Over the past decade, the financial services industry has become increasingly regulated as have the educational requirements for those offering financial advice to the public. To become a registered Financial Planner^® you will need to first complete a postgraduate diploma approved by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI) and will then need to write the FPI’s professional competency exam. Milpark Education’s BCom with a major in Financial Planning is approved by the FPI - providing a broad overview of the various aspects of commerce as well as equipping the student with the requisite knowledge and skills to operate responsibly and successfully as a financial planner both in South Africa and abroad.

Once you have completed the Bachelor of Commerce (with a major in Financial Planning) you will:

• have a sound understanding of the business environment (which includes business management, marketing, accounting and taxation)
• be able to conduct investment planning, retirement planning and estate planning for individuals
• be able to draw on your knowledge of financial planning to complete a holistic financial plan for individuals.

DESCRIPTION AND PROGRAMME PURPOSE

Financial planning has emerged as an exciting career path in South Africa over the past 15 years. This is partly due to the fact that the financial services industry has become highly regulated, and that minimum educational standards are prescribed to those who provide advice to the public. Furthermore, it has become an established and growing profession supported by the opportunity to achieve an internationally recognised designation, namely that of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^®, offered in South Africa by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI).

In order to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^® professional, the educational requirement is a relevant postgraduate diploma. This Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree will allow graduates access to postgraduate studies in financial planning.

The degree will provide a solid basis in all areas of financial planning to enable graduates to operate responsibly and successfully in this highly regulated environment.

Milpark is a Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI)-accredited education provider and the BCom with Financial Panning as a major is an approved programme. The Milpark BCom with a major in Financial Planning addresses the academic qualification requirements for the designation of FINANCIAL SERVICES ADVISOR^TM/ FSA^TM professional awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa. On completion of this qualification, students will be eligible to apply to the FPI to write its professional competency exam for the FSA^TM professional designation.

The purpose of the BCom degree is to provide a broad but solid educational foundation to students in the field  of commerce, including various key discipline areas such as business management, accounting and economics. The qualification has been designed to provide the knowledge base, practical competence and application skills that will enable students either to enter the labour market or to pursue further studies in this field.

The BCom appears on the Financial Sector Conduct Authority’s (FSCA) list of recognised qualifications for FAIS Fit and Proper purposes.

WHO SHOULD ENROL

The programme would be suitable for:

• Persons who require a strong foundation in general business principles and the required accounting, marketing, economics and quantitative skills. However, the additional modules allow candidates to acquire detailed knowledge of the key principles, rules and theories applicable to financial planners.
• Persons wanting to progress to the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning.
• Persons wanting to apply for the designation of FINANCIAL SERVICES ADVISOR™ (FSA™) awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa.

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES

Successful completion of this qualification should enable the student to:

1. Demonstrate awareness of the management and leadership competences necessary to operate in the local or international business environment.
2. Demonstrate awareness of the essential components of an effective operations strategy in a business environment.
3. Demonstrate awareness of essential economic theory and its managerial and business implications.
4. Conduct business research with appropriate supervision in a business environment.

Kindly note that there is an overview factsheet available that provides information on all the different BCom majors offered by Milpark.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE 

MAJOR: FINANCIAL PLANNING: 405 CREDITS

In the table below, the "Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3" columns correspond with the complexity of the coursework and progression of the academic levels. These labels align with international BCom standards. The columns do not represent the time it takes for a student to complete the qualification at Milpark. Students have a minimum of four (4) years, and a maximum of nine (9) years, to complete the qualification. This allows for flexibility on the learning journey, at a pace that enables students the best possible opportunity for successful outcomes.

The admission criteria for the Bachelor in Commerce degree are as follows:

If the candidate matriculated in 2007 or earlier

Candidates who matriculated in 2007 or earlier require:

1. A Senior Certificate with matriculation endorsement/exemption for degree studies. Candidates who have a Senior Certificate but who do not meet the matriculation endorsement/exemption requirements stated above, may apply to Universities South Africa (USAF), for mature age exemption (https://mb.usaf.ac.za/); and

2. A symbol of E or higher for Mathematics on HG, or a symbol of D or higher for Mathematics on SG. Candidates who do not meet the Mathematics requirement may beoffered admission on condition that they successfully complete the BCom bridging programme, if they have achieved at least a symbol of E on HG or a C on SG in any two of the following subjects:

• Economics
• Business Economics
• Accounting
• Physical Science or Physics/Chemistry
• Natural Science or Biology.

If the candidate matriculated in 2008 or later

Candidates who matriculated in 2008 or later require:

1. A National Senior Certificate (NSC) with a minimum of 50% in four NSC 20-credit subjects, including English as the language of instruction at Milpark Education, as certified by Umalusi. Candidates who have a National Senior Certificate (NSC) but who do not meet the matriculation endorsement/exemption requirements stated above, may apply to Universities South Africa (USAF), for mature age exemption (https://mb.usaf.ac.za/); and

2. A minimum mark of 50% for Mathematics or 70% for Mathematics Literacy. Candidates who do not meet the Mathematics requirement but who have achieved a minimum mark of 50% or higher in any two of the following subjects may be offered admission on condition that they successfully complete the bridging programme:

• Economics
• Business Economics
• Accounting
• Physical Science or Physics/Chemistry
• Natural Science or Biology.

Candidates who have completed a relevant Higher Certificate (NQF 5) or Diploma (NQF 6) in the field of business or commerce, may also be admitted to the BCom degree.

Other certificates

Any applicant who has a certificate other than a South African National Senior Certificate has to provide:

• a SAQA Certificate of Equivalence, if they want to enrol for a Higher Certificate, Advanced Certificate, Diploma or Postgraduate qualification (www.saqa.org.za)
• or a USAF Exemption Certificate, if they want to enrol for a Bachelor’s degree (https://mb.usaf.ac.za/).

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) applications

Milpark admits a small number of students onto its programme via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Applicants interested in applying via RPL will be considered individually by the relevant Dean.

Downloads

Information Pack

BCom Streams

Fees & Funding

Textbooks

Timetable