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Financial Counseling and Planning

This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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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:

  1. Help individuals and families make personal finance decisions using time value of money calculations.
  2. Deliver professional, competent, and ethical financial counseling and planning services to clients.
  3. Apply principles of client psychology within consumer and financial decision making.
  4. Measure individual and family financial health and use these measures to create a comprehensive personal financial plan.
  5. 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

HD FS 102Human Development3
or PSYCH 230 Developmental Psychology
HD FS 239Consumer Issues3
HD FS 270Family Communications and Relationships3
HD FS 283Personal and Family Finance3
HD FS 317GField Experiences: Family Finance Programs1-6
HD FS 341Income Tax Planning for Families3
HD FS 378Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits3
HD FS 383Fundamentals of Financial Planning3
HD FS 384Family Insurance Planning3
or FIN 361 Personal Risk Management and Insurance
HD FS 482Family Savings and Investments3
or FIN 320 Investments
HD FS 484Estate Planning for Families3
HD FS 485Capstone: Family Financial Planning3
HD FS 489Financial Counseling2
HD FS 489LFinancial Counseling Laboratory1
Total Credits37-42

Communications and Library: 13 credits

ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
LIB 160Introduction to College Level Research1
One of the following:3
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Interpersonal Communication
Conflict Management
One of the following:3
Survey of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication
Business Communication
Proposal and Report Writing
Technical Communication
Total Credits13

 Natural Sciences and Mathematical Disciplines: 10 credits

ACCT 284Financial Accounting3
COM S 113Introduction to Spreadsheets and Databases3
or Computer Science course3
STAT 101Principles of Statistics4
Total Credits13

Social Sciences: 9 credits

ECON 101Principles of Microeconomics3
SOC 134Introduction to Sociology3
or PSYCH 280 Social Psychology
Social Science course from approved general education options3
Total Credits9

 Humanities: 6 credits

Humanities course from approved general education options6

 HD FS orientation: 1 credit

HD FS 110Freshman Learning Community Orientation1
or HD FS 111 New Transfer Student Seminar
Total Credits1

Electives: 42 credits as needed to equal 120 total credits

Recommended HD FS Electives (part of total electives).

HD FS 234Adult Development3
HD FS 249Parenting and Family Diversity Issues3
HD FS 360Housing and Services for Families and Children3
HD FS 369Research Methods in Human Development and Family Studies3
HD FS 377Aging and the Family3
HD FS 395Children, Families, and Public Policy3
HD FS 449Program Evaluation and Proposal Writing3
HD FS 479Family Dynamics Through a Social and Cultural Lens3
HD FS 491Internship4

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.

Computer Science (COM S)
Accounting (ACCT)
Mathematics (MATH)
Statistics (STAT)

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 215Legal Environment of Business3
AESHM 421Developing Global Leadership: Maximizing Human Potential3
AF AM 330Ethnic and Race Relations3
A M D 165Dress, Appearance, and Diversity in U.S. Society3
A M D 362Cultural Perspectives of Global Dress3
A M D 467Consumer Studies in Apparel and Fashion Products3
AM IN 310Contemporary Topics in American Indian Studies3
AM IN 315Archaeology of North America3
AM IN 322Peoples and Cultures of Native North America3
Anthropology (ANTHR) - except 202
Economics (ECON)
FS HN 342World Food Issues: Past and Present3
INTST 235Introduction to International Studies3
LING 219Introduction to Linguistics3
LING 471Language and Reading Development in Children3
Political Science (POL S)
Psychology (PSYCH) - except 131
Sociology (SOC), including Criminal Justice (CJ ST)
WGS 201Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies3
WGS 203Introduction to Lesbian Communities3
WGS 301International Perspectives on Women and Gender3
WGS 320Ecofeminism3
WGS 327Gender and Sexualities in Society3
WGS 328Sociology of Masculinities and Manhood3
WGS 346Psychology of Women3
WGS 350Women of Color in the U.S3
WGS 385Women in Politics3

