CERTIFICATE IN TAX AND FINANCIAL PLANNING / CTFP
The Certificate in Tax & Financial Planning program provides the necessary preparation to enable a student to become a practicing financial planner.
Students are admitted to the Certificate in Tax & Financial Planning program if they satisfy admission requirements. Students whose primary language is not English must have sufficient command of the English language to benefit from instruction at this University. Therefore, students must be able to communicate effectively in English to complete courses. Students for whom English is a second language will be required to provide a score of 61 on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language.) www.toefl.org
License Substitutions
A student who holds a current license in an appropriate field of service may use the license in lieu of attending a class by attaching a copy of a current, valid license to the registration form along with the instructor's validating signature. Students with the appropriate license will receive credit by license (CRL) in the specific course. The course must be paid for in full on a timely basis.
Pathways
The Certificate in Tax & Financial Planning Program has different Pathways at SSU:
Path 101 – Financial Planner Entrepreneur
24 Quarter Credits
This path is designed for the student who is just entering the Financial Advisory Profession. The student holds no current licenses. This path is designed to assist the student in becoming a fee-only-planner or solo practitioner with emphasis on entrepreneurial development.
Path 102 – Advanced Tax Preparer
16 Quarter Credits
This path is designed for the student who is a registered Tax Preparer. This path will assist the student in building on the practice by being recognized as a Technical Specialist in Tax Preparation, with the ability to provide other services that can be added to his or her Financial Advisory Professional practice.
Path 103 – Insurance Advisor
20 Quarter Credits
This path is designed for the student who is a licensed Insurance Agent. This path will assist the student in building on the book of business already in place by being recognized as a Technical Specialist in Risk Management, with the ability to provide other services to his or her Financial Advisory Professional practice.
Path 104 – Investment Advisor
20 Quarter Credits
This path is designed for the student who already has an Equity License. This path will assist the student in building on the book of business already in place by being recognized as a Technical Specialist in Securities, with the ability to provide other services that can be added to their Financial Advisory Professional practice.
Path 105 – Professional Financial Advisor
8 Quarter Credits
This path is designed for the student who holds multiple licenses. This path will assist the student in building on the book of business already in place, with the ability to provide other services that can be added to his or her Financial Advisory professional practice.
Program Courses
Each course in the Certificate of Tax and Financial Planning is worth 4 Quarter Credits
FP400 – Foundations In Financial Planning
Course Objective: To provide an introduction and overview of the fundamentals and techniques of financial planning.
Course Description: Covers the history, issues, and regulations regarding financial planning as well as client/planner relationships, personal financial issues, practical applications and personal financial planning practice development.
Course Occupational Applicability: Financial Planner and/or Registered Investment Analyst
FP420 – Investment Analysis
Course Objective: To introduce students to securities instruments, to the vocabulary of the discipline and to basic investment instruments and their tax implications.
Course Description: Course introduces the basic investment instruments and the tax implications of each, while helping the student to prepare to sit for the National Association of Securities Dealers Series 6 and 7 examinations.
Course Occupational Applicability: Registered Representative.
FP440a – Personal Tax Planning And Reporting
Course Objective: To introduce and evaluate Internal Revenue Tax Code concepts from a financial and tax planning point-of-view, as they apply to individuals and businesses.
Course Description: Students will have the opportunity to analyze individual tax situations and to prepare income tax forms for personal income and capital gain taxes, tax shelters, adjustments to income
and itemized deductions.
Course Occupational Applicability: Registered Tax Preparer or Financial Planner.
FP440b – Business Tax Planning And Reporting
Pre-requisite: FP440A Tax Planning and Reporting.
Course Objective: To provide advanced study in the introduction and evaluation of Internal Revenue Tax Codes.
Course Description: This course continues the analysis of individual tax situations and of personal income and capital gains taxes. It instructs in the preparation of income tax forms and tax shelters, as well as covering the differences between Federal and State Tax Law. The Completion of Courses 440A & B meets the California Department of Consumer Affairs Preparer Program registration requirements.
