Undergraduate curriculum
financial planning
Bachelor of Science Degree
Major in Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Family Financial Planning and Counseling
The Family Financial Planning and Counseling concentration offers students the knowledge and skills necessary for a career in financial planning and related careers. Financial planners guide clients in many aspects of their financial lives: financial goals, cash flow, taxes, retirement, college, business planning, estate planning, and insurance needs, among others. Financial counselors also counsel clients, but with a focus on developing sound personal finance principles such as reducing debt, building an emergency fund, negotiating payments, developing a budget, and similar.
The Family Financial Planning and Counseling Concentration coursework fulfills the educational requirements to sit for the CFP® certification exam that leads to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. The 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. The University of Alabama does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and CFP (with flame logo) ® certification marks. Only the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., grants CFP certification to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board Registered Program, have met ethics, experience, and examination requirements.
The Family Financial Planning and Counseling Concentration coursework also fulfills the educational requirements to sit for the Accredited Financial Counselor® exam offered by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education®.
The Family Financial Planning and Counseling Concentration coursework fulfills the educational requirements to sit for the CFP® certification exam that leads to the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. The 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. The University of Alabama does not certify individuals to use the CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and CFP (with flame logo) ® certification marks. Only the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., grants CFP certification to those persons who, in addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board Registered Program, have met ethics, experience, and examination requirements.
The Family Financial Planning and Counseling Concentration coursework also fulfills the educational requirements to sit for the Accredited Financial Counselor® exam offered by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education®.
This 120 semester hour program is offered in Tuscaloosa and by distance.
Major Courses:
CSM 201 Individual Family Resource Management (3 hours)
CSM 204 Introduction to Personal Financial Planning (3 hours)
CSM 303 or 403 Intro to Consumer Economics or Consumer Economics (3 hours)
CSM 401 Consumer Protection (3 hours)
CSM 405 Public Policy: Family and Community Resources (3 hours)
CSM 381 Consumer Marketing Management (3 hours)
ST 260 or BER 345 Statistics (3 hours)
CSM 204 Introduction to Personal Financial Planning (3 hours)
CSM 303 or 403 Intro to Consumer Economics or Consumer Economics (3 hours)
CSM 401 Consumer Protection (3 hours)
CSM 405 Public Policy: Family and Community Resources (3 hours)
CSM 381 Consumer Marketing Management (3 hours)
ST 260 or BER 345 Statistics (3 hours)
Family Financial Planning and Counseling Courses:
CSM 300 Time Value of Money (1 hour)
CSM 400 Personal Insurance Planning and Management (3 hours)
CSM 404 Personal Investment Planning and Management (3 hours)
CSM 410 Personal Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits (3 hours)
CSM 420 Personal Estate Planning (3 hours)
CSM 454 Personal Income Tax Management and Planning (3 hours)
CSM 458 Using Spreadsheets for Financial Decisions (3 hours)
CSM 459 Techniques of Counseling in Consumer Sciences (3 hours)
CSM 460 Financial Planning Case Study Capstone (3 hours)
Accounting (3-4 hours)
COM 123, HD 462 or 262, or TH 113 (3 hours)
CSM 400 Personal Insurance Planning and Management (3 hours)
CSM 404 Personal Investment Planning and Management (3 hours)
CSM 410 Personal Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits (3 hours)
CSM 420 Personal Estate Planning (3 hours)
CSM 454 Personal Income Tax Management and Planning (3 hours)
CSM 458 Using Spreadsheets for Financial Decisions (3 hours)
CSM 459 Techniques of Counseling in Consumer Sciences (3 hours)
CSM 460 Financial Planning Case Study Capstone (3 hours)
Accounting (3-4 hours)
COM 123, HD 462 or 262, or TH 113 (3 hours)