School of Financial Services

Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning

Do you have a NQF level 5 qualification with a desire to  increase your knowledge and understanding of financial planning? Or are you wanting to apply for the designation of Financial Services Advisor™ awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa? Then you need look no further as Milpark Education’s Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning is for you!

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NQF Level

6

SAQA

96750

Min Credits

120

Often clients are intimidated by the complexities they face when they consider their personal finances - from the wide range of financial products available to the numerous pieces of legislation and the ever-changing nature of their individual circumstances. Clients need expert financial planning practitioners to guide them in setting their personal financial planning priorities and to make the difficult decisions. The Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills required for this task.

Once you have completed the programme, you will be able to:

  • operate effectively as expert financial practitioners within the South African legislative and economic landscape  
  • apply knowledge of legislation, taxation, economics and accepted financial planning principles to solve the financial dilemmas of an individual  
  • apply knowledge of legislation, taxation and business principles to advise a business on insurance and investment options.

DESCRIPTION AND PROGRAMME PURPOSE 

The purpose of this qualification is to equip students with the knowledge and skills required by expert practitioners in the financial planning sector and to prepare them for further studies. The qualification aims to develop informed and skilled qualifying students while accommodating students already employed in the financial planning sector. The skills, knowledge, values and attitudes acquired through this qualification are building blocks necessary for employment and advancement in the financial planning arena or for further studies.

Milpark is a Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI)-accredited education provider and the Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning is an approved programme. The Milpark Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning addresses the academic qualification requirements for the designation of Financial Service AdvisorTM or FSATM professional awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa. 

The Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning may enable an individual with extensive experience to progress to an NQF Level 8 postgraduate qualification in financial planning depending on the RPL policies of the institution involved. The postgraduate diploma is set as the educational requirement for The Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa’s (FPI) designation of Certified Financial Planner®. Entry to the CFP® Board Exam is conditional upon having obtained the postgraduate diploma.

WHO SHOULD ENROL

The programme would be suitable for:

  • a person who wants advanced knowledge of financial planning and who has completed a relevant NQF level 5 qualification.
  • 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. Apply knowledge of legislation, compliance and ethics in a financial planning context in South Africa.
  2. Examine the changing nature of the financial planning environment in South Africa in terms of structure and role players, regulation and consumer needs.
  3. Apply knowledge of legislation, taxation, economics and accepted financial planning principles to solve the financial dilemmas of an individual.
  4. Apply knowledge of legislation, taxation and business principles to advise a business on insurance and investment solutions.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Module name  C/E Credits
Legal Aspects of Financial Planning  Compulsory 20
Corporate Financial Planning for Financial Planners  Compulsory 20
Personal Financial Planning for Financial Planners  Compulsory 25
Taxation for Financial Planners  Compulsory 20
Business Management for Financial Planners * Elective – select one 15
Trust Law * 15
Practical Application (Case Study) for Financial Planners Compulsory 20
Total   120
* This module is available only in Semester 2
Please see “Rules of Progression” for a suggested module registration order.

In order to be admitted to this qualification, applicants should have completed one of the following:

  • The Milpark Education Higher Certificate in Financial Planning (at NQF Level 5); or
  • National Certificate in Wealth Management (NQF Level 5); or
  • An appropriate, accredited NQF Level 5 qualification; or
  • An appropriate, accredited Bachelor’s 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 Head of School.

Semester 1
Admissions Close: 2 February 2024
Registrations Close: 26 February 2024

 

Semester 2
Admissions Close: 28 June 2024
Registrations Close: 29 July 2024

 

What's next after this?

Why not considering applying to do your BCom majoring in Financial Planning, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma? Continue your learning journey with us.