Requirements

The SMU Certificate Program in Financial Planning is designed primarily to train those currently employed in the financial services industry who would like to build upon their prior professional experience and expand the breadth and value of their services.

There are seven courses in the SMU Program. Each course meets for three hours once a week in the evenings. Courses on the main campus are approximately one quarter, or 11 weeks, in length. Students should be able to complete the entire main campus Program in approximately 24 months by taking one class each week, per quarter (the Traditional Track), or in as little as one academic year by taking 2 classes each week, per quarter (the Pacesetter Path).  The Plano cohort courses meet once a week and every other Saturday.  Students should be able to complete the Plano cohort program in 9 months.

Students can be expected to spend at least 6 hours a week, outside of class time, on each required course. Students have 5 years from the first day of their first course to matriculate.

In their first quarter of the Program, all Students are required to enroll in the Fundamentals course. Pacesetter Path students may pair it with Investments (103).  All Students must take the CPFP courses in numerical order per term, and must complete courses with a grade of 'C' or better in numerical order per term.  For part-time students (Traditional Path), those taking one course each quarter, the Fundamentals course must be their first. For Pacesetter Path students, the Fundamentals course may be paired with one other course, but must be taken in the first term.

Students are highly encouraged to attend an Information Session prior to their first quarter. To enroll in a free Information Session, click here.

Transfer of course work from another CFP Board Registered-Program to the SMU Certificate Program in Financial Planning is possible. Requests must be made in writing to the Program Director, and an official transcript of record from your school must be sent along with course descriptions from the school's catalog. Final approval will be made by the director. Students must complete at least fifty percent of their coursework in the SMU program (including the capstone course: Financial Planning Strategies and Case Studies), exclusive of transfer credit, to qualify for a certificate.  To download the transfer form, click here.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP (with flame logo)®, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete initial and ongoing certification requirements.

SMU does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and . CFP certification is granted solely by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to individuals who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-Registered Program, have met ethics, experience and examination requirements.

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