Financial Counseling and Planning
You've always had a knack with numbers, and you'd like to work in a financial environment. But you don't want to be just another behind-the-scenes number cruncher. If you'd rather be working with people, helping them solve their financial problems and plan for the future in innovative ways, check out the financial counseling and planning program in the Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing.
Plan of Study
Career Options
Flexible course requirements allow you to tailor your education to a variety of careers, including:
- bank trust officer
- benefits administrator
- financial aid director
- financial counselor
- financial planner
- insurance representative
- loan officer
- stockbroker
- preparation for law school or other graduate studies
- Visit CFS Graduates at Work to see how alumni are using their degrees in the real world
- Career opportunities for Financial Counseling and Planning students
Where You Might Work
- college financial aid offices
- community programs
- cooperative extension services (where you might work as a county agent with a family economics specialty)
- financial institutions such as credit unions, banks, and loan companies
- financial planning firms
- insurance agencies
- investment services
- social welfare agencies
Coursework
- accounting
- communication
- consumer behavior
- economics
- employee benefits
- investments
- marketing
- mathematics
- personal finance
- psychology/sociology
- retirement planning
- risk management
- statistics
- tax law
- complete course list
Learn from Experience
- Take courses in computer labs using the latest industry software and technology.
- Complete a required internship in a variety of related fields, including investment and mortgage brokerage firms, insurance agencies, banks, financial planning firms, college financial aid offices, and credit counseling services.
- Compete in national collegiate competitions for financial counseling and planning students.
- Successful completion of the registered program automatically satisfies the educational component of the Certified Financial Planner certification process.
You'll Have Help Finding a Job
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The Consumer Sciences and Retailing Career Fair gives students the chance to meet and interview with potential employers.
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Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities provides a variety of job search services including a list of internships, employer profiles, salary surveys, and interview and job search clinics.
For more information, contact:
CFS Undergraduate Student Services
700 W. State Street
Stone Hall, Room 110
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2059
Phone: (765) 494-8533
E-mail: cfsundergrad@purdue.edu