Prepare for the CFP^® Examination Certification 

Register Today!

The following courses are tailored to meet the educational requirements of a CFP Board Registered Program. They are open enrollment/on demand, so you can get started as soon as you're ready. You can take any number of our courses in any order.

Select the class(s) you would like to take from the list below. We recommend signing up for no more than two at a time, and you can come back as soon as you've completed your courses to register for the next ones.

• Participants can register any time
• Access to the class will be available within 3–5 business days of your registration.
• Participants have six months to complete the coursework.

FINANCE 850: Introduction to Financial Planning 

This course is designed to give students an overview of the financial planning profession, including financial planning regulations and practice standards. 

Course Fee: $645 [ Register ]
Format: Online Asynchronous (self-paced) 

Modules: Financial Planning Process; Client & Planner Attitudes, Values, Biases, Behavioral Finance; Sources of Money Conflict, Counseling, Communication, & Severe Consequences; Financial Statements, Financing Strategies, Debt Management, Cash Flow; Time Value of Money & Basic Economics; Education Savings Plans, Gift Tax; Financial Services Regulations; Consumer Protection Laws; Fiduciary Standard; CFP Board’s Code of Ethics & Standards of Conduct; CFP Board’s Procedural Rules; Purpose Function & General Structure of Financial Institutions; Special Needs Planning; Application to Real World Problems; Case Studies

FINANCE 851: Investment Planning

This course is designed to give students an overview of modern portfolio theory and investment analysis. 

Course Fee: $645 [ Register ]
Format: Online Asynchronous (self-paced) 

Modules: Introduction, Market Structure, Asset Classes, Securities Law; Types of Investment Rish & Return; Portfolio Theory (CAPM, APT, Diversification); Investment Strategies, Attribution, Factors; Market Efficiency & Behavior; Ficed Income Securities & Analysis; Equity Securities & Analysis; Bond & Stock Valuation Concepts; Characteristics, Uses & Taxation of Investment Vehicles; Derivatives; Alternatives; Taxation of Securities, IPS; Application to Real World Problems; Case Studies

FINANCE 852: Applications of Retirement Planning 

This course is designed to give students an overview of retirement plans and employee benefits as they apply to financial planning practice. 

Course Fee: $645 [ Register ]
Format: Online Asynchronous (self-paced) 

Modules: Introduction, Accumulation, Distribution; Overview of Qualified Plans;Qualified Pension Plans; Profit Sharing Plans; Stock Bonus Plans, ESOPs; Distributions from Qualified Plans; IRAs & SEPs; SIMPLE, 403(b), & 457; Social Security, Medicare, & Medicaid; Deferred Compensation & Non-Qualified Plans; Fringe Benefits; Group Benefits, Succession Planning; Application to Real World Problems; Case Studies

FINANCE 853: Applications of Estate Planning

This course is designed to give students an overview of estate planning applications for financial planners. This course approaches estate planning from the perspective of a CFP^® Professional. 

Course Fee: $645 [ Register ]
Format: Online Asynchronous (self-paced) 

Modules: Introduction & Basic Documents; Property Interests; Probate; Gift Taxes; Estate Tax; Lifetime Transfers; Trusts Overview; Specific Trusts; Charitable Gifts; Marital Deduction; Uses of Life Insurance in Estate Planning; GST; Application to  Real World Problems; Case Studies 

FINANCE 856: Applications of Insurance Planning

This course is designed to give students an overview of insurance planning for CFP^® Professionals. 

Course Fee: $645 [ Register ]
Format: Online Asynchronous (self-paced) 

Modules: Principles of Risk & Insurance; Analysis of Risk Exposure; Health Insurance; Life Insurance Overview; Advanced Topics in Life Insurance (Taxation); Advanced Topics in Life Insurance (Business Uses); Disability Insurance; Long Term Care; Annuities; Taxation of Annuities; P&C and Liability; Credit & Identity Theft Protection; Social Security; Application to Real World Problems; Case Studies 

FINANCE 857: Applications of Tax Planning

This course is designed to give students an overview of federal income tax planning applications for individuals and businesses. 

Course Fee: $645 [ Register ]
Format: Online Asynchronous (self-paced) 

Modules: Introduction to Tax Law; Fundamentals of Income Taxation; Gross Income (Investments); Gross Income (Employment); Deductions; Below the Line; Other Deductions; Credits; Basis, Assets, & Depreciation; Capital Assets; Business Assets & Exchanges; Passive Activities, AMT; Business Entity Selection; Application to Real World Problems; Case Studies

FINANCE 859: Financial Planning Capstone Course

This course is the capstone course for the CFP Board Education Program. Students in this course will have access to an education license for eMoney Advisor, which they can use to complete the final project—a financial plan and presentation via a video recording. 

Course Fee: $795 [ Register ]
Format: Online Asynchronous (self-paced) 

Modules: Developing a Financial Plan (Steps 1–4); Case Review—Identification of Important Areas; CFP Board 7-Step Process; Documentation for Professionals; Regulatory Compliance for Financial Professionals; Developing Budget Recommendations; Developing Investment Recommendations; Developing Retirement Planning Recommendations; Developing Estate Planning Recommendations; Application to Real World Problems; Case Studies 

Access Your Course(s)

The first time you're enrolled in a course, you'll need to activate your Chico State account and set your password so that you can access your course in Canvas, Chico State's online learning system. You'll receive instructions on how to do this in your registration confirmation email.

Grades & Transcripts

Each course is offered as a Credit/No Credit course. This means that you will not receive a letter grade, and instead will receive credit for completing the course or no credit if you do not complete the course.

Grades are typically available 3 weeks after the grade deadline for the semester in which the course is completed. For example, if you complete the course in March of the spring term, your grades and transcripts will be available after the grading deadline at the end of May.

Official and unofficial transcripts can be ordered from the Student Records and Registration Office.   

Drops & Refunds

If you need to drop a class, please email pce@csuchico.edu. We will look into your request and get back to you as soon as possible. The following refund schedule applies:

• If you drop on or before the first day you login to your Canvas course, a $15 processing fee will apply.
• If you drop on the second or third day, a 65% refund will be issued.
• If you drop on the fourth day or beyond, no refund will be granted.