Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning
Blended learning – on-campus and digital learning
Swinburne’s Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning is suitable for aspiring and practising financial planners including those upskilling to meet professional requirements relating to the FASEA code of ethics.
This course aims to develop your technical, practical, analytical, communication and creative skills, as necessary to support a successful career in Financial Planning. You’ll use the latest financial planning technology (XPLAN) and engage with industry through annual roadshows, seminars and guest speakers.
Three of the four units are FASEA approved units equivalate to the FASEA bridging courses of 1) Ethics for Professional Advisors, 2) Financial Advice Regulatory & Legal Obligations and 3) Behavioural Finance: Client and Consumer Behaviour, Engagement and Decision Making.
Units may be studied individually. By completing them together with a fourth unit, you can graduate with a Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning or choose to pathway towards Swinburne’s Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning, Master of Financial Planning, or our double degree Master of Professional Accounting/Master of Financial Planning.
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Duration
6 months full-time or 12 months part-time
Intakes
Hawthorn (Semester 1, Semester 2) - View application and start dates
Study modes
- Full-time,
- Part-time
2022 Start Dates
Winter -
20 June 2022
Semester 2 -
01 August 2022
2023 Start Dates
Semester 1 -
27 February 2023
Semester 2 -
31 July 2023
Professionally accredited by
Swinburne Financial Planning Association Member Scholarship
This scholarship provides a course tuition fee discount for students who are current members of the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) who are studying a postgraduate course in Financial Planning delivered face-to-face at the Hawthorn campus or via online study with Swinburne Online. This scholarship also provides a unit tuition fee discount for students studying selected stand-alone bridging units.
Course information in detail
- Course detail, course structure and units of study.
Course description
The Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning is designed to meet the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) bridging course requirements for existing financial advisers.
This course does incorporate the FASEA approved bridging unit in Ethics. It also provides an opportunity for existing financial advisers to satisfy the Tax Practitioners Board requirements for registration as a Tax financial Advisor.
The program develops the technical, practical, analytical, communication and creative skills necessary to support a successful career in Financial Planning Students will have the opportunity to join a range of financial advice careers in financial industries such as banking, insurance and investment.
Course structure
To qualify for the award of Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning students must complete 50 credit points comprising:
- 4 core units
Maximum Academic Credit
The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning is 25 credit points (normally two units)
Units of study
Core units
Students must complete all four core units (50 credit points each):
FIN60011 Behavioural Finance and Investment *
FIN60012 Ethics and Client Management *
LAW60003 Corporations and Contract Law
*Outcome units - matched exemptions are generally not granted for higher education outcome units.
Careers and graduate outcomes
- Career opportunities, course aims and objectives, graduate skills and professional recognition.
Career opportunities
The Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning is designed for students who wish to obtain a sound introduction to concepts and procedures in Financial Planning. The program develops the technical, practical, analytical, communication and creative skills necessary to support a successful career in Financial Planning. It provides an entry level into tertiary study and the ability to obtain a tertiary qualification for appropriately qualified candidates.
Aims and objectives
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- apply coherent and advanced knowledge of financial planning and business concepts in diverse contexts and applications using critical thinking
- apply problem solving, design and decision making methodologies to identify and provide innovative solutions to complex problems with intellectual independence
- communicate proficiently with clients, gather and interpret appropriate data and use advanced tools and practices to produce a financial plan
- demonstrate integrity, ethical conduct, accountability, respect and a broad awareness of the professional code of conduct and cultural norms.
Graduate skills
The Swinburne graduate attributes signify that Swinburne intends that its teaching programs assist all its graduates to be:
- capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas and an ability to engage in critical enquiry
- entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
- effective and ethical in work, community situations and reasoning skills
- adaptable and able to manage change, and
- aware of local and international environments in which they will be contributing (e.g. socio-cultural, economic and natural).
Professional recognition
Upon the completion of the appropriate units of study students may also be eligible for recognition as a Tax Financial Advisor with the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB). Registration with the Professional Bodies also depends on students’ previous work experience being assessed and final confirmation of eligibility will be provided by FASEA and TPB.
Pathways and scholarships
- Credit transfer, recognition of prior learning and scholarships.
Course fees and requirements
- Fees, entry requirements and non-year 12 entry.
Course fees
Fees are estimates for students commencing in 2022 only: Tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. These fees apply for units studied in 2022 only and may change for units studied in future years. If part-time study is permitted, annual fees will be proportionally lower based on the number of units taken per semester.
How do I pay my fees?
FEE-HELP is a loan given to eligible full-fee paying higher education students to help pay part or all of their tuition fees. The Commonwealth Government pays the amount of the loan directly to Swinburne.
The total tuition fee is dependent upon the combination of units of study selected by the student. Fees are reviewed each year. Find out more about fees.
Entry requirements
a recognised bachelor degree in a related discipline or
a recognised bachelor degree in any discipline PLUS a minimum of 2 years equivalent full-time relevant professional experience* or
*Relevant professional/managerial experience and evidence of academic capability will be determined by the Faculty PVC (or delegate) with reference to Faculty determined guiding principles. Applicants will be required to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) with their application. Documents substantiating relevant experience are required, clearly detailing roles and duration, as well as evidence of formal and non-formal learning. Where relevant experience is used for the basis of admission, no further recognition for prior learning/credit can be granted on that basis.
a recognised bachelor degree in any discipline PLUS a minimum of 2 years equivalent full-time relevant professional experience* or
a minimum of 3 years equivalent full-time relevant professional experience* Current Financial Planners
*Relevant professional/managerial experience and evidence of academic capability will be determined by the Faculty PVC (or delegate) with reference to Faculty determined guiding principles. Applicants will be required to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) with their application. Documents substantiating relevant experience are required, clearly detailing roles and duration, as well as evidence of formal and non-formal learning. Where relevant experience is used for the basis of admission, no further recognition for prior learning/credit can be granted on that basis.