Personal Financial Planning | X433.1 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
|
| Insurance in Personal Financial Planning | X433.8 | 2 | Fall Spring |
|
| Investments in Personal Financial Planning: General Principles and Methods | X433.3 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
|
| Personal Financial Planning Practicum | X433.7 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
| Electives | Course Number | Units/ CEU | Classroom | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Finance | X436.7 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
|
| Business Valuation | X431.9 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
Fall Spring Summer |
| Counseling Skills for Financial Services Professionals (offered future term) | X465 | 2 | ||
| Financial Securities Analysis | X425.5 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
|
| Fundamentals of Risk Management | X436.5 | 2 | Fall Spring Summer |
Fall Spring Summer |
| Philanthropy as a Wealth Management Tool (offered future term) | X414.5 | 2 | ||
| Real Estate Investments for Financial Planners | X433.5 | 2 | Spring | |
| Understanding Wealth Management | X414.3 | 2 | Fall Spring |
Course availability is subject to change. Courses offered in both online and classroom environments are interchangeable, and you may choose either format.
To enroll, click on a course title above and choose a section.
You may enroll in individual courses without registering for the Professional Sequence in Personal Financial Planning.
Who Will Benefit
Whether you are a business professional in the finance sector seeking training in financial planning or interested in becoming an independent adviser, this program gives you the skills to move ahead in the field. It also prepares you to take the national examination to become a CFP.
Prerequisites for Admission
We recommend you have a bachelor's degree and at least two years of professional experience in a financial services field to register for the Professional Sequence in Personal Financial Planning.
If you don't have experience using financial calculators, we recommend that you take Basic Financial Mathematics and Financial Calculators before enrolling in Survey of Personal Financial Planning X433.
Curriculum Requirements
The curriculum consists of 7 required courses and 1 elective for a total of 16 semester units (240 hours of instruction). Candidates must pay a nonrefundable program registration fee.
All coursework must be completed within five years of registering for the program. However, requirements may be updated based on new developments in the field of study; we recommend completing the curriculum in a timely fashion. For more information, please see the completion requirements and the substitutions, waivers and transfer credit policies.
As an accredited program with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc., the Professional Sequence in Personal Financial Planning requires all courses to be completed in order to be eligible to take the exam. Therefore, no transfers or substitutions are allowed in within this program.
How to Register for a Specialized Program of Study
By registering, you declare your intention to complete the curriculum. To register for the Professional Sequence in Personal Financial Planning, submit the online registration form with your credit card information or complete the mail-in registration form. The registration fee is nonrefundable.
Estimated Cost
Each course is priced individually, and you pay the course fee at the time of enrollment. The program has an estimated cost of $6,000 (not including course materials or registration fee). Course fees are subject to change.
Professional Organizations
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc.
The Professional Sequence in Personal Financial Planning is accredited and registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. This registration allows those who have successfully completed the UC Berkeley Extension program and who wish to obtain the CFP certification to take the national CFP Certification Examination. Coursework is designed to cover 101 topics tested on the exam. To sit for the exam, students must complete all courses within the program, including the elective.
CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ are federally registered marks of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. See the CFP Board's website for details.
UC Berkeley Extension does not certify individuals to use the CFP and Certified Financial Planner designations. 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.
For information regarding CFP certification, please write to the CFP Board at 1670 Broadway, Suite 600, Denver, CO 80202; call (303) 830-7500; or email mail@cfp-board.org.
Contact Information
Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions. To contact the department office, send an email to business@unex.berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-4231.
Additional Information
Alliances for Enhanced Learning
Many Extension courses carry academic credit that may be applied to degrees at other institutions. Transfer of credit is always pending by the receiving institution. UC Berkeley Extension has formal credit-transfer agreements with some schools. Learn more.Advisory Board
Catherine Bradford, CFP
Productivity Consultant
Merrill Lynch
Kurt Carrasquilla
Vice President, Wealth Management
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Saundra Davis, M.S.F.P.
Principal
Sage Financial Solutions
C. Gordon Dunne
Managing Director
The Financial Services Network
Eric M. Flett
CEO and Principal
Concentric Wealth Management
Kevin Gahagan, CIMA, CFP
Principal
Mosaic Financial Partners Inc.
Tim Kochis
CEO and Co-Founder
Aspiriant
Peter-Eric Philipp, CFA, Chair
Registered Principal
Cambridge Investment Research
Shane Westhoelter, CLU, RFC, QFP, LUTCF, LTCP
Investment Adviser Representative
Regional Vice President
Woodbury Financial Services
