Principles of Financial Planning
24 hours face to face + blended
One Semester or equivalent
Hawthorn, Online
Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
Overview
This unit aims to provide an overview of the financial planning industry. Students will learn about the background and purpose of financial planning legislations and the relevant code of conducts. They will also learn the financial advice process and the steps involved in construction and communication of a Statement of Advice, considering clients’ objectives and needs. This unit introduces the management of a financial planning practice. Students will also be introduced to relevant technologies, client engagement process and ethical principles in Financial Planning.
Requisites
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
07-July-2025
05-October-2025
05-October-2025
Last self-enrolment date
20-July-2025
Census date
01-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
22-August-2025
Results released date
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Identify scope of financial advice and demonstrate knowledge of financial advice processes and technologies
- Exhibit an understanding of legislation and codes of conduct in the financial planning industry
- Develop a Statement of Advice for clients while considering the relevant ethical principles and professional conduct requirements
- Demonstrate professional communication skills, in order to effectively articulate an idea and convince others of its merit
- Work collaboratively and effectively in teams
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Class | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Online Lecture | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Swinburne Online
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.50 | 12 weeks | 150 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment | Individual | 40 - 60% | 1,2,4 |
| Assignment | Group | 20 - 30% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Presentation | Group | 20 - 30% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Content
- Economic environment
- Overview of financial planning industry
- Relevant legislations and code ethics and conducts in the financial planning industry
- Financial advice process
- Scopes of Financial Planning
- Construction and presentation of strategic Statement of Advice (SoA)
- Financial planning practice management
- Use of technology in Financial Planning
- Client engagement and communication
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.