FPSC Welcomes Fanshawe College to Roster of Approved Eduction Providers for CFP® Designation

December 9, 2002, Toronto — Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC) is pleased to welcome Fanshawe College to its growing roster of education providers. The College's new Diploma in Financial Planning Services is now registered with FPSC as an official financial planning curriculum supporting the education requirements for CFP® certification.

Fanshawe College, which is in London, Ontario, is offering this diploma starting in January 2003 as a full-time program, to be completed over four, 15-week semesters within a minimum of two years.

FPSC reports there are now 89 programs with approved curriculum offered at 67 institutions across Canada that support the CFP education requirement, leading to certification.

"We are pleased to welcome Fanshawe College to our growing list of education providers that are preparing students for the CFP Exam and designation," said Cary List, Vice President, Standards & Certification, FPSC. "The number of post-secondary institutions offering education programs with approved curriculum leading to the CFP designation has grown substantially and continues to affirm the value and credibility of this international standard of excellence."

FPSC evaluates curriculum based on a number of criteria. For instance:

* The program must be a certificate, degree, diploma or professional designation program;
* FPSC requires that learning outcomes be provided, and they must be aligned with the CFP education requirements;
* The curriculum must include courses that cover the entire CFP examination syllabus;
* FPSC requires documentation about the qualifications of the educators responsible for the development and teaching of each course and related program components; and
* FPSC requires details of other resources available to students.

"Financial planning is certainly a growth area with rewarding career opportunities and we're seeing more students take an interest in this career option. We developed this program to equip students with the education necessary to meet the CFP requirements, which we believe is the highest standard in the financial planning arena," said David Belford, coordinator of the Financial Planning Services Program, Fanshawe College.

Financial Planners Standards Council is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to benefiting Canadians and the financial planning profession by establishing and enforcing education, examination, experience and ethics requirements for individuals who choose to earn the CFP designation. There are currently more than 14,000 planners licensed to use the CFP marks in Canada, and approximately 72, 000 CFP professionals in 17 countries around the world. See www.cfp-ca.org for further information.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For further information on FPSC and the CFP designation, please visit our online media kit at http://www.cfp-ca.org/media/media_mediakit.asp.

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Media Contacts:

For FPSC:
Eileen Chadnick/Chadnick Communications at 416.631.7437 or eileen@chadnick.com
Ann Bowman/FPSC at 416.593.8587 ext. 225 or abowman@cfp-ca.org

For Fanshawe College:
David Belford at 519.452.4430 ext 4396 or Dbelford@fanshawec.ca