The field of finance can take you anywhere in the world and to many careers. You can work in corporate finance for big business, for well-known financial institutions, or in financial markets in Malaysia and overseas.
Financial planners help people to make smart decisions with their money. They take time to understand each client’s goal and objectives. They formulate a financial plan, monitor progress and help their clients maintain a budget. If you enjoy working with people and want to help others progress financially, this could be the industry for you.
As a Curtin finance graduate, you may seek membership of professional bodies such as the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, the Economic Society of Australia and the Financial Planning Association of Australia. You are eligible for associate membership of the Financial Planning Association after work experience requirements are met.
The financial planning course is accredited by the Financial Planning Association of Australia as an approved undergraduate qualification that satisfies the education entry requirements of the Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) certification if you intend to become a CFP® practitioner.
Entry requirements
Minimum English language entry requirements
| Qualification | Score |
| International English Language Testing System (IELTS) | Overall 6.0 (no individual band below 6.0) |
| Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) | 79 (band minimum W-21, L-13, R-13, S-18) |
| SPM 1119 English | C |
| GCE ‘A’ Level | E |
| GCE ‘O’ Level | C |
Cut-off scores
| Qualification | Score |
| GCE-A Level/STPM (best of 3 subjects) | 5 |
| UEC (best of 5 selected subjects) | 15 |
| HKDSE | 15 |
| IB | 24 |
| Ontario Gr | 60 |
| ATAR (WACE/SACE/HSC/VCE/AUSMAT/SAM/MUFY) | 70 |
| WAUFP (CPS) | 54 |
| India/Pakistan | 65% |
| Sri Lanka | 5 |
Cut-off scores key:
GCE :Â General Certificate of Education
STPM :Â Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia
IB :Â International Baccalaureate
ATAR : Australian Tertiary Admission Rank – applicable to all Australian matriculation
HKDSE :Â Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
India :Â Includes All India Senior School Certificate awarded by The Central Board of Secondary School Education (CBSE), Indian School Certificate (ISC) awarded by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), Higher School Certificate (HSC) awarded by one of the State Secondary School Boards. Certificates awarded by the CBSE and the CISCE are generally considered to represent a higher level of achievement than state certificates.
Sri Lanka : GCE ‘A’ level issued by the Department of Examinations
Score Conversion for Advanced level/GCE/GCSE:
Grades awarded from 2010 onwards: A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1
Grades awarded up to 2009: A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1
AS Levels equal half of that of an Advanced Level, e.g. 3 points for an A*, 2.5 points for an A (prior to 2010)
Subject Grades Conversion for STPM : A=5, A- =4, B+ =4, B=3, B- =2, C+ = 2, C=1
Note:Â scores for individual prerequisites may be taken into consideration for assessment purposes.
Course Prerequisites
Mathematics desirable
Professional recognition
- Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)
- Public Services Department (JPA)
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute
- Australian Marketing Institute
- The Communications Council
- Public Relations Institute of Australia
Graduates may seek membership  of professional bodies such as Australian Institute of Banking and Finance, The  Economic Society of Australia and the Financial Planning Association of Australia.
Credit for previous study
Diploma applications will be treated on case to case basis.
