Classes start in September and end in April. In September, January and April, students meet for a week of lectures, teamwork, case analysis and projects. At the end of the classwork, they are tested on presentation, knowledge and analysis. A certified financial planner program is offered at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg. Five students enrolled in the first program last year and 12 are scheduled to start this fall.
Classes are open to any student enrolled at the univers ity.
After receiving the certification, financial planners must take continuing-education courses and maintain ethical standards. Indicative of reputation, the credential helps build a confident relationship between the financial planner and the client, Young said. Credentials soon may be available at other Kansas City area schools. Benedictine College in Atchison, for example, is considering certification programs in conjunction with its executive MBA program, said Richard Miller, program director. Webster University also is looking at adding a certification program.