Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning

2024 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2024 course information
Award granted	Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning
Deakin course code	M669
Faculty	Faculty of Business and Law
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne)
Online	Yes
Duration	1 year full-time or part-time equivalent
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2024 This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2024 This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 3 2024 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8
Please note: This course is only available for part-time study in Trimester 3

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Build upon the core knowledge and skills required of a professional financial planner by studying Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning. Graduate with a fully accredited and approved degree, that enables you to either enter the financial planning profession or expand upon existing career opportunities.

Interested in a qualification that enhances and further develops your core financial planning competencies?

The Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning is accredited as a FAS-approved degree therefore providing you with a pathway to progress your career as a professional financial planner

If you're a current financial planner returning to study, you will develop and refine your knowledge and analytical skills to better support the needs of your clients. Whether you're looking to start your career in financial planning or progress it, under the guidance of industry-active teachers you will learn about:

the theoretical principles underlying the rules, regulations and practices that apply in financial planning
the digital tools of the modern financial planner
the application of knowledge in an applied and practical learning environment.

Importantly, the course places a strong emphasis on the professional responsibilities of the modern financial planner, both in an ethical and compliance sense - as well as the practical application of concepts to work-based problems. Industry reforms have created an increased demand for ethical decision-makers, putting Deakin financial planning graduates in a strong position to stand out from the pack.

Interested in taking your study further? The Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning is a pathway into Deakin’s Master of Financial Planning.

Indicative student workload

As a student in the Faculty of Business and Law, you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.

Professional recognition

The Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning is a FAS-approved course, making it a recognised pathway towards becoming a registered financial planner.

Graduates will satisfy the education standards prescribed by FAS to be able to provide financial advice in Australia, subject to meeting other registration requirements prescribed by FAS (including completion of a Professional Year for Provisional Relevant Providers and passing a National Adviser Exam).

Graduates of the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning will be eligible to undertake the CFP® program of the Financial Advice Association of Australia (this recently established organisation was formed as a result of a merger between the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA).

Career opportunities

Increasing demand by clients for financial advice and recently introduced education reforms have created an increased demand for registered financial planners with a high-level understanding of what it means to provide responsible and professional advice.

The Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning is approved by FAS, ensuring Deakin students graduate with the right qualification and skills to take advantage of this increasing demand.

Whether you’re currently working in the industry or looking to move into a financial planning role, you will prepared to excel in a variety of positions, including:

financial adviser
insurance adviser
business development manager
superannuation consultant
personal financial planner
paraplanner
claims administrator
compliance manager
risk adviser.

Participation requirements

Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.

Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Units which contain work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.

Alternative exits

Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning (M569)

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduate Learning Outcome	Course Learning Outcome
Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities	Demonstrate an advanced understanding and application of core financial planning concepts and theories
Communication	Apply appropriate communication skills within the context of providing advice on financial matters
Digital literacy	Use appropriate digital technologies to identify and disseminate complex information, concepts and theories
Critical thinking	Apply a systematic research process and develop a clearly articulated argument to support a view and use it to justify one or more conclusions
Problem solving	Apply problem solving skills necessary to conceptualise and solve complex issues in financial planning
Self-management	Demonstrate independent study and learning in the field of financial planning
Teamwork	Identify challenges associated with organising and managing teams in professional contexts and the importance of providing an instructional framework to nurture teamwork
Global citizenship	Not explicitly addressed as a learning outcome in this award

Course rules

To complete the Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning, students must attain a total of 8 credit points consisting of 7 credit points of core units and 1 credit point of course elective units chosen from a specified list, plus completion of the compulsory 0-credit point module, DAI001 Academic Integrity Module . Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point