Money matters

Deakin University caters for students who want to specialise in insurance or financial planning

A financial services graduate diploma was launched last month. Offered by Australia's Deakin University, through the Institute of Professional Education and Knowledge (Peak) of the Vocational Training Council, the eight-unit course gives candidates the chance to specialise in insurance or financial planning.

Students have to study four compulsory and four elective courses in either an insurance stream or a financial planning stream.

Courses in the former include principles of risk insurance, reinsurance and risk management. In financial planning, courses include financial markets, portfolio investments and financial planning, and financial planning development.

Students will also be required to complete two courses from the opposite stream.

The diploma can be completed in two years on a part-time basis.

The qualification gives graduates a fellowship - the premier qualification to the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance, whose services stretch across the Asia-Pacific region.

Successful completion of the diploma enables graduates to further their studies with the Deakin University MBA programme, or its master of commerce programme, both of which require 12 credit points, meaning graduates need only complete four more units to qualify with either qualification.

The diploma course, which can be completed in two years, costs HK$1,765 per credit.