Section Title

Recommended Study Sequence

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Accreditation

Students having completed the core units and the accounting stream units will have met the educational requirements for registration with the Tax Agents' Board. Depending upon the electives and alternates chosen, this degree satisfies the accreditation requirements of Financial Planning Association and ASIC, CPA Australia, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA), for entry into their CPA and CA programs respectively. In order to meet entry requirements to the CFP professional educational programs offered by the Financial Planning Association students will need to complete units in the financial planning stream.

Admission

Eligibility for admission to the Bachelor of Financial Advising is based on the following requirements:

HSC Mathematics and English.

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas must be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

International applicants must apply directly to the University of Western Sydney via UWS International.

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof can be found on the Universities Admissions Centre website (UAC).

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and UWS.

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 240 credit points including the units listed in the recommended sequence below.

Students must have no more than 100 credit points of Level 1 units and no fewer than 60 credit points of Level 3 units.

Electives within the sequence may be used towards obtaining an approved major or sub-major offered by UWS. Students requiring professional accreditation must complete units in the relevant streams as well and are advised to use their electives to do so.

Recommended Sequence

Full-time

Year 1

Autumn session

Accounting Information for Managers

This unit provides exposure to financial and management accounting information from a user of accounting information viewpoint. The unit aims to provide breadth of awareness and knowledge in relevant fields of accounting essential to decision making for managers.

Introduction to Business Law

This is an introductory law unit designed to introduce the fundamentals of law in a commercial context. The unit introduces students to the basic principles of law and the legal system as well as examining some of the major areas of law that impact on commercial dealings. This unit examines the structure of the legal system, the way law is made and legal problem solving. The main areas of law covered include contracts, torts, consumer protection and agency

Principles of Economics

This unit is an introduction to economic concepts and contemporary economic issues. It introduces students to basic concepts such as markets and their operation, the behaviour of firms, the efficiency and potential failings of free markets, the role of government, key macroeconomic variables and problems such as unemployment. It illuminates these concepts via application to contemporary economic issues and debates over different theoretical perspectives. This unit also exposes students to recent developments in economics via presentations by specialist guest lecturers.

Quantitative Techniques

This unit provides students with a range of basic skills in mathematics and statistics, which are useful in business and the finance industry. After reviewing basic methods of algebra, functions and their uses are discussed. The mathematics of finance are covered in some depth, including interest, present and future values, annuities, periodic payment, depreciation bonds and debentures. The uses and abuses of statistics are discussed by looking at ways of presenting data, both in tables and pictorially. Finally probability,decision making and index numbers are introduced.

Spring session

Financial Accounting Applications

This unit gives students the practical skills necessary to analyse the accounting transactions of an entity and then be able to measure and record these transactions in a systematic manner for the preparation of accounting reports to external users.

Management Accounting Fundamentals

This unit provides an introduction to management accounting in an e-commerce environment. The interrelations of management accounting to other functional areas, to suppliers, to customers, and to other sources of external information relevant to planning and control are examined. Topics include the development and logic of routine and non-routine analysis performed to support management decision making.

Law of Business Organisations

This unit deals with legal issues concerning the creation and control of companies and compares this structure with other forms of business organisations, such as partnership, trusts and sole traders. This unit will provide students with an appreciation of the law of partnership, and companies and, for the sake of completeness and comparison, a brief examination of the law regarding unincorporated and incorporated non-profit associations.

Managing Professionals

Based on the understanding of the nature of professional work and its essentially collaborative nature, this unit examines the types of organisational structures in which professionals work and identifies the leadership and interpersonal skills needed to mould people engaged on professional work into a co-operative, self directed workforce. It recognizes the importance of encouraging effectiveness and ethics in professional roles and proposes the concept of a 'community of practice' as a means for sharing essential knowledge and developing stragetic agendas.

Year 2

Autumn session

Law of Commercial Obligations

This unit deals with legal issues concerning controls over and enforcement of various kinds of legal obligations in business. Topics covered include: sale of goods, consumer protection, manufacturers' liability, insurance, negotiable instruments and banking, property trusts, securities and insolvency.

Taxation Law

Topics in this unit include: constitutional basis of taxation; income tax assessment; concept of income tax; allowable deductions; other federal and state taxes; taxation of business associations (partnerships, companies, trusts and primary producers); taxation accounting, administration and practice; taxation planning and avoidance.

Corporate Financial Management

This unit introduces the fundamental concepts of finance theory and the tools of financial decision making in the context of the Australian institutional environment. These concepts relate primarily to the time value of money, risk and return, capital budgeting and capital structure. The unit's purpose is to develop an understanding of the basic practices of financial management from the perspective of a firm (both large and small). Students examine the investment, financing and dividend decisions of corporations.

One elective

Spring session

Professional Relationships and Communication in Business

This unit will introduce students to and assist them in the development of a broad range of necessary skills required by today’s professional advisers. Such skills are highly valued, transferable and universally recognised in the world of work and will assist students in managing their day to day relationships with clients and colleagues. Skills include • Creation and on going maintenance of the client adviser relationship and a recognition of the importance of trust as the foundation of that relationship • Identification of the broad needs of clients and an appreciation of differing levels of client financial literacy • Communication and interpersonal skills which contribute to productive relationships with clients and colleagues • Professional/Academic research and writing skills • Enhance team based skills that contribute to productive working relationships and outcomes

And three electives

Year 3

Autumn session

State Taxes and GST

This unit examines the Commonwealth statutory regime to the Goods and Services Tax and the NSW statutory regimes relating to Payroll Tax, Land Tax and Stamp Duty. It provides the framework to critically assess proposals for reform of these taxes.

