Certificate in Financial Planning
The Certification programs in Financial Planning are comprised of a series of online courses completely geared toward financial planning professionals. These programs are designed for mid-level financial services professionals as well as career changers who wish to stay ahead in an increasingly complex career field.
In addition to the MBA in Financial Planning program, CLU offers a Certificate-only program to candidates who wish to complete the educational requirements for the CFP® Certificate Examination. The Certificate program is designed exclusively for professionals who already have an MBA or other business related professional degree such as a JD or CPA, or those with significant experience in the financial planning field.
In order to be eligible for the Certificate program, students must have a Bachelors degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or equivalent coursework. Admissions criteria are streamlined for those students wishing to pursue the Certificate program.
The Certificate program consists of eight courses (three credits each). These courses are taught at a Master's Degree Level. Students in this program must successfully complete the eight financial planning courses to earn a Certificate in Financial Planning and be eligible to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.
Online Learning at California Lutheran University
CLU online courses are taught using a state-of-the-art program called LearningEdge Live Classroom. This program is designed specifically for classroom meetings over the Internet and creates a virtual face-to-face classroom. Instructors and students meet online, speak to one another, display Powerpoint presentations, videos, and even write on a whiteboard. After class, students have the option to review classroom discussion by accessing the virtual archive record. Outside of the classroom, students have the same interactive options, including virtual student lounges where students can meet to discuss classroom assignments, or develop group projects.
Online classrooms at CLU usually consist of less than 20 students.
Among other awards and accolades, California Lutheran University recently won the USDLA (United States Distance Learning Association) 2007 Silver Award for Excellence in Distance Learning.