Bachelor of Applied Financial Advice

Career opportunities exist in the financial services industry (namely, banks, funds management and financial planning companies) in various roles including client services officers, business development, client administration officers and trainee para-planners.

Graduate roles include: Client Services Officer, Para-planner, Provisional Financial Adviser*

* Additional work and training requirements are required to qualify as a financial adviser.

Professional recognition

Students completing this program who wish to meet the educational accreditation requirements to become a Registered Taxation Agent should complete AFE310 Taxation Planning for Advisors, AFE315 Law of Finance and AFE216 Company Law as electives.

Professional Accreditation: The Bachelor of Applied Financial Advice is accredited by the Financial Advisor Standards.

Higher education via OUA

To be eligible for an offer of admission made through Open Universities Australia (OUA) for a Commonwealth Supported Place at Griffith University, an applicant must:

· meet the criteria for a domestic Australian student; AND have one of the following:

· have completed at least two OUA undergraduate units with a minimum GPA of 4.0 within the last 12 months at the time of application for admission OR

· Achieved a minimum ATAR/Rank of 65.00 through the completion of senior secondary studies OR

· Achieved a minimum assessed Rank of 65.00 through the completion of studies in an accepted qualification

* These scores/rankings apply to this program for 2022. Until this information is updated, applications will continue to be assessed using the requirements listed above as a guide. The minimum ATAR/Ranks for admission will be updated each cycle.

Higher education

To be eligible for an offer of admission made through Open Universities Australia (OUA) for a Commonwealth Supported Place at Griffith University, an applicant must:

· meet the criteria for a domestic Australian student; AND have one of the following:

· have completed at least two OUA undergraduate units with a minimum GPA of 4.0 within the last 12 months at the time of application for admission OR

· Achieved a minimum ATAR/Rank of 65.00 through the completion of senior secondary studies OR

· Achieved a minimum assessed Rank of 65.00 through the completion of studies in an accepted qualification

* These scores/rankings apply to this program for 2022. Until this information is updated, applications will continue to be assessed using the requirements listed above as a guide. The minimum ATAR/Ranks for admission will be updated each cycle.

Secondary education

To be eligible for an offer of admission made through Open Universities Australia (OUA) for a Commonwealth Supported Place at Griffith University, an applicant must:

· meet the criteria for a domestic Australian student; AND have one of the following:

· have completed at least two OUA undergraduate units with a minimum GPA of 4.0 within the last 12 months at the time of application for admission OR

· Achieved a minimum ATAR/Rank of 65.00 through the completion of senior secondary studies OR

· Achieved a minimum assessed Rank of 65.00 through the completion of studies in an accepted qualification

* These scores/rankings apply to this program for 2022. Until this information is updated, applications will continue to be assessed using the requirements listed above as a guide. The minimum ATAR/Ranks for admission will be updated each cycle.

Work and Life

For students to undertake a paid placement/internship they must be eligible to work in Australia. For students not eligible to work in Australia, a project or an unpaid placement can be undertaken.

English Proficiency Requirements

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English.

On campus requirements

This program is offered full-time and part-time through Open Universities Australia (OUA).  As an OUA student, you are not required to study on-campus.  You may complete this program entirely off-campus through Open Universities Australia.  To be classed as a full-time student, you must enrol in at least two subjects per session/study period.

To complete this program students will require access to high speed internet, modern computing facilities with specified hardware (web camera, microphone, digital recording capability, iPad).

There are work-integrated learning activities through the program. Students must be eligible to work in Australia.

Griffith University grants credit and recognition of prior learning which may relate to prior formal learning or prior informal and non-formal learning. For more information, please visit the following website:

• Credit transfer

Through this degree you will gain the technical capabilities required to integrate and apply theoretical and technical financial planning knowledge in areas such as financial markets, taxation, risk management, retirement and superannuation, estate planning and behavioural finance. You will also develop the professional skills required to communicate financial advice and ideas in complex collaborative contexts involving finance and investment professionals and clients. You will also have the opportunity to gain practical work experience and career skills development as part of your study that will help you graduate with added skills sought by employers.

Recommended Study Pattern

2 years full-time; 4 years part-time.

Students are recommended to follow the below study pattern:

• Complete core subjects
• Complete Elective subjects

complete no more than 10 subjects at Year 1 level (the first digit of a subject code denotes the level) and complete at least 6 subjects at Year 3 level.

Award Requirements

For the award of Bachelor of Applied Financial Advice (BAppFinA), you must successfully complete 240 credit points, made up of the 19 core subjects and 6 listed or free-choice electives.

complete no more than 10 subjects at Year 1 level (the first digit of a subject code denotes the level) and complete at least 6 subjects at Year 3 level.

Note: In accordance with the University's Credit for Prior Learning Policy and notwithstanding the amount of credit which may be given towards the Bachelor of Applied Financial Advice, a student undertaking this program is required to complete a minimum of 8 subjects of second and third year Griffith subjects which are part of the Bachelor of Applied Financial Advice degree requirements and which have not been credited towards another award.

Choose your subjects

Electives

Students will have the opportunity to complete a 40CP or 20CP Work Integrated Learning subject.*

• AFE301 Work Integrated Learning I (40CP)
• AFE302 Work Integrated Learning II (20CP)

*Students who elect to complete AFE301, they must complete 1 (10CP) additional elective. For students who complete AFE302, they must complete 3 (30CP) additional electives. 

OR

Students can choose to complete 5 (50CP) electives from any undergraduate program offered by Open Universities Australia, provided you meet the degree requirements including the completion of at least eight second and third year Griffith subjects which are part of the Bachelor of Applied Financial advice degree requirements and which have not been credited towards another award.

Students are required to register with Griffith University for this award by completing a registration https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/griffithpay/Griffith-OUA-Study-Plan.html for a study plan by paying the required fee. The non-refundable $150 registration fee is payable when the registration is submitted.

The $150 fee is not applicable to students who have accepted a Commonwealth supported place.

Changes in 2021 and 2022:

The total number of subjects to complete is now 25 with students required to complete an additional elective/s.

The following subjects have been removed from the structure

• GRF-IBA205 Comparative Management
• GRF-AFE123 Money, Banking and Finance
• GRF-AFE316 Revenue Law: Theory and Policy in Action
• GRF-AFE318 Taxation Planning
• GRF-AFE135-2022 Business Data Analysis (will be available in 2023 and withdrawn in 2024)

Students have the option to complete one of the following subjects in place of AFE123

• USA-BEHL1027 Psychology Concepts OR
• SWI-PSY10008 Fundamentals of Psychology OR
• CUR-PSB100 Introduction to Psychology

New subjects

• GRF-AFE210 Tax and Investment (to replace AFE316 in the program structure)
• GRF-AFE310 Taxation Planning for Advisors (new elective option for students wishing to meet the educational accreditation requirements to become a Registered Taxation Agent