Upon completing this certificate, you will:

• Understand how personal values influence financial decisions and long-term goals.
• Understand the principles of personal finance, including risk management and insurance products.
• Generate personal financial goals and create strategic plans to achieve them.
• Evaluate current research on personal finance topics.

The Personal Finance Certificate is an 11 to 12-credit hour program, consisting of two required courses and four elective courses.

To earn this certificate, you'll complete the following: 

Required Courses (6 credit hours)

• ACE 240 – Personal Financial Planning 
  • 3 credits (fall, spring)
• ACE 241 – Advanced Personal Finance 
  • 3 credits (spring)

Elective courses for the certificate: (5 – 6 credit hours)

• Additional Personal Finance Courses 
  • ACE 242 – Women, Money & Power
    • 2 credits (spring)
  • ACE 243 – Money & Happiness
    • 3 credits (fall)
• Risk Management
  • ACE 349 – Risk Management & Financial Planning Across the Life Cycle 
    • 3 credits (spring)
  • ACE 222 – Agricultural Marketing 
    • 3 credits (fall)

Applying for this certificate

Acceptance into the program is required to enroll in the courses.

To apply for a graduate certificate program, you'll need to start an online application through the University of Illinois Graduate College. 

When your application is accepted, there's no rush to complete all three courses immediately. You may enroll in each course as your schedule allows.

The following items are required for your application:

• Bachelor’s degree: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A=4.0), or comparable GPA for an international applicant, for the last two years of undergraduate study is a minimum requirement for admission
• Professional resume: This should include personal information (name, address, telephone number, and email address), academic background, work experience (start and end dates for each position and a brief description of responsibilities), educational training, professional associations, and leadership experiences. Please limit your resume to two pages.
• English proficiency scores (international students only): If you are a non-native English speaker, you must upload your TOEFL or IELTS scores directly to your application. Review the Graduate College’s English proficiency requirements for more details on possible exemptions. 

Apply as a certificate student