certificate

Personal Financial Planning: Accelerated Online

This accelerated online program is designed for experienced financial professionals who are preparing for CFP® certification.

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This program is perfect for...

Financial professionals with relevant work experience in investments, banking, insurance, or financial planning
Financial services firms who have a need to prepare cohorts of advisors for CFP® certification
Those wishing to prepare for the CFP® Examination at an accelerated pace
CPA professionals or attorneys at law

What you can learn.

Financial plan development and presentation
Financial planning process and insurance
Investment and retirement planning
Income tax and estate planning

About this program.

The Personal Financial Planning: Accelerated Online Certificate is a rigorous, fully online program designed for financial professionals who have at least 2-3 years of work experience in investment banking, insurance, or financial planning, or 3 years of experience as a CPA, attorney, CFA, CLU or ChFC. A Series 7 license is also highly recommended.

The 7-course curriculum is comprised of instructor-led online courses that blend live, web-based sessions with online discussion boards, assignments, and testing. Each course is scheduled over a 4-week period and includes two 3-hour live sessions each week. Students are provided a two-week window between courses to pre-study materials for the next course. The required curriculum can be completed within 9 months.

The program is cohort-based and enrollment is limited to those who have successfully completed the previous course.

Our instructors include industry leader Linda Hewitt, CFP®, CRPC, co-founder of Financial Planning Educational Solutions, a training firm that specializes in personal financial planning, and other highly qualified, motivated instructors who have their CFP® certification and extensive teaching experience.

For those without previous financial experience, we also offer a more traditional Personal Financial Planning certificate program.

What our certificates have done for our students.

85%

feel a certificate helped them enhance their careers

1 in 4

received a salary increase after starting a certificate program

50%

switched careers after completing a certificate program

85%

recommend a certificate program to others

Source: UCLA Extension Certificate Graduates Survey

UCLA Extension's Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program is ranked #4 out of the 20 Best Online Certified Financial Planning (CFP) Programs by TheBestSchools.org.

Courses

Click below to view the required and elective courses, if applicable, for this program.

Required (7)

Required Courses

Courses should be taken in numerical order by course number.

Financial Planning Process and Insurance

MGMT X 430.511

MGMT X 430.512

MGMT X 430.513

MGMT X 430.514

MGMT X 430.515

Financial Plan Development and Presentation Course

MGMT X 430.516

Ethics Requirement

May be taken at any time during the program.

Ethics in Personal Financial Planning

MGMT 833.379

Typically Offered: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Optional Internship Course

Internship in Personal Financial Planning

MGMT X 430.383

Program Schedule

The Accelerated Online Certificate program is offered three times per year in conjunction with the March, July, and November CFP® Examination dates. Each program cycle is scheduled to end approximately 8-10 weeks prior to the exam, providing students ample time to prepare and study for the exam, and to also enroll in the CFP® Review course.

July 2023 CFP® Exam: Program Cycle - Sept. 2022 to Apr. 2023
March 2024 CFP® Exam: Program Cycle - May 2023 to Jan. 2024

How to Apply

Students must submit an Application for Candidacy with a nonrefundable application fee of $200 and enroll in the first course (MGMT X 430.511 Financial Planning Process and Insurance) approximately 1 month prior to the program start date. This will allow ample time to order and pre-study course materials for the first class session. Students are then recommended to enroll in the subsequent courses two weeks prior to each course section.

Payment of the certificate application candidacy fee is required in order to have your transcripts transferred to the CFP® Board for review, in order to sit for the CFP® certification exam.

CFP® Exam Prep Course

Upon completion of the certificate program, students are also encouraged to enroll in our 4-day CFP® Exam prep course.

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Estimated Cost Breakdown

All courses in this program are paid for individually, unless otherwise noted. An application form is required to establish candidacy in this program. From the 'Apply Now' button, complete the online application and pay the application fee if applicable.

Application & Candidacy Fee

200.00

Estimated Program Tuition

6170.00

Estimated program textbook/materials

700.00

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*The Application & Candidacy Fee establishes your candidacy in the program for a period of time covering normal progress toward completion and may allow you to access a variety of program benefits.

Internships
Available

Approved for
International Visa

VA Benefit
Eligible

Federal
Financial Aid

**Federal Financial Aid Gainful Employment Disclosures

The U.S. Department of Education requires colleges and universities to disclose certain information for any financial aid eligible program that, “prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation”. This information includes program costs; occupations that the program prepares students to enter; occupational profiles; on time completion rate; and for the most recent award year: the number of students who have completed the program, the number of students who complete the program within the estimated duration, the job placement rate, and the median Title IV and private loan debt incurred by those who complete the program. For gainful employment information for this program, visit our Financial Aid page.

Internship Opportunities

An internship in personal financial planning can provide you with practical experience in a variety of job functions. Certificate students must complete a minimum of 20 units of program curriculum (5 courses) before enrolling in the internship.

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MCLE/CPE Credit

Courses in this program have been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit by the State Bar of California and may also be applied toward the State of California‘s continuing professional education (CPE) requirement for the licensure of Certified Public Accountants.

Joseph G. Devanney Scholarship

The Joseph G. Devanney Scholarship Fund was established by the Devanney Estate to support students enrolling in the capstone course in the Personal Financial Planning Certificate at UCLA Extension and is offered quarterly.

Mr. Devanney was an instructor in the Personal Financial Planning Certificate program for 20 years and is thought of by many as the “grandfather” of the certificate.

Download Application

Patricia and Michael Hausknost Scholarship

The Patricia and Michael Hausknost Scholarship Fund was established in 2022 to provide financial assistance and greater access to education for female students entering the finance industry while pursuing their careers in personal financial planning. This scholarship is offered annually.

Download Application

Did you know?

Discount for FPALA & CalCPA Members

FPALA and CalCPA members can receive 15% off eligible courses.

Contact us for more information.

Transfer Credits to an Advanced Degree

Graduates of the UCLA Extension Personal Financial Planning (PFP) Certificate program are eligible to transfer up to five courses* toward the online Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Financial Planning at California Lutheran University (CLU).

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*View Transfer Course Requirements