Career opportunities
- Finance Officer
- Finance Manager
- Fund Manager
- Forex trader
- Stock Broker in investment banks
- Financial Analyst
- Investment analyst
- Financial Planner
- Financial Consultant
- Private Banker
- Research Analyst
- Compliance Officer
Course structure
| Unit name | Prerequisite(s) |
|---|---|
| Year 1 Semester 1 | |
| Financial Decision Making | NIL |
| Markets and Legal Frameworks | NIL |
| Communication, Culture and Indigenous Perspectives in Business | NIL |
| Strategic Career Design | NIL |
| Year 1 Semester 2 | |
| Analytics for Decision Making | NIL |
| Introduction to Finance Principles | NIL |
| Optional unit (refer to optional units list below) | |
| Elective unit (choose from Commerce majors) | |
| Year 2 Semester 1 | |
| Business Analysis for Investment | Introduction to Finance Principles |
| Introduction to Financial Instruments and Markets | Introduction to Finance Principles |
| 2 x 100 credit Specialisations, OR 1 x 100 credit Specialisation + 4 elective units from Commerce major | |
| 2 x 100 credit Specialisations, OR 1 x 100 credit Specialisation + 4 elective units from Commerce major | |
| Year 2 Semester 2 | |
| Quantitative Techniques for Business | NIL |
| Corporate Finance | Introduction to Finance Principles, OR Business Analysis for Investment |
| 2 x 100 credit Specialisations, OR 1 x 100 credit Specialisation + 4 elective units from Commerce major | |
| 2 x 100 credit Specialisations, OR 1 x 100 credit Specialisation + 4 elective units from Commerce major | |
| Year 3 Semester 1 | |
| International Finance | Introduction to Finance Principles, OR Business Analysis for Investment |
| Portfolio Management | Introduction to Finance Principles, OR Business Analysis for Investment, AND Introduction to Financial Instruments and Markets |
| 2 x 100 credit Specialisations, OR 1 x 100 credit Specialisation + 4 elective units from Commerce major | |
| 2 x 100 credit Specialisations, OR 1 x 100 credit Specialisation + 4 elective units from Commerce major | |
| Year 3 Semester 2 | |
| Introduction to Derivative Securities | Introduction to Finance Principles, OR Business Analysis for Investment, AND Introduction to Financial Instruments and Markets |
| 2 x 100 credit Specialisations, OR 1 x 100 credit Specialisation + 4 elective units from Commerce major | NIL |
| 2 x 100 credit Specialisations, OR 1 x 100 credit Specialisation + 4 elective units from Commerce major | NIL |
| Business Internship, OR | Successful completion of 300 credit points |
| Enhancing Your Business Mind, OR | Successful completion of 400 credit points |
| Business Study Tour | NIL |
| List of optional units | |
| Introductory Economics | |
| Introduction to Business Information Systems | |
| Principles of Tourism, Hospitality and Events | |
| Discovering Marketing | |
| Introduction to Business Law | |
| No | Unit name | Pre-requisite(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing Foundations Specialisation | ||
| 1 | Marketing Across Borders | Successful completion of 200 credit points |
| 2 | Consumer Behaviour | NIL |
| 3 | Discovering Marketing | NIL |
| Student to select 1 x 25 credits from optional units 4, 5 | ||
| 4 | Digital Marketing and E-Commerce | NIL |
| 5 | Creating Content and Marketing Briefs | Successful completion of 300 credit points |
| Event Management Specialisation | ||
| 1 | Sustainable Event Development | NIL |
| 2 | Event Management | NIL |
| Student to select 2 x 25 credits from optional units 3, 4, 5 | ||
| 3 | Business and Sustainable Development | Successful completion of 100 credit points |
| 4 | Managing Operations | NIL |
| 5 | Digital Marketing and E-Commerce | NIL |
| Social Leadership and Ethics Specialisation | ||
| Student to select 4 x 25 credits from optional units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | ||
| 1 | Organisational Behaviour | NIL |
| 2 | Business and Sustainable Development | Successful completion of 100 credit points |
| 3 | Business Ethics | Successful completion of 200 credit points |
| 4 | Managing Change | Successful completion of 300 credit points |
| 5 | Strategic Management | Successful completion of 300 credit points |
| Small Business Start-Up Specialisation | ||
| 1 | Start-Up Business Planning | NIL |
| 2 | Small Business Growth | NIL |
| Student to select 2 x 25 credits from optional units 3, 4, 5, 6 | ||
| 3 | Business and Sustainable Development | Successful completion of 100 credit points |
| 4 | Entrepreneurship | Successful completion of 100 credit points |
| 5 | Digital Marketing and E-Commerce | NIL |
| 6 | Introduction to Finance Principles | NIL |
| Workforce Management Specialisation | ||
| 1 | Building a Sustainable Workforce | Human Resource Management Introduction |
| 2 | Human Resources Management Introduction | Successful completion of 100 credit points |
| Student to select 2 x 25 credits from optional units 3, 4, 5, 6 | ||
| 3 | Strategic Rewards and Performance Management | NIL |
| 4 | Start-Up Business Planning | NIL |
| 5 | International Human Resources Management | Human Resource Management Introduction |
| 6 | Business Ethics | Successful completion of 200 credit points |
| Accounting for Business Decisions Specialisation | ||
| 1 | Business Technologies and Data Management for Accountants | NIL |
| 2 | Accounting Modelling and Data Visualisation | Cost Analysis for Decision Making |
| 3 | Accounting – The Fundamentals of Business | Financial Decision Making, OR Accounting – The Language of Business |
| 4 | Cost Analysis for Decision Making | Financial Decision Making, OR Accounting – The Language of Business, OR Accounting – The Fundamentals of Business |
