Administered by the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. Leading to the degree Bachelor of Science.
The Financial Counseling and Planning curriculum prepares students for careers in family financial services. Financial Counseling and Planning is a growing career field and appeals to students who want to work with individuals and families to help them meet their financial goals and improve their financial capability to better meet financial challenges. Coursework provides students with the family resource management and interpersonal skills needed to help families remain financially secure. Based on individual specific career goals, students may select courses that lead to fulfilling the education requirements for the leading designations and certifications in financial counseling and planning. Graduates of the program are prepared for employment in personal banking, financial services, insurance, financial counseling and planning, and human service organizations. Laboratory and practicum opportunities exist in the Iowa State University Financial Counseling Clinic and with industry partners. A field experience encourages students to apply their studies and to experience the profession in real-world settings.
Student Learning Outcomes
Financial Counseling and Planning graduates are prepared to:
- Help individuals and families make personal finance decisions using time value of money calculations.
- Deliver professional, competent, and ethical financial counseling and planning services to clients.
- Apply principles of client psychology within consumer and financial decision making.
- Measure individual and family financial health and use these measures to create a comprehensive personal financial plan.
- Attain the leading designations in financial counseling and planning. Upon graduation students have completed the educational requirements for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Accredited Financial Counselor® designations.
Total credits required: 120
Financial Counseling and Planning core (AFC & CFP exam ready): 36 credits
Communications and Library: 13 credits
| ENGL 1500 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| LIB 1600 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| 3 |
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | |
| Communication and U.S. Diversity | |
| Interpersonal Communication | |
| Professional Communication | |
| Communication and Conflict Management | |
| Family Communications and Relationships | |
| 3 |
| Survey of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication | |
| Business Communication | |
| Proposal and Report Writing | |
| Technical Communication | |
| Total Credits | 13 |
Natural Sciences and Mathematical Disciplines: 9 credits
| 3 |
| Principles of Statistics | |
| Introduction to Statistics | |
| Introduction to Business Statistics I | |
| ACCT 2840 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| COMS 1130 | Introduction to Spreadsheets and Databases | 3 |
| |
| Total Credits | 9 |
Social Sciences: 9 credits
Humanities: 6 credits
| 3 |
| Moral Theory and Practice | |
| Ethical Issues in a Diverse Society | |
| 3 |
HDFS orientation: 1 credit
| HDFS 1100 | Freshman Learning Community Orientation | 1 |
| or HDFS 1110 | New Transfer Student Seminar |
| Total Credits | 1 |
Electives: 46 credits as needed to equal 120 total credits
Recommended HDFS Electives (part of total electives).
Other recommended electives include courses from accounting, community and regional planning, economics, finance, gerontology, human development and family studies, journalism, management, marketing, political science, psychology, and sociology.
Total credits: 120 credits
U.S. Cultures and Communities and International Perspectives Requirement: Students fulfill the U.S. Cultures and Communities and International Perspectives Requirement by choosing three credits of coursework from each of the university-approved lists.
The courses listed in this section are approved general education course options for this major.
Natural Sciences and Mathematics: 9 credits total (3 credits from list below). Coursework designed to facilitate students' understanding of the structure and behavior of the natural world and appreciate mathematics as a valuable tool of the sciences and an intrinsically important way of thinking.
Social Sciences: 9 credits. Coursework designed to help students develop an understanding of the principal methods of studying human behavior and an understanding of the structure and functioning of institutions.
| ACCT 2150 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| AESHM 4210 | Developing Global Leadership: Maximizing Human Potential | 3 |
| AFAM 3300 | Ethnic and Race Relations | 3 |
| AMIN 3100 | Contemporary Topics in American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AMIN 3150 | Archaeology of North America | 3 |
| AMIN 3220 | Peoples and Cultures of Native North America | 3 |
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| FSHN 3420 | World Food Issues: Past and Present | 3 |
| INTST 2350 | Introduction to International Studies | 3 |
| LING 2190 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| LING 4710 | Language and Reading Development in Children | 3 |
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| WGS 2010 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
| WGS 2030 | Introduction to Lesbian Communities | 3 |
| WGS 3010 | International Perspectives on Women and Gender | 3 |
| ENVS 3200 | Ecofeminism | 3 |
| WGS 3270 | Gender and Sexualities in Society | 3 |
| WGS 3280 | Sociology of Masculinities and Manhood | 3 |
| WGS 3460 | Psychology of Women | 3 |
| AFAM 3500 | Women of Color in the U.S | 3 |
| WGS 3850 | Women in Politics | 3 |
| FDM 1650 | Fashion, Appearance, and Diversity in U.S. Society | 3 |
| FDM 3620 | Cultural Perspectives of Global Dress | 3 |
| FDM 4670 | Consumer Studies in Apparel and Fashion Products | 3 |
Humanities: 6 credits. Coursework designed to assist students to develop an understanding of human cultural heritage and history, and an appreciation of reasoning and the aesthetic value of human creativity.