Course Occupational Applicability: Registered Tax Preparer or Financial Planner.
FP450 – Risk Management And Estate Planning
Course Objective: To prepare the student to be able to assist the client plan for retirement, and to act as an Estate Planner to properly organize the assets of clients and identify proper wealth-transfer mechanisms.
Course Description: This course surveys risk management in the areas of life annuity, health, casualty, and liability insurance. It teaches how to determine insurance needs, evaluate various insurance plans and evaluate contract selection criteria from a cost/benefit standpoint. It also provides an introduction to the estate planning and reporting process through examination of simple wills and trusts and their documentation, filing, implementation, tax consequences and how estate planning coordinates with risk
management products.
Course Occupational Applicability: Assists Retirement Planner, Estate Planner and/or Financial Planner organizing the assets of the client in planning for retirement and in identifying client wealth-transfer mechanisms.
FP480 – Employee Benefits & Retirement Planning
Course Objective: To introduce terms and vocabulary utilized in basic retirement plans and options, fixed income securities, equity investments, risk management and solutions for effective retirement planning.
Course Description: An introduction to benefits provided to employees. Students will survey a variety of benefits, including stock options, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, and tax-favored corporate retirement plans (including pension and profit sharing plans) as well as non-corporate retirement plans such as IRAs and Roth IRAs. Students will also be introduced to a common-sense approach to retirement planning through discussion of investments, pension, social security and Medicare, long-term health care, managing money for a secure retirement, reduced taxation, estate planning and lifestyle issues.
Course Occupational Applicability: Retirement Specialist and/or Financial Planner.
TESOL PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE
This unique one-month intensive program (150 clock hours) focuses on the development of effective classroom teaching techniques to all levels and ages of English language learners, in both non-English speaking countries and to non-native English speakers residing in North America.
Language Requirements for Non-Native English Speakers include one of the following:
*70 on the iBt TOEFL
*550 on the paper-based TOEFL
*700 on the TOEIC
Practicum (Courses Required)
•Teaching Beginner Levels 5 Clock Hours
Teaching Beginner Levels 5 Clock Hours•Teaching Intermediate Levels 5 Clock Hours
Teaching Intermediate Levels 5 Clock Hours•Teaching Advanced Levels 5 Clock Hours
Teaching Advanced Levels 5 Clock Hours•Teaching Combined Levels 5 Clock Hours
Teaching Combined Levels 5 Clock Hours•Teaching Core Classes 5 Clock Hours
Teaching Core Classes 5 Clock Hours•Lesson Plan Design, Presentation, and Implementation5 Clock Hours
Lesson Plan Design, Presentation, and Implementation5 Clock HoursCourse Descriptions
Courses include 120 clock hours of Theory, Methodology, and Practicum. Students will be required to engage in 30 clock hours of Real In-Class TESL Practicum, through which they will work alongside assigned mentor instructors in a variety of levels.
Hours of Instruction
Monday – Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Dates (2008)
Winter Semester: January 14 – February 8
Spring Semester: March 24 – April 18
April 28 – May 23Summer Semester: June 2 – June 27
July 24 – August 14All students applying for certificate programs must submit the following:
- Application for Admission;
- A written essay detailing educational and work history, goals as they relate to education and work history, and the relationship between these goals and the SSU Degree program being applied for;
- A high school diploma, GED, or Certificate of Equivalency/Proficiency;
- Official Transcripts from other universities or institutions that the student may have attended;
- An application fee (non-refundable) of $75
Students Applying to the Certificate in Tax and Financial Planning Program
In addition to the above items, students applying to the Certificate in Tax and Financial Planning program must submit the following:
- Provide verification of completion of a bachelor’s degree, in the form of an official transcript of record from a USDE-recognized accredited institution;
Students Applying to the Certificate in International Business Law Program
In addition to the above items, students applying to the Certificate in International Business Law program must submit the following:
- Provide verification of completion of (at least) the first year of a law degree, in the form of an official transcript of record from a USDE-recognized accredited institution;
International Students
In addition to the above items, international Students applying for undergraduate programs must submit the following:
- TOEFL result with a minimum score of 61 on the internet based test (70 or 700 on the TOEIC for the TESOL Certificate Program);
- Financial Documentation demonstrating that the student can support him/herself during his/her stay in the USA;
- Copy of passport information page;
- Official Transcripts from other universities or institutions that the student has attended; these transcripts must be evaluated by one of the two following organizations:
(1) http://www.acei1.com, or (2) http://www.ierf.org
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW CERTIFICATE
The International Business Law Certificate Program is intended to provide a foundation for careers and further study in the application of legal issues and requirements as they apply to transnational and international relationships.