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 342Aesthetics of Consumer Experience3
AF AM 201Introduction to African American Studies3
AF AM 334Africana Religions3
AF AM 347Studies in African American Literature3
AF AM 353History of African Americans I3
AF AM 354History of African Americans II3
A M D 257Museum Studies3
A M D 354Euro-American Dress History: Prehistoric to Mid-19th Century3
A M D 356Euro-American Dress History: Mid-19th Century to the Present3
AM IN 210Introduction to American Indian Studies3
AM IN 240Introduction to American Indian Literature3
AM IN 346American Indian Literature3
ARCH 221Histories and Theories of Architecture to 17503
ARCH 420Topics in American Architecture3
Art History (ART H)
American Sign Language (ASL)
Classical Studies (CL ST)
DANCE 270Dance Appreciation3
DANCE 360History and Philosophy of Dance3
DSN S 183Design in Context3
ENGL 201Introduction to Literature3
ENGL 225Survey of British Literature to 18003
ENGL 226Survey of British Literature since 18003
ENGL 227Survey of American Literature to 18653
ENGL 228Survey of American Literature since 18653
ENGL 237Survey of Film History3
ENGL 240Introduction to American Indian Literature3
History (HIST)
HSP M 260Global Tourism Management3
MUSIC 102Introduction to Music Listening3
MUSIC 302Masterpieces of Music and Art in Western Culture.3
MUSIC 304History of American Rock 'n' Roll3
MUSIC 383History of Music I3
MUSIC 384History of Music II3
Philosophy (PHIL)
Religious Studies (RELIG)
THTRE 106Introduction to the Performing Arts3
THTRE 110Theatre and Society3
THTRE 465Theatre History: Ancient to 19th Century3
THTRE 466Theatre History: 19th Century to Present3
WGS 201Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies3
WGS 336Religion, Sex and Gender3
WGS 338Feminist Philosophy3
WGS 345Women and Literature: Selected Topics3
WGS 370Studies in English Translation3
WGS 374Sex, Gender, and Culture in the Ancient Mediterranean World3
World Languages and Cultures (ARABC, CHIN, FRNCH, GER, GREEK, RUS, SPAN)

Financial Counseling and Planning

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits
COM S 1133ENGL 2503
ENGL 1503HD FS 102 or PSYCH 2303
HD FS 110 or 1111HD FS 2833
HD FS 2393STAT 1014
ECON 1013ACCT 215, ECON 102, or INTST 235 (Or Social Sciences Course)3
LIB 1601 
 14 16
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ACCT 2843HD FS 3833
HD FS 2703PHIL 230, 235, or RELIG 205 (Or Humanities Courses)3
PSYCH 280 or SOC 1343Electives*9
SP CM 212, COMST 211, or COMST 2183 
PHIL 230, 235, or RELIG 205 (Or Humanities Course)3 
 15 15
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ENGL 302, 309, 314, or AGEDS 3273HD FS 3783
HD FS 3413HD FS 384 or FIN 3613
Electives*9Electives*9
 15 15
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HD FS 482 or FIN 3203HD FS 317G1-6
HD FS 4892HD FS 4843
HD FS 489L1HD FS 4853
Electives*9Electives*6
 15 13-18
*

Electives: Courses from accounting, community and regional planning, economics, family and consumer sciences education, finance, gerontology, human development and family studies, journalism, management, marketing, political science, psychology, and sociology are suggested.

**

See Approved General Education options.

 

Students in Financial Counseling and Planning fulfill the US Diversity and International Perspectives Requirement by choosing three credits of coursework from each of the university-approved lists.

 

This sequence is only an example. The number of credits taken each semester should be based on the individual student's situation. Factors that may affect credit hours per semester include student ability, employment, health, activities, and grade point consideration.

The Financial Counseling and Planning minor may be earned by completing 15 credits

HD FS 283Personal and Family Finance3
Twelve credits from the following:12
Consumer Issues
Income Tax Planning for Families
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 Credits15

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/.