The FAAA has partnered with three education providers, which will allow financial planners to combine a Master of Financial Planning degree with the CFP® Certification Program.
This new opportunity offers choice and flexibility to financial planning professionals, who can now graduate with both an academic qualification and the highest global professional designation in financial planning.
Students can graduate with a Masters degree and the education component of the CFP designation completed as a part of their coursework, making a significant saving in time and cost. Once the work experience requirements are met graduates will qualify as a CFP® Professional.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
The CFP Program consists of four certification units of study, and a Capstone course that assesses you across the Financial Planning Body of Knowledge.
The FAAA will give recognised prior learning for the CFP® certification units 1 to 4 to students undertaking the financial planning Masters program at the education providers listed below.
These education providers also allow their Masters students to take the CFP capstone (CFP C) with the FAAA as an elective.
EDUCATION PROVIDERS
These are the education providers currently offering an integrated masters program. Please note that we outline what we will need from your education provider to enrol into the Certification unit as part of your Masters program.
All Master of Financial Planning courses listed below are accredited under the standards set out by the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA).
Kaplan will require you to complete the Graduate Diploma before allowing you to take the CFP C unit as your elective.
We will require digital evidence that you have successfully passed these units and are enrolled in the Masters Program at Kaplan. You will need to forward a digital copy of your transcript once this has been received to confirm your enrolment with the FAAA.
Find out more about the Master of Financial Planning course at Kaplan Professional
Deakin will require you to finish the following subjects before allowing you to take the CFP C unit as your elective:
- MAA745 Financial Planning and Economic Fundamentals
- MAA700 Estate Planning and Risk Management Strategies
- MAA719 Superannuation and Retirement Planning
- MLC714/MLI714 Financial Advice Regulations
- MAA769/MAI769 Ethics for Financial Services
- MLC703 Principles of Income Tax Law
- MAA727 Financial Planning Development
- MAF707 Investments and Portfolio Management
You will need to gain approval of Deakin’s Course Director of the Master of Financial Planning before enrolling into the CFP C unit as your elective unit option.
We will need a copy of your transcript confirming successful completion of the above units, and approval in writing from the Deakin course director.
Find out more about the Master of Financial Planning course at Deakin Business School
We will require you to have successfully completed the Griffith University Approved Graduate Diploma units nested within the Masters in order to enrol for the Certification unit, and will need to see your transcript or other evidence confirming this.
On receipt of the CFPC results from the FAAA, a student should complete an online credit for prior learning application and upload official FAAA documentation to support the application. If the CFPC is the final course in the student’s program, students should be aware of the CFPC results release date and Griffith University’s last day to be approved to graduate. It is the student’s responsibility to submit their documentation with their credit for prior learning application at least two days before the Griffith University deadline to be approved for graduation.
Find out more about the Master of Financial Planning course at Griffith University
FAQs
I’ve completed an approved integrated masters – does this mean I also get the CFP Designation?
I am partway through an integrated Masters, am I still eligible?
I’m doing my masters and want to do the CFP C unit as an elective. When should I do it?
I’m doing my masters and have chosen the CFP C unit as elective. After I successfully complete the CFP C unit, can I directly apply to get my designation even when I haven’t finished my Masters?
I’ve completed the Certification unit with the FAAA. Do I need to do anything to get my results to my education provider?
EDUCATION COURSE DISCOUNTS
Several higher education providers are offering discounts between 10% and 28% on postgraduate course fees for FAAA members.
INTEGRATE YOUR MASTERS COURSE
If you are interested in applying to integrate the globally-recognised CFP certification into your Masters course for the next enrolment period, please contact the Education team [email protected]