Students may enter the Program as early as the beginning of their second year of law school. Only in rare situations will exceptions be made to this entry requirement.
Students should keep in mind that in order to be a good international business lawyer, one must also be a good domestic business lawyer. Thus, students in the certificate program are expected and encouraged to obtain a broad background in domestic business law.
Core Course Requirements
IL-200 International Law
4.5 Quarter Credits
This is the basic course on public international law and provides students with the traditional foundations for the laws governing relationships between different nations. It introduces key concepts and doctrines, including sources of international law such as customs and treaties, the role of international organizations such as the United Nations, the basis of international jurisdiction, the law governing the use of force and protection of human rights and the constitutional basis for United States participation in the international legal system.
IL-210 International Business Transactions
4.5 Quarter Credits
This course covers the basic issues necessary to gain an understanding of legal relationships involved when private transactions cross international borders.
IL-220 Comparative Law
4.5 Quarter Credits
This course examines the problems and issues that arise where legal practice involves foreign law, foreign legal systems, and/or foreign lawyers. In particular, the course focuses on the differences between legal systems and on strategies for responding to those differences.
Electives
Students must take at least 3 elective courses in addition to required core courses. One of the electives may be a course offered outside the University, with permission of the Program Director and the Academic Director. The Faculty Supervised Writing Requirement must be satisfied separately in a manner that results in a paper with significant international business law content. Elective Courses include:
IL-240 Legal Issues associated with International Sales
4.5 Quarter Credits
The course will consider the laws applicable to cross-border sales transactions involving a U.S. party. It will focus primarily on the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (“CISG”), supplemented by study of the Principles of International Commercial Contracts of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), as well as other international documents relevant to transnational sales. The course emphasizes approaching these documents from an international perspective, particularly by employing new research resources that have been developed in the area of international commercial law.
IL-250 International Tax Laws
4.5 Quarter Credits
This course examines the application of United States tax structures to international investments and business undertakings by United States citizens abroad and similar enterprises by foreign persons in the United States. The course explores fundamental United States tax principles governing international transactions. The course ends with an examination of strategies in formation, acquisition, financing, operation and disposition of international business activities.
IL-260 International Trade Law
4.5 Quarter Credits
This course focuses on the international trade system established by the World Trade Organization and on such regional organizations as the European Union and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Students are introduced to trade dispute settlement procedures and examine US laws regulating trade.
IL-270 English for Foreign Lawyers
4.5 Quarter Credits
This course addresses legal terms, Common Law concepts and terminology, with emphasis on Contract Law, Contract Language and Civil Liability.
IL-280 Live Trial Project
4.5 Quarter Credits
This project is based on participation in a live trial inside U.S. Court. Students will go to the specified court to attend as spectator to a real life trial.
IL-290 International Criminal Law
4.5 Quarter Credits
This course explores three principal areas: (1) the international procedural regime for enforcing national criminal law, such as the extradition process and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties; (2) substantive international criminal law, such as that which defines and proscribes genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes against peace; and (3) the development and functioning of the new institutions created to indict, try, and punish those accused of serious international crimes, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Court.
Other Sources for Electives
A student may petition the Academic Director to permit credit for study at a foreign university law program to be applied toward the elective course requirement. Such a study program must be pre-approved by the Academic Director.