| AESHM 3420 | Aesthetics of Consumer Experience | 3 |
| AFAM 2010 | Introduction to African American Studies | 3 |
| AFAM 3340 | Africana Religions | 3 |
| AFAM 3470 | African American Literature | 3 |
| AFAM 3530 | History of African Americans I | 3 |
| AFAM 3540 | History of African Americans II | 3 |
| AMIN 2100 | Introduction to American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AMIN 2400 | Introduction to American Indian Literature | 3 |
| AMIN 3460 | American Indian Literature | 3 |
| ARCH 2210 | Histories and Theories of Architecture to 1750 | 3 |
| ARCH 4200 | Topics in American Architecture | 3 |
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| DANCE 2700 | Dance Appreciation | 3 |
| DANCE 3600 | History and Philosophy of Dance | 3 |
| DSNS 1830 | Design in Context | 3 |
| ENGL 2010 | Introduction to Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 2250 | Survey of British Literature to 1800 | 3 |
| ENGL 2260 | Survey of British Literature since 1800 | 3 |
| ENGL 2270 | Survey of American Literature to 1865 | 3 |
| ENGL 2280 | Survey of American Literature since 1865 | 3 |
| ENGL 2370 | Survey of Film History | 3 |
| ENGL 2400 | Introduction to American Indian Literature | 3 |
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| HSPM 2600 | Global Tourism Management | 3 |
| MUSIC 1020 | Introduction to Music Listening | 3 |
| MUSIC 3020 | Masterpieces of Music and Art in Western Culture | 3 |
| MUSIC 3040 | History of American Rock 'n' Roll | 3 |
| MUSIC 3830 | History of Music I | 3 |
| MUSIC 3840 | History of Music II | 3 |
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| THTRE 1060 | Introduction to the Performing Arts | 3 |
| THTRE 1100 | Theatre and Society | 3 |
| THTRE 4650 | Theatre History: Ancient to 19th Century | 3 |
| THTRE 4660 | Theatre History: 19th Century to Present | 3 |
| WGS 2010 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
| WGS 3360 | Religion, Sex and Gender | 3 |
| WGS 3380 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
| WGS 3450 | Women's Literature | 3 |
| WGS 3700F | Studies in English Translation: French Topics on Women and Gender Studies | 3 |
| or WGS 3700R | Studies in English Translation: Russian Topics on Women or Feminism |
| or WGS 3700S | Studies in English Translation: Hispanic Topics on Women or Feminism |
| WGS 3740 | Sex, Gender, and Culture in the Ancient Mediterranean World | 3 |
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| FDM 2570 | Museum Studies | 3 |
| FDM 3540 | Fashion History I: Prehistoric to Mid-19th Century | 3 |
| FDM 3560 | Fashion History II: Mid-19th Century to the Present | 3 |
The Financial Counseling and Planning minor may be earned by completing 15 credits
| HDFS 2830 | Personal Finance | 3 |
| 12 |
| Consumer Issues | |
| Income Tax Planning | |
| Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits | |
| Fundamentals of Financial Planning | |
| Insurance Planning | |
| Investment Planning | |
| Estate Planning | |
| Case Studies in Financial Counseling and Planning | |
| Financial Counseling | |
| Financial Counseling Laboratory | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Graduate Programs
A master's degree in Family and Consumer Sciences (MFCS) with a specialization in Family Financial Planning as well as a Family Financial Planning certificate are available. More information can be found at: https://online.hs.iastate.edu/graduate-degrees/family-financial-planning/.
