Master of Professional Accounting / Master of Financial Planning

With changing financial planning regulations and a shortage of professionally recognised accountants, Swinburne’s Master of Professional Accounting/Master of Financial Planning is a unique opportunity to graduate with expertise in these two in-demand fields.

Swinburne is the only university in Australia with this kind of degree.

This course is designed to equip graduates with the advanced conceptual and practical knowledge that meets the requirements of the fast-growing industries of financial planning and accounting.

You’ll gain specialised knowledge and research skills in accounting and financial planning related areas of business that will allow you to excel in your existing role or open you up to new opportunities.

This program is approved by the Financial Advisers Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA).

FASEA was established in 2017 by the Australian government to set the standards of licensed financial advisers in Australia.

A FASEA approved degree is mandatory in order to practice as a financial planner or advisor in Australia.

This course is also professionally accredited through CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) and the Financial Planning Education Council (FPEC) on behalf of the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA).

• 16 core units (200 credit points)

Units of study

Students complete all 16 core units listed below

ACC60008 Accounting Systems and Reporting ACC80003 Company Auditing ACC80008 Managerial Accounting ACC80012 Taxation Principles and Planning ACC80019 Financial Accounting and Theory * ACC80020 Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Research * ECO80001 Economics FIN60003 Business Modelling and Analysis FIN60010 Elements of Financial Planning and Regulation FIN60011 Behavioural Finance and Investment * FIN60012 Ethics and Client Management * FIN80005 Corporate Financial Management * FIN80022 Insurance and Estate Planning * FIN80023 Superannuation and Retirement Planning * FIN80025 Financial Advice Technology Project * LAW60003 Corporations and Contract Law *

* Outcome units- matched exemptions are generally not granted for higher education outcome units.

Graduate Certificate of Professional Accounting

• Apply coherent and advanced knowledge of accounting 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 in professional practice to a variety of audiences, function as an effective member or leader of a team
• Demonstrate professionalism, integrity, ethical conduct, professional accountability and a deep awareness of professional practices in a global and sustainable context
• Apply accounting and business fundamentals to the analysis, design and operation of a business model using appropriate accounting methods and tools, applied in a variety of contexts
• Reflect on and take responsibility for their own learning and self-management processes, and manage their own time and processes effectively by regularly reviewing performance as a means of managing continuing professional development and lifelong learning
• Apply knowledge of research principles and methods to plan and execute a piece of research with some independence

• 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
• Critically analyse and evaluate a range of complex information to produce systematic strategies for wealth creation and risk minimisation in preparing financial advice
• Apply knowledge of research principles to plan and execute a piece of research independently
• Function as an effective member of a diverse team and take responsibility for continuing professional development