Bachelor of Commerce (with a major in Financial Planning)

The Milpark BCom with a major in Financial Planning addresses the academic qualification requirements for the designation of Financial Service Advisor™/FSA™ professional awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI). On completion of this qualification, students will be eligible to apply to the FPI to write its professional competency exam for the FSA™ professional.

Financial planning has emerged as an exciting career path in South Africa over the past decade, 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. Its growth as a profession is also supported by the opportunity to achieve an internationally recognised designation: 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's degree will allow graduates access to postgraduate studies in financial planning.

Milpark Education is a FPI-accredited education provider and the Bachelor in Commerce 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 Service Advisor™/FSA™ 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™ professional

On successful completion of the Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Financial Planning, students will be able to:

• demonstrate a general understanding of the business environment (including business management, marketing, accounting and taxation)
• apply functional knowledge of Financial Planning to conduct investment planning, retirement planning and estate planning for an individual client
• apply functional knowledge of financial planning to complete a holistic financial plan for an individual client

The following career opportunities exist on completion of the qualification:

• Para-planning in established financial planning practices
• Internships at insurance companies or financial planning practices
• Financial Advisers

Year 1

• Induction to Business Studies
• Business Numeracy
• Principles of Microeconomics
• Principles of Accounting
• Introduction to Business Management
• Risk Planning 1A

• Economics 1B
• Accounting 1B
• Business Law
• Retirement and Investment Planning

Year 2

• Economics 2A
• Legal aspects of Financial Planning
• Marketing Management Practice

• Business Management 2B
• Corporate Financial Planning
• Taxation

Year 3

• Business Management 3A
• Economics 3A
• Advanced Investment Planning (S1)
• Retirement Planning(S1)

• Estate Planning (S2)
• Case Study (S2)

S1 denotes Semester 1, S2 denotes Semester 2