2019

Discover your future as an expert

financial planner

Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning

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Contents Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning | www.usb.ac.za/finplan

Use this PGD as stepping stone to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®

Duration:1 year or 2 years

Establish yourself as afinancial expert

Gain access to an MBA

Obtain an FPI-accredited qualification

On-campus classes twice a week

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If you want to empower people with a sound financial future, this qualification will