Area professionals in the field of finance will soon have an opportunity to continue their education by taking part in the ETSU College of Business’ Financial Planning Certificate Program.
The six-course program is designed to educate individuals in such fields as banking, accounting and insurance on the ethical considerations surrounding financial planning and to prepare them for the CFP certification exam governed by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
In addition to the CFP certification exam, students must meet ethics and experience requirements in order to gain CFP certification.
The first course of the program, “The Financial Planning Process,” offers students a comprehensive overview of the financial planning process.
The remaining courses cover such subjects as estate planning, income tax, investment planning, retirement planning and employee benefits and insurance planning and can be taken in any sequence.
Becky Barnes, executive aide in the College of Business, said that this is the first time such classes have been offered at ETSU.
“This program is designed for professionals, such as people in banking or accounting. For example, some of our enrolled students are coming from Eastman,” she said.
Applicants are required to have earned a bachelor’s degree and have professional experience.
The 10-week long “Investment Planning” class, led by Dr. Larry Prather, associate professor of finance in the College of Business, began Wednesday. Topics of discussion will include marketability and liquidity, investment risk, government regulation, investment vehicles, portfolio performance measurements, leverage, hedging, options and asset allocation.
Class will be held each Tuesday from 6-9 p.m.
Beginning today the class entitled “Insurance Planning” will meet every Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and will focus on insurance policies and strategies, industry regulation and policy analysis.
The class will also run for 10 weeks and will be instructed by Dr. Ed Baryla, associate professor of finance.
Both the Investment Planning and Insurance Planning classes will be held at the Adelphia Centre at Millennium Park. Tuition for each class is $350 with a one-time registration fee of $50.
Call Barnes at 439-5300 for more information or to register for one of the courses.

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