Ideal curriculum for financial planning students

Here's a mashup of university program directors' ideas for which courses would best prepare next-gen financial advisers.
SEP 01, 2018

We asked program directors at four universities — San Diego State, Texas A&M, Utah Valley and Virginia Tech — what the ideal curriculum would be to prepare next-generation financial planners. Here's a mashup of their picture-perfect course list. Required courses:
  1. Fundamentals of financial planning
  2. Investment planning
  3. Retirement planning
  4. Estate planning
  5. Life insurance planning
  6. Tax planning
  7. Capstone: Developing a financial plan

Advanced classes:
  1. Advanced investment planning
  2. Advanced tax strategies
  3. Technology
  4. Professional sales
  5. Special/current topics in financial planning (e.g., tax reform, special needs planning, case studies)
  6. Financial counseling and behavioral finance
  7. Implications of debt for the household
  8. Internship

The future of financial planning:
  1. Financial planning policy and compliance
  2. Communication and emotional intelligence
  3. Peer-to-peer financial counseling
  4. Practice management
  5. Financial planner in residence (a financial planner comes into the classroom three-four days at a time, and teaches on
  6. advanced concepts they see in practice. Repeat with various planners throughout the semester.)

Prep courses:
  1. Series 7
  2. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) level 1
  3. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) review
  4. Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC) review
  5. Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) review
  6. Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC) review

Latest News

Osaic deepens RISR partnership as advisors race to serve aging business owners
Osaic deepens RISR partnership as advisors race to serve aging business owners

Expanded deal pairs succession-planning software with a broker-dealer network already logging rapid AI adoption among 11,000 advisors.

SEC's Waldon steps down as enforcement deputy after 14 years
SEC's Waldon steps down as enforcement deputy after 14 years

Osman Nawaz, an agency veteran who rejoined last month, takes over as principal deputy director.

RIA M&A shatters records as first-half deal count nears 40% jump
RIA M&A shatters records as first-half deal count nears 40% jump

Berkshire Global Advisors reports reveals scaled buyers and steady tuck-ins push 2026 dealmaking to new highs.

Retirement savers stuck in save mode even as spending day arrives
Retirement savers stuck in save mode even as spending day arrives

Advisors face a psychological gap: clients are financially ready to retire but not ready to spend.

Advisors face an awareness gap: most clients can't name the fraud tactics likely to target them
Advisors face an awareness gap: most clients can't name the fraud tactics likely to target them

New FINRA-RAND research finds financial literacy, not age or income alone, drives fraud recognition.

SPONSORED Direct indexing webinar targets tax-loss harvesting amid market swings

Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains

SPONSORED Who builds the income when the pension disappears?

Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income