Financial & Housing Counseling, Graduate Certificate

Graduate Certificate in Financial and Housing Counseling

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

  • Fully Online
  • 18
    Credits
  • $590.00
    In-State
  • $590.00
    Out-of-State
  • Overview
  • Admissions and Requirements
  • Courses You’ll Take
  • Tuition & Fees

Program Overview

The online Financial and Housing Counseling, Graduate Certificate is designed to assist individuals and families with resources and recommendations for solidifying affordable housing options.  

Students of this program will: 

  • Learn to assess a client's financial situation and identify problem areas.
  • Assist individuals and families in the process of financial decision-making.
  • Understand the essential workings of all aspects of the industry in order to help clients make appropriate housing decisions.
  • Recommend appropriate actions that help clients obtain and maintain adequate housing.

The certificate provides the initial educational background that can potentially lead to two possible designations:

  • Accredited Financial Counseling (AFC)
  • Certified Housing Counselor (CHC)

In addition, this program is designed to address the needs of the Military Advancement Academic Program (MAAP), a program that focuses on the career needs of military personnel and military spouses.

Career paths may include: 

  • Housing Counselor
  • Director, Housing & Community Development
  • Property Manager
  • Fair Housing Counselor
  • Community Association Manager

Admissions and Requirements

To be accepted to this program, you must have:

  1. 2.5 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale

  2. Taken the TOEFL or IELTS

    (Only required if English is not your native language)

  3. A written personal statement

    Statement of professional goals.

  4. 3 letters of recommendation

  5. Letter of Intent

  6. Curriculum vitae

NOTE: This program is authorized, exempt, or not subject to state regulatory compliance and may enroll students from all 50 states

To apply to this program:

  1. Apply and be admitted to Graduate Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  2. Pay the non-refundable $50 application processing fee
  3. Submit one set of official transcripts from each college or university you have attended to Office of Graduate Studies
  4. Apply and be admitted to the department

Courses You’ll Take

Core Courses

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
CYAF 824Fundamentals of Family Financial Planning3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission. Issues and concepts related to the overall financial planning process and establishing client-planner relationships. Services provided, documentation required, and client-CFP licensee relationships. Competencies related to gathering of client data, determining goals and expectations, and assessing the client’s financial status. Emerging issues and the role of ethics. (Distance education course delivered by Kansas State University.)
CYAF 825Reading in the Content Area3
Basic reading and writing process relating to content literacy including schema theory, comprehension, and second language acquisition. The contribution of content literacy to content material and positive learning environments. Use of a variety of materials including textbooks, literature, Internet resources and media in the content classroom. Assisting diverse students in the use of reading, writing and vocabulary strategies to learn content material. Prerequisite: Admission to CYAF graduate program.
CYAF 822Financial Counseling3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission (Distance education course delivered by North Dakota State University.) Theory and research regarding the interactive process between clients and practitioner, including communication techniques, motivation and esteem building, the counseling environment, ethics, and methods of data intake verification and analysis. Legal issues, compensation, uses of technology to identify resources, information management, and current or emerging issues.
CYAF 841Housing Real Estate3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission Distance education course delivered by Iowa State University. The role of housing and real estate in the financial planning process from a theoretical perspective. Taxation, legal aspects, mortgages, and financial calculations related to home ownership and real estate investments. New and emerging issues, as well as the role of ethics in financial planning.

Elective Courses

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
CYAF 883Investing for the Family’s Future3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program. Investment options for families. Common stocks, fixed income securities, convertible securities, and related choices. The relationship between investment options and employee and/or employer benefit plan choices. (Distance education course delivered by Iowa State University.)
CYAF 826Military Personal Financial Readiness3
An overview of the topics relevant to the financial planning process including: Unique needs, terminology, benefits, and resources that impact military service members and their families. Status of service member; financial readiness; financial management; recordkeeping; cash flow management; tax management; retirement management; estate management; and special topics management; risk management; credit and debt management; savings, education planning, and investment.
CYAF 823Estate Planning for Families3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission. Fundamentals of the estate planning process, including estate settlement, estate and gift taxes, property ownership and transfer, and powers of appointment. Tools and techniques used in implementing an effective estate plan, ethical considerations, and new and emerging issues in the field. Case studies provide experience. (Distance education course delivered by Montana State University.)
CYAF 881Family Systems3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission (Distance education course delivered by North Dakota State University.) Research and theory relative to family functioning throughout the life cycle, especially financial decision making during crisis and conflict. Factors that shape family values, attitudes, and behaviors from a multi-cultural perspective. New and emerging issues critical to family functioning.
CYAF 821Insurance Planning for Families3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission. Risk management concepts, ethical considerations, tools, and strategies for individuals and families. Life insurance; property and casualty insurance; liability insurance; accident, disability, health, and long-term care insurance; and, government-subsidized programs. Case studies provide experience in selecting appropriate insurance products.
CYAF 828Retirement Planning, Employee Benefits and the Family3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission. Micro and macro considerations in retirement planning for individuals and families. Various types of retirement plans, ethical consideration in providing retirement planning services, assessing and forecasting financial needs, integration of retirement plans with government benefits, and current research and theory. Case studies provide experience.
CYAF 840Personal Income Taxation3
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission. Income tax practices and procedures including tax regulations, tax return preparation, tax audits, appeals, preparation for an administrative or judicial forum, and ethical considerations. Family/individual case studies provide practice in applying and analyzing information. (Distance education course delivered by Montana State University.)
CYAF 897BPracticum in Family Financial Planning3 - 6
Prereq: Admission to CYAF graduate program or permission Pass/No Pass only.

Tuition & Fees

Nebraska Residents

Per Credit Hour

Tuition
$590.00
Fees
$0.00
Total
$590.00

3 Credit Hours

Tuition
$1770.00
Fees
$0.00
Total
$1770.00

Out of State Residents

Per Credit Hour

Tuition
$590.00
Fees
$0.00
Total
$590.00

3 Credit Hours

Tuition
$1770.00
Fees
$0.00
Total
$1770.00
About Faculty

University of Nebraska online courses are taught by expert faculty who embody the qualities resulting from research experience and professional/field experience. Students learn from faculty with a variety of backgrounds, many of whom are published researchers in their fields. NU faculty who teach online do so in a way that optimizes learning within the online modality and because technology enables students to access education they may otherwise may not be able to pursue.

Application Deadlines
  • Fall SemesterJun 01
  • Spring SemesterOct 01
  • Summer SessionsJan 01