PSFINFPA3001 - Certified Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis Professional™ (FPAC™)

The curriculum of this course reflects the specifications of the FPAC exam outlined below. The examination is broken down into two parts, with three domains in each part. These test specifications apply to the 2019B-2024A testing windows.

Part I
Financial Acumen: Understanding and Managing Financial Information and Business Relationships
(140 questions | Multiple Choice | 3 testing hours)

• Domain A: Concepts of Business and Finance - 52-58%
• Domain B: Systems and Technology - 17-23%
• Domain C: Business Partnering - 22-28%

Part II
Financial Analysis and Business Support: Building, Interpreting, and Communicating Financial Projections
(55 questions | Task-Based Simulations and Scenario Analysis Problems | 4 testing hours)

• Domain A: Analysis and Projections - 37-43%
• Domain B: Models and Analytics - 42-48%
• Domain C: Business Communication - 12-18%

For more information, visit the FPAC Certification Website.

Study Materials

The fee for this course includes online access to AFP's FPAC Exam Prep Platform. The FPAC Exam Prep Platform is the preferred study resource for the Certified Corporate FP&A Professional Exam and is based on the test specifications for the 2019B - 2024A windows. This fully digital and interactive platform contains study materials, evaluations, sample questions, and customized progress tracking.  

Certification Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the FPAC exam, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have a bachelor's or equivalent degree OR be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program with a finance-related major (finance, accounting, economics or business) and be on track to graduate within two years.
• Understand the professional conduct requirement (you will be asked to agree to comply with the AFP Standards of Ethical Conduct).

Candidates may enroll in the FPAC program and begin taking the exams before the Education and Experience Requirements have been fully satisfied but will not be awarded the credential from AFP until the requirements have been met.

Please use the FPAC Eligibility Assessment to determine if you meet the certification requirements, or visit AFP's Eligibility Requirements page for more information.

FPAC Examination Testing Windows:

• February 1 - March 31
• August 1 - September 30

Visit AFP's Deadlines and Fees page for more information about exam testing windows.

• FP&A managers and directors
• Accounting, treasury, and financial analysts
• Finance and treasury directors
• Chief financial officers
• Vice presidents of finance and treasury
• Consultants

Financial assistance information can be found on Rice Financial Aid's Visiting and Continuing Education Students page.

The estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) for the Certified Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis Professional™ (FPAC™) Program is $2,100.  This includes the tuition ($1,500) and the cost of learning materials (AFP's FPAC Exam Prep Platform) ($600).

Rice University's Glasscock School of Continuing Studies is proud to partner with Guild Education to bring our high-quality, market-attuned, accessible education and training opportunities to Guild's world-class partnering organizations. Learn more about our partnership with Guild.
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Due to the high demand for courses, registrations are considered final as of 10 working days before class starts. No refunds will be issued after these dates and credits will not be given for future classes. No refunds will be granted for participants who miss a portion of a program. Refund requests before the deadline are subject to a 10% processing fee and must be made in writing to gscs@rice.edu. If books have been issued, the cost of the books and any shipping fees will be deducted. Refunds for credit card payments will be processed as credits to the accounts from which they were paid and may not appear as a credit until the following statement. Refunds for enrollments paid by check take up to four weeks to be processed and mailed by the Rice University accounting office. There is a $30 charge for any check returned for insufficient funds.

FPAC Acronym Change

FPAC Now Stands for FP&A Certified

As of January 25, the acronym FPAC will officially be used to denote the Association for Financial Professional’s Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis Professional credential.

FP&A was previously used to denote the certification. However, after speaking with current credential holders, many of whom have FP&A in their job titles, AFP determined that the new FPAC acronym would allow financial professionals to more easily signify that they are credential holders.

Testimonials

"Certification shows you have all of the basic skills and abilities to perform in the FP&A role and a level of commitment to your profession—that you've taken the time and made an investment to prove yourself as a financial professional."- Kelly Myrick, Director of FP&A, AT&T

"The FP&A professional is required to play many dynamics within an organization, which requires a breadth of knowledge and a depth of expertise. That transformation from solely reporting numbers to driving improvement and enhancing enterprise value is at the heart of FP&A. It is this essence that is captured in the exam and through earning this credential."- Toby Jercovich, Senior Business Analyst, North Star Bluescope Steel LLC

Online Course Requirements

Students in most professional development programs must have access to a computer and the Internet to complete the coursework required to earn the Certificate of Achievement.

Minimum System Requirements for Online Access

The online courses are delivered through Zoom. It is recommended that you install the Zoom software for your device. Start by going to the Zoom Download Center, or you can go to riceuniversity.zoom.us and click 'download' in the footer.