MAA728 - Financial Behaviour and Decision Making
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Online Trimester 2: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| Previously coded as: | MAF714 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Campbell Heggen Trimester 2: Campbell Heggen |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | MAI728, MAF714 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 3 hour on-campus seminar (recordings provided) each week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1.5 hour recorded lecture and 1 x 1.5 hour online seminar (recordings provided) each week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Note:How to apply Submit your application online via the Deakin course and scholarship applicant portal. For support on your application process, book a one-on-one consultation with a student adviser. Current Deakin students can enrol directly via StudentConnect. | |
Content
The Financial Planning professional must be able to build a deep understanding of their client’s needs and be able to anticipate issues many clients may have not even considered. This unit builds on the technical knowledge acquired in other units, to broaden students understanding of the professional skills and knowledge required to manage long-term client relationships, and develop comprehensive understanding of clients’ needs in order to formulate strategies and solutions that are in the client’s best interest.
Drawing on insights from the behavioural sciences, this unit requires students to develop strategies to build trust, communicate the value of advice, and engage clients at each stage of the financial planning process. Students will be introduced to the field of behavioural finance, to develop an understanding of factors that influence financial behaviour and decision making and approaches to positively influence behavioural change.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Communicate critical evaluations of financial behaviour and decision making to a range of stakeholders in a verbal and written narrative. | GLO2: Communication |
| ULO2 | Critically analyse and synthesise information to explain how behavioural factors influence individual financial decision making. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Apply knowledge of behavioural insights to design evidence-based strategies that improve individual financial decision making. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: (Individual) Report (Research) | 1500 words | 30% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 2: (Individual) Written Reflection (Self) | 1500 words | 30% | Week 10 |
| Assessment 3: (Individual) | Part A: 5 minutes Part B: 1500 words | Part A: 10% | Week 13 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for MAA728 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
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To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
Unit Fee Information
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, and 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.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.