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): 39 credits
Communications and Library: 13 credits
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| LIB 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| 3 |
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | |
| Interpersonal Communication | |
| Conflict Management | |
| 3 |
| Survey of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication | |
| Business Communication | |
| Proposal and Report Writing | |
| Technical Communication | |
| Total Credits | 13 |
Natural Sciences and Mathematical Disciplines: 10 credits
| ACCT 284 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| COM S 113 | Introduction to Spreadsheets and Databases | 3 |
| 3 |
| STAT 101 | Principles of Statistics | 4 |
| Total Credits | 13 |
Social Sciences: 9 credits
Humanities: 6 credits
HD FS orientation: 1 credit
| HD FS 110 | Freshman Learning Community Orientation | 1 |
| or HD FS 111 | New Transfer Student Seminar |
| Total Credits | 1 |
Electives: 42 credits as needed to equal 120 total credits
Recommended HD FS 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. Diversity and International Perspectives Requirement: Students fulfill the U.S. Diversity 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 215 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| AESHM 421 | Developing Global Leadership: Maximizing Human Potential | 3 |
| AF AM 330 | Ethnic and Race Relations | 3 |
| A M D 165 | Dress, Appearance, and Diversity in U.S. Society | 3 |
| A M D 362 | Cultural Perspectives of Global Dress | 3 |
| A M D 467 | Consumer Studies in Apparel and Fashion Products | 3 |
| AM IN 310 | Contemporary Topics in American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AM IN 315 | Archaeology of North America | 3 |
| AM IN 322 | Peoples and Cultures of Native North America | 3 |
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| FS HN 342 | World Food Issues: Past and Present | 3 |
| INTST 235 | Introduction to International Studies | 3 |
| LING 219 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| LING 275 | Introduction to Communication Disorders | 3 |
| LING 471 | Language and Reading Development in Children | 3 |
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| WGS 201 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
| WGS 203 | Introduction to Lesbian Studies | 3 |
| WGS 301 | International Perspectives on Women and Gender | 3 |
| WGS 320 | Ecofeminism | 3 |
| WGS 327 | Gender and Sexualities in Society | 3 |
| WGS 328 | Sociology of Masculinities and Manhood | 3 |
| WGS 346 | Psychology of Women | 3 |
| WGS 350 | Women of Color in the U.S | 3 |
| WGS 385 | Women in Politics | 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 342 | Aesthetics of Consumer Experience | 3 |
| AF AM 201 | Introduction to African American Studies | 3 |
| AF AM 334 | Africana Religions | 3 |
| AF AM 347 | Studies in African American Literature | 3 |
| AF AM 353 | History of African Americans I | 3 |
| AF AM 354 | History of African Americans II | 3 |
| A M D 257 | Museum Studies | 3 |
| A M D 354 | Fashion History I: Prehistoric to Mid-19th Century | 3 |
| A M D 356 | Fashion History II: Mid-19th Century to the Present | 3 |
| AM IN 210 | Introduction to American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AM IN 240 | Introduction to American Indian Literature | 3 |
| AM IN 346 | American Indian Literature | 3 |
| ARCH 221 | Histories and Theories of Architecture to 1750 | 3 |
| ARCH 420 | Topics in American Architecture | 3 |
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| CMDIS 286 | Communicating with the Deaf | 3 |
| DANCE 270 | Dance Appreciation | 3 |
| DANCE 360 | History and Philosophy of Dance | 3 |
| DSN S 183 | Design in Context | 3 |
| ENGL 201 | Introduction to Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 225 | Survey of British Literature to 1800 | 3 |
| ENGL 226 | Survey of British Literature since 1800 | 3 |
| ENGL 227 | Survey of American Literature to 1865 | 3 |
| ENGL 228 | Survey of American Literature since 1865 | 3 |
| ENGL 237 | Survey of Film History | 3 |
| ENGL 240 | Introduction to American Indian Literature | 3 |
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| HSP M 260 | Global Tourism Management | 3 |
| MUSIC 102 | Introduction to Music Listening | 3 |
| MUSIC 302 | Masterpieces of Music and Art in Western Culture. | 3 |
| MUSIC 304 | History of American Rock 'n' Roll | 3 |
| MUSIC 383 | History of Music I | 3 |
| MUSIC 384 | History of Music II | 3 |
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| THTRE 106 | Introduction to the Performing Arts | 3 |
| THTRE 110 | Theatre and Society | 3 |
| THTRE 465 | Theatre History: Ancient to 19th Century | 3 |
| THTRE 466 | Theatre History: 19th Century to Present | 3 |
| WGS 201 | Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies | 3 |
| WGS 336 | Religion and Gender | 3 |
| WGS 338 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
| WGS 340 | Women's Literature | 3 |
| WGS 345 | Women and Literature: Selected Topics | 3 |
| WGS 370 | Studies in English Translation | 3 |
| WGS 374 | Sex, Gender, and Culture in the Ancient Mediterranean World | 3 |
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The Financial Counseling and Planning minor may be earned by completing 15 credits
| HD FS 283 | Personal and Family Finance | 3 |
| 12 |
| Consumer Issues | |
| Household Finance and Policy | |
| Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits | |
| Fundamentals of Financial Planning | |
| Family Insurance Planning | |
| Family Savings and Investments | |
| Estate Planning for Families | |
| Capstone: Family Financial 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/.
