CFP Board, University of Illinois Free, Online Financial Planning Course Open for Registration

Offered through Coursera, course provides an introduction to financial planning

A free, online financial planning course is now open for registration. The course provides an introduction to financial planning, including the benefits of a career in the field.

Financial Planning for Young Adults is being offered by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. and the University of Illinois. The Massive Open Online Course or MOOC provides an introduction to basic financial planning concepts. It is open to the general public through Coursera, an education platform that partners with universities and organizations worldwide to offer courses free of charge.

For more information about the course and to register, visit https://www.coursera.org/course/personalfinance.

“This course is for people to learn more about how financial planning can impact their lives in a positive way. It is also for people who are interested in the field of financial planning and maybe even thinking about becoming a CFP® professional,” said University of Illinois associate professor of agricultural economics Nicholas Paulson.

Within each module, students will view a combination of traditional lecture-style videos, along with video vignettes that introduce financial topics for discussion among the course participants.  Each of the videos introduces a real-world scenario where financial decisions must be made and financial planning concepts can be applied. Although the videos were produced with young adults in mind, Paulson believes they will engage students of any age. The videos will help all students in the course think critically and decide how they would resolve the financial situation presented.

The content of the course is divided into seven separate modules, which are each intended to be completed in approximately one week: