Major overview
Are you ready to make a positive impact on people’s lives? Financial planning involves understanding budgeting, investing and risk management to help people make informed financial decisions.
As a financial planner or advisor, you'll be contributing to people’s financial wellbeing and helping them achieve their life goals as well as plan for their future.
In this course, you’ll learn to empower yourself, individuals and organisations through expert financial knowledge, and gain a qualification that will allow you to give personal financial advice through this accredited course.
A career as a financial advisor is an excellent opportunity to use your natural flair for analysis and planning to help others. You could also explore career opportunities in fintech, with an increasing market for apps and AI tools that offer quality financial advice.
How to study this major
A major is a set of eight or more units you complete as part of a degree, including at least two in your final year. To study this major, you’ll need to apply for one of the degrees listed below.
Degrees
Career outcomes
Careers
- Budget analyst
- Corporate finance analyst
- Financial advisor/planner
- Financial counsellor/coach
- Financial manager
Industries
- Banking
- Brokerage
- Corporate business
- Equity markets
- Financial planning
- Government and non-profit
Professional accreditation and recognition
This degree is approved by the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority. (Anyone seeking to enter the profession and give personal financial advice must hold an approved degree, undertake a professional year and pass the financial adviser exam.)
You may also be eligible for membership of the Financial Advice Association Australia, CFA Institute, Economic Society of Australia (WA branch) and the Women in Finance Network. Graduates may be eligible to apply as an Affiliate Member of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.
Why study at Curtin?
Professional recognition
One of the first programs in Australia to be accredited by the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) and is an approved degree allowing graduates to enter training to be a financial adviser.
Access to professional software
Experience financial planning industry and Wall Street at Curtin, with access to XPLAN, LSEG Workspace software, StockTrack simulations, and leading industry data platforms Capital IQ and DatAnalysis pro.
Engage with industry
Gain 120 hours of work experience to add to your CV, through a final-year internship in a financial planning practice.
Hear from our students
"Studying Finance and Financial Planning at Curtin has been an enriching experience that perfectly balances the study of investing, financial instruments, and markets with a human-centric approach. The course has allowed me to deepen my skills in numerical analysis while also empathising with the human story behind every financial decision."
Nena-Rae Sutton
Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Financial Planning)
Major structure
What you’ll learn
In this double major, you'll learn about financial principles and markets, and become skilled in areas such as tax law, corporate finance, portfolio management, estate planning, ethics and compliance.
You’ll also delve into behavioural finance, learning about the psychology behind people’s financial decisions and behaviours. Through this holistic approach, you’ll learn to provide insightful financial advice tailored to meet each client’s individual goals.
In this industry-aligned course, you’ll have access to professional software, such as XPLAN and LSEG Workspace, and engage with finance experts through guest lectures. In your final year, you’ll apply your skills through a 120-hour internship with a licensed financial planner.
To practise as a financial advisor in Australia, you’ll need to sit ASIC’S financial advisor exam and complete one year of professional work and training. Curtin's accredited course is the only direct undergraduate pathway in Western Australia to qualify you to sit the financial advisor exam.
Detailed course structure and unit information
For detailed information and course structure, visit our Handbook.
How to apply
This degree is part of a degree. To apply, choose the degree you want to study and review its entry requirements. Then, prepare any required documents and submit your application before the deadline for your chosen intake.
After you receive and accept your offer, you can enrol in this degree either at the start of your degree or later in your studies, depending on your course structure.
Choose your degree
To study this major, you'll need to apply one of the degrees listed below.Degrees
Explore more
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