And two electives

And one of the following units:

Advanced Accounting

This unit addresses the advanced aspects of accounting with particular emphasis on accounting philosophies and theories, and selected accounting standards and applications.

Financial Services Law

This unit focuses on regulatory issues relating to financial services. It covers issues such as financial services reform, retail verses wholesale clients, FSRA, Australian Financial Services Licence, conduct and obligations, impact on investments, statutory regulation of financial markets, ASIC’s power, liability and enforcement.

Students wishing to follow the Financial Planning Stream must choose Financial Services Law, unit code 200271 .

Spring session

Financial Planning

The unit endeavours to provide students with an understanding of the complex process and contextualisation of the Australian Financial Planning Industry. This unit aims to introduce students to the principles of personal financial planning and the provision of personal financial advice including the preparation of a Statement of Advice (SOA). Topics covered include the current Australian regulatory environment, strategies for the accumulation of wealth and risk protection, retirement planning, estate planning, taxation consequences, debt and credit management and home ownership. This unit meets ASIC requirements (PS146) in relation to both knowledge and skills.

Advanced Taxation Law

This is an advanced level study of selected aspects of income tax and capital gains. It includes an examination of other taxes, including sales tax, stamp duty, payroll tax, death duty and estate duty.

And two electives

In addition to the core units previously listed, students choosing to complete the Accounting Stream or Financial Planning Stream, or streams, must include the specific units listed here under for each stream. (It should be noted the tax units required for recognition as a Tax Agent are included in the core units).

200536 Intermediate Financial Accounting is a pre-requisite to study 200109 Corporate Accounting Systems. Therefore this unit is compulsory for students seeking Accounting qualification and accreditation.

Accounting Stream

Corporate Accounting Systems

This unit builds on the fundamental knowledge of accounting procedures gained in Intermediate Financial Accounting. It involves the comprehensive study of aspects of corporate accounting and reporting which are regulated by legislation, accounting standards, Australian Securities and Investment Commission and Stock Exchange requirements. This unit is designed to provide students with grounding in the regulation and practice of corporate reporting in Australia. The major orientation is towards the theoretical and practical aspects or corporate reporting, whilst at the same time exploring the reasons for regulatory disclosures.

Systems Design and Audit

This unit examines the development and operation of information systems and the subsequent audit of financial information produced by these systems.

Advanced Accounting

This unit addresses the advanced aspects of accounting with particular emphasis on accounting philosophies and theories, and selected accounting standards and applications.

And five electives

Financial Planning Stream

Personal Asset Management

This unit provides students with necessary knowledge and skills to construct and manage a portfolio of personal assets. Emphasis is placed on how the individual, rather than the firm, approaches financing and investing decisions. The unit will consider the theories of portfolio construction, concepts of investment risk, return and diversification, matching asset allocation based on client's individual risk profile, design and management of a personal investment portfolio and the law as it relates to investments.

Insurance Advising - Theory and Practice

This unit provides a substantial grounding in the theories and practices of insurance and risk management so as to enable the student to make knowledgeable risk management decisions. Topics covered include introduction to risk and the risk management process, risk management techniques, property and liability exposures, risk management for home owners, business liability and insurance, health insurance, life insurance, loss of income exposures, annuities and employee benefits, insurance industry, government regulation of insurance, and implementing risk management decisions.

Estate and Succession Planning

The unit aims to provide a detailed study of laws which impact on estate and succession planning, with a focus on identifying practical and strategic planning opportunities and outcomes. The unit forms part of the elective stream of a sub-major in financial planning. Some issues considered in this unit also have an impact in respect to investments, insurance and risk management, retirement, superannuation and taxation consequences.

Retirement Planning

This unit aims to provide a study of the laws which impact on advice and decisions relating to retirement planning, with a focus on identifying practical and strategic planning opportunities and outcomes. It forms part of the elective stream of financial planning. Some issues considered in this unit also have an impact in respect to investments, insurance and risk management, superannuation and taxation consequences.

And four electives

Bachelor of Financial Advising

The University of Western Sydney’s Financial Advising degree is an innovative multi-disciplined program which addresses the day-to-day issues encountered in accounting public practice in both small and medium sized accounting firms, and also in financial services firms. These issues require an in-depth understanding of taxation, financial planning, superannuation and accounting, and the inter-relationships and impact these disciplines have on giving overall financial advice.

Study Financial Advising degree to gain in-depth knowledge of the legislation, policies, personal attributes and principles of providing financial advice to businesses and individuals. The Bachelor of Financial Advising is a pathway to a range of careers in providing financial advice.

Course Details

UAC Code Campus ATAR 
702325 Parramatta 63.40

Duration

3 years full-time or equivalent part-time.

Note: 'part-time' refers to study load, not to timetabling of evening classes.

A Career in Financial Advising

The Bachelor of Financial Advising is suited to those students seeking a career path directed towards public accounting and financial planning practices which emphasise expertise in the areas of superannuation, taxation, personal financial planning and overall integrated financial advice. As a graduate, you may pursue an exciting career such as:
»» client investment adviser
»» financial advisory officer
»» retirement planning adviser
»» investment adviser
»» tax or investment consultant
»» accountant
»» tax accountant
»» financial planning professional

Positions can be found in private practice, as well as in local, state and federal government departments, large and small financial institutions, and a large range of businesses.

Assumed Knowledge

Mathematics and any two units of English.

Application Information

To lodge an application for the course of your choice check the Application Information.

Do you need more information?

Request a course and application information pack:
Course Enquiry Form
International Course Enquiry Form

For further assistance contact the UWS Course Information Centre.