Integrated Masters Pathway

Combine your studies.

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 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 can be complete as a part of their coursework, resulting in 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:

  1. MAA745 Financial Planning and Economic Fundamentals
  2. MAA700/MAI700 Estate Planning and Risk Management Strategies
  3. MAA719 Superannuation and Retirement Planning
  4. MLC714/MLI714 Financial Advice Regulations
  5. MAA769/MAI769 Ethics for Financial Services
  6. MLC703 Principles of Income Tax Law
  7. MAA727 Financial Planning Development
  8. MAF707 Investments and Portfolio Management

 

You will need to gain the 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.

Please note this pathway is available for existing Deakin Masters students only. Deakin will not be taking new enrolments.

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 CFP C 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 CFP C is the final course in the student’s program, students should be aware of the CFP C 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

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.

Overseas qualification

Information for CFP® professionals who are certified in another country and wish to practise as a CFP professional in Australia.

Forms and resources

Useful forms for those enrolling into the CFP® Certification Program.

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