Recently Implemented Financial Planning Major Now a CFP Board-Registered Program

Westminster is pleased to announce the College’s recently implemented financial planning major is now officially registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board).

The program passed the CFP Board’s registration process last fall after Westminster launched the financial planning major in the fall of 2022.

Dr. Dilruba Moutusi, Assistant Professor and faculty lead for the financial planning major, says the registration process involved a lot of hard work but ultimately was rewarding.

“Now, as a CFP Board-registered program, we’re proud to offer students the opportunity to meet the education requirements needed to sit for the CFP® exam,” she explains. “This milestone not only enhances our program’s credibility but also gives our students a competitive edge in the financial planning industry.”

Moutusi adds that Westminster’s comprehensive financial planning major ― one of only a handful offered at colleges and universities in Missouri ― follows a CFP Board-aligned curriculum that revolves around “principal knowledge” topics recognized by the CFP Board. Topics covered include everything from investments, taxes, retirement and estate planning to professional conduct/regulation, risk management, the psychology of financial planning and much more.

To earn CFP® certification, an individual must complete all required comprehensive coursework and sit for and pass the CFP® exam. Candidates also must have 6,000 hours of financial planning experience and 4,000 hours of apprenticeship in the field. The final requirement of certification involves adhering to the CFP Board’s ethical standards.

Ultimately, Westminster students majoring in financial planning are poised for career success: According to the CFP Board, experienced financial advisors earn an average of $192,000 per year, while 90% of customers are more confident with financial planners who are CFP® certified. Westminster’s small, personalized environment also reflects the one-on-one nature of the certified financial planning career, making Westminster students ideal for the profession.

As one might expect, creating such a robust program was a lot of work. Approval, implementation and registration was a tremendous team effort that involved Tanys Hines, Assistant Dean of Online Programs, and Dr. Linda Webster, Associate Vice President and Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Operations. As the person responsible for designing the curriculum for this competitive academic program, Moutusi says she feels an overwhelming sense of accomplishment now that the lengthy course-development and approval process is over.

She reflects, “Seeing this program registered with the CFP Board felt like the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication. It is incredibly rewarding to see our efforts come to fruition and know we are offering students a program that meets such high standards.”

For more information on Westminster’s Certified Financial Planning Program, please contact [email protected].