collagePersonal Financial Planning B.S.
TOTAL DEGREE HOURS: 120
The Personal Financial Planning program aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers in the financial planning and related industry. A financial planner takes a “big picture” view of a client’s financial situation and makes financial planning recommendations based on the client’s needs in areas such as budgeting and saving, taxes, investments, insurance and retirement planning. Alternatively, the planner may work with a client on a single financial issue but still within the context of that client’s overall situation.
Admission Standards for the Program
To matriculate to the upper-division courses required for the B.S. Personal Financial Planning, students must earn a minimum grade of C- in the following courses and an overall 2.0 GPA in all seven (7) courses:
- Financial Accounting: ACG X021/ACG X022 (or ACG X001 & ACG X011)
- Managerial Accounting: ACG X071 (or ACG X301)
- Computers in Business: CGS X100 (or acceptable substitute)
- Principles of Macroeconomics: ECO X013
- Principles of Microeconomics: ECO X023
- Elementary Calculus: MAC X233 or MAC 2230
- Statistics: QMB X100 or STA X023 or STA X122
State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites
Transfer credits will be accepted from accredited institutions; however, all hours earned may not be applied toward USF business degree requirements. Individual courses will be evaluated by an academic advisor and appropriately credited toward requirements in the student’s program at USF.
Florida public state and community college students enrolled in an Associate of Arts (AA) program should normally complete the general education requirements and the State Mandated Common Prerequisites at a Florida College System institution. As a rule, AA students should avoid taking any business courses at the state and community college that are listed as 3000- and 4000-level courses at USF. Normally, courses in finance, marketing, management, and accounting, as well as other business administration courses, taken at the lower division level that are offered as upper division courses at USF will not be accepted for upper division credit in business administration. In general, business courses taken at the lower level, at technical schools, or as part of professional or military training, are not applicable to the degree programs of the Muma College of Business. Exceptions to this policy will be made only upon proper validation of such courses. Validation consists of successfully completing specified advanced courses in the discipline.
Florida College System students pursuing an Associate of Science (AS) program in Business Administration are fully admissible to USF. Please see a business advisor to determine the articulation courses, discuss admission to the Muma College of Business and prepare a program plan for degree completion. Students transferring to the Muma College of Business with an A.S. in Business Administration may earn a major in Management only.
Completion of the following State Mandated Common Prerequisites (or equivalents) with a grade of C- or higher in each course and an overall 2.0 GPA.
- ACG X021 Principles of Financial Accounting orACG X022 or(ACG X001 and ACG X011) – 3 credit hours
- ACG X071 Managerial Accounting I or ACG X301 – 2-3 credit hours
- CGS X100 Computer Literacy Business or CGS X100C or CGS X570 or CGS X060 or CGS X531 or CGS X000 or IMS X000 – 3-4 credit hours
- ECO X013 Principles of Economics Macro – 3 credit hours
- ECO X023 Principles of Economics Micro – 3 credit hours
- MAC X233 Calculus for Business & Social Science I – 3-4 credit hours
- STA X023 Statistics or QMB X100 or STA X122 – 3-4 credit hours
Required Supporting Courses (3 courses; 9 Credit Hours)
The following courses are supporting courses for this major. They are required for the major, but are not counted in the total major hours but are counted toward the total program hours of 120 credit hours. The degree will not be awarded if these courses have not been taken by the end of the student’s final semester.
- SPC 2608 – Public Speaking Credit(s): 3
- or COM 3110 – Communication For Business and the Professions Credit(s): 3
- ENC 3250 – Professional Writing Credit(s): 3
- or ENC 3310 – Expository Writing Credit(s): 3
- Contemporary International Topics Course Credits / Units: 3
Business Foundation Courses (9 courses; 27 Credit Hours)
A minimum grade of C- in each Foundation course with an overall 2.0 GPA is required. Personal Financial Planning majors must earn a C, not a C-, in FIN 3403 with no more than two attempts.
- BUL 3320 – Law And Business I Credit(s): 3
- FIN 3403 – Principles of Finance Credit(s): 3
- GEB 3033 – Business Workplace Skills and Best Practices Credit(s): 3
- GEB 4890 – Strategic Management and Decision Making Credit(s): 3
- ISM 3011 – Information Systems in Organizations Credit(s): 3
- MAN 3025 – Principles of Management Credit(s): 3
- MAN 4504 – Operations and Supply Chain Management Credit(s): 3
- MAR 3023 – Basic Marketing Credit(s): 3
- QMB 3200 – Business and Economic Statistics II Credit(s): 3
Major Requirements (21 Credit Hours)
Major requirements for the Personal Financial Planning B.S. Degree:
Major Core (7 courses; 21 Credit Hours)
- FIN 3144 – Financial Planning Fundamentals Credit(s): 3
- FIN 4128 – Personal Financial Planning Process and Development Credit(s): 3
- FIN 4132 – Estate Planning Credit(s): 3
- FIN 4504 – Principles of Investments Credit(s): 3
- RMI 3011 – Principles of Insurance Credit(s): 3
- RMI 4135 – Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits Credit(s): 3
- TAX 4001 – Concepts of Federal Income Taxation Credit(s): 3
GPA Requirements
Students must earn a 2.0 GPA on all major coursework at USF and have an overall 2.0 major GPA, including any applicable transfer work.
In computing entry grade point average, all Business and Economics courses taken for S or U grades will be converted to C or F, respectively.
Grading Requirements
Students are required to earn a C- or higher in all Personal Finance courses that are counted toward the major requirements.
D/F Policy
All students entering USF for the first time in Fall 2017 or later, who subsequently earn three (3) D and/or F grades in any or any combination of the following courses at USF will be required to change their major to a major more appropriate to their goals and academic performance and to a major not conferred by the Muma College of Business. The courses are: ACG 2021, ACG 2071, CGS 2100, ECO 2013, ECO 2023, MAC 2233 (or equivalent), and QMB 2100 (or equivalent).
Residency Requirement
Major Residency: Students must complete 15 credit hours of upper-level Financial Planning/Finance requirements in residence at USF.
College Residency: Muma College of Business residency requirements for graduation exceed the minimum requirements established for USF. Students are required to complete satisfactorily at USF a minimum of 50 percent (30-33 credit hours depending on major) of required Business courses, including 12-18 credit hours in the major field. Normally, independent study and independent research courses do not fulfill this requirement.
Research Opportunities
All undergraduate students in any degree program can participate in undergraduate research. There are a number of options to receive academic credit for a mentored research experience and to have the experience show on the official transcript. Students who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 2912, IDS 4914 or IDS 4910 courses. These courses will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The Office of Undergraduate Research will assist students in understanding the various course options.
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