Personal Financial Planning (M.S.)

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The School of Family Studies and Human Services offers a Master of Science degree in Personal Financial Planning. The inter-institutional master’s degree program in personal financial planning and the graduate certificate program in personal financial planning draw on the expertise of graduate faculty and graduate courses from seven universities, members of the Great Plains IDEA, a consortium of major Midwestern universities. The Internet-based personal financial planning curriculum lets you do course work at convenient times for you. Upon completion of the master’s degree curriculum, students are eligible to take the Certified Financial Planner certification examination.

These courses in personal financial planning and counseling enable you to:

Enhance your personal financial knowledge
Complete a master’s degree from any of the participating universities
Develop competencies that may lead to professional certification by CFP Board

This program consists of 36 semester credit hours. Students typically complete the program in three years while employed full time. Students who participate in full-time study can shorten the time to degree completion.

K-State Degree Program

All students applying to the master’s in personal financial planning program at K-State will complete the first six courses leading to completion of the K-State Personal Financial Planning Graduate Certificate . All courses are required for the master’s degree, and upon completion of the certificate portion of the program, students are eligible to take the CFP Certification Examination. Students automatically flow into the Great Plains IDEA upon successful completion of the graduate certificate in personal financial planning.

After completing 27 credits (9 courses) of required course work (Fundamentals, Insurance, Investments, Personal Income Taxation, Retirement Planning, Estate Planning, Case Studies, Financial Counseling, and Financial Theory and Research I) the remaining 9 credits (3 courses) provide preparation for defending an M.S. case study report (Option A) or an M.S. research thesis (Option B).

For additional information, please visit the Personal Financial Planning website at: http://www.ipfp.k-state.edu/.

Required courses (27 credit hours):

PFP 624 - Fundamentals of Family Financial Planning Credits: (3)
PFP 702 - Theories and Research in Family Financial Planning I Credits: (3)
PFP 756 - Financial Counseling Credits: (3)
PFP 760 - Retirement Planning for Families Credits: (3)
PFP 762 - Investing for the Family’s Future I Credits: (3)
PFP 764 - Estate Planning for Families Credits: (3)
PFP 766 - Insurance Planning for Families Credits: (3)
PFP 772 - Personal Income Taxation Credits: (3)
PFP 836 - Financial Planning Case Studies Credits: (3)

Electives (9 credit hours):

Option A

PFP 675 - Field Study in Family Economics Credits: (1-3)
FSHS 704 - Seminar in Family Studies and Human Services Credits: (1-18)
PFP 835 - Professional Practices in Family Financial Planning Credits: (3)

Option B

FSHS 899 - MS Research in Family Studies and Human Services Credits: (1-18) (6 credit hours required)
Choose one course from the following:
PFP 802 - Theories and Research in Family Financial Planning II Credits: (3)
FSHS 806 - Statistical Methods in Family Studies and Human Services I Credits: (3)
STAT 703 - Introduction to Statistical Methods for the Sciences Credits: (3)

Kansas State University