Master of Financial Planning
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Financial Planning |
| Deakin course code | M769 |
| Course Credit Points | 12 |
| Course version | 1 |
| Faculty | |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2019 onwards |
| Campus | There is currently no intake into this course. |
| Duration | 1.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | The course map for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2026 will be available soon Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS code | 0100281 Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
| Supplementary Information | Please note the final intake into Master of Financial Planning is Trimester 1 2024. Intake suspended from Trimester 2 2024, onwards. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Alternative exits
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Research and research-related study
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Designed to meet the education requirements of Australia’s new financial planning standards authority, the Master of Financial Planning will provide you with innovative and applied financial planning education solutions by combining ethical decision-making with modern financial advice strategies.
Recent changes to the Australian finance services industry require financial planners to meet new education standards set by the Financial Adviser Standards (FAS). Deakin’s Master of Financial Planning course is accredited as a FAS-approved degree therefore providing you with a pathway to progress your career as a professional financial planner.
Ready to secure your future and build a successful career with a degree that meets new requirements in a rapidly evolving industry?
More than just a pathway towards becoming a registered financial planner, this course will enable you to take your financial planning skills and knowledge to new heights. As a graduate, you will be empowered to provide better solutions for your clients and enhance your employability skills and career opportunities. Apply, analyse and relate financial planning principles throughout projects and case studies that simulate real industry scenarios, better preparing you for tomorrow’s financial planning challenges. You will be introduced to a range of discipline areas including investments and portfolio theory, superannuation and retirement planning, insurance, estate planning. ethics, financial advice regulation and behavioural finance.
Learn how to apply advanced principles to meet client needs and the technical skills required to utilise the latest digital tools. Importantly, the course also places a strong emphasis on the professional responsibilities of the modern financial planner, both in an ethical and a compliance sense. Industry reforms have created an increased demand for ethical decision-makers, putting Deakin graduates in a strong position to stand out from the pack.
Better still, you will be learning alongside industry-active academics who are leaders in the field. Build relationships with your teachers. Get constructive feedback on industry expectations. Take your career forward.
Indicative student workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, online interactions, or professional experiences for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units. 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
AACSB and EQUIS Accredited
Deakin Business School holds both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement and innovation in their courses, ensuring our graduates are employable worldwide
FAS approved Course
The Master of Financial Planning is a FAS-approved course. 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).
Professional pathways
The Master of Financial Planning provides advanced standing into the CFP® Certification Program offered by the Financial Advice Association of Australia Limited.
Tax Practitioners Board (TPB)
Completion of Principles of Income Tax Law and Business Law units approved by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB), will meet the education requirements to provide tax (financial) advice services.
Career opportunities
The Master of Financial Planning is the ultimate qualification for financial advice professionals in a competitive job market. A master's degree will distinguish you from other candidates, provide a competitive edge in the job market and open doors to leadership roles. Recent reforms have increased demand for registered financial planners who can provide responsible, ethical, and professional advice to their clients.
The Master of Financial Planning is a FAS-approved qualification that prepares graduates for leadership roles and advanced practice across the financial services industry.
Whether you are a career changer, upskilling your technical knowledge and skills or progressing to senior industry positions, you will be prepared for roles such as:
-
senior financial adviser / planner
-
senior paraplanner
-
compliance or risk manager
-
wealth management consultant
-
personal insurance adviser (life, TPD, income protection)
-
superannuation and retirement planning specialist
-
business development manager (financial services)
-
financial advice practice manager
-
client strategy specialist
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) | |
| Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning (M669) |
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Apply an advanced and integrated knowledge about the financial planning development process for clients requiring financial planning advice of varying degrees of complexity and contexts |
| Communication | Demonstrate advanced interpersonal and networking skills to communicate persuasively with clients to gather and interpret personal data and transmit knowledge to clients through the preparation and presentation of financial plans including financial goal achievement and risk minimisation |
| Digital literacy | Select and apply appropriate digital technology to find, use, manage and persuasively disseminate complex wealth creation and risk minimisation knowledge and ideas to both clients and professional colleagues |
| Critical thinking | Systematically and critically analyse, synthesise, evaluate and transform a range of complex information on wealth creation and risk minimisation to create personalised and contextualised financial plans for clients |
| Problem solving | With creativity and autonomy, systematically develop strategies for wealth creation and risk minimisation for individuals by critically evaluating methods of inquiry, action planning and/or problem solving thereby generating innovative and contextualised solutions for financial goal achievement |
| Self-management | Demonstrate advanced skills to work and learn independently, for taking responsibility for continuing professional development, personal actions and to critically reflect and analyse own personal motivations, aspirations and actions |
| Teamwork | Lead and be accountable for the strategic management of group or team learning and outputs, demonstrating initiative in professional contexts and the ability to actively facilitate a positive team environment and to be open to working with and learning from others from different disciplines and backgrounds |
| Global citizenship | Engage ethically, professionally and productively in work, professional and the global contexts including with diverse communities and cultures, in a manner reflective of a critical understanding of ethical principles, a systematic knowledge of professional codes of conduct and an understanding of various world views and the complexity of elements important to members of other cultures |
Course rules
To complete the Master of Financial Planning you must pass 12 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 11 credit points of core units
- 1 credit points of course elective units
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Compulsory 0-credit point module
To be completed in the first trimester of study:-
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
Core units
| MAA728 | Financial Behaviour and Decision Making |
| MAA769 | Ethics for Financial Services |
| MLC714 | Financial Advice Regulation |
| MAA700 | Estate Planning and Risk Management Strategies |
| MAA719 | Superannuation and Retirement Planning |
| MAA745 | Financial Planning and Economic Fundamentals |
| MLC703 | Principles of Income Tax Law |
| MLC707 | Business Law |
| MAA727 | Financial Planning Development 1,(Capstone) |
| MAF707 | Investments and Portfolio Management |
Core Capstone Unit:
| MAA753 | Professional Research and Analysis (Capstone) |
Course electives
Plus a 1 credit point course elective unit from:
| MAF702 | Financial Markets and Digital Innovations |
| MMP713 | Property and Real Estate Context |
| MAA701 | Accounting |
| MWL718 | Internship |
Or another postgraduate unit with prior written approval of the Course Director
1 FAS approved unit (Financial Advice Capstone subject)
* MAI and MLI codes denote Intensive versions of the units.
Work experience
This course provides students the opportunity to complete one or more elective work integrated learning units.
Explore Business and Law WIL opportunities.
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Research and research-related study
This course includes 1 credit point equivalent research-related study [MAA753 Professional Research and Analysis] in addition to associated learning embedded across a number of units where student achievement is demonstrated in specific assessment tasks.
Students are introduced to research tools and techniques in core units of the course where they learn analytic skills and the practical application of those skills in professional contexts. They must also complete advanced level units and a capstone unit that require them to integrate the skills learnt over their course of study and produce applied pieces of research with reference to prevailing literature within specific assessment tasks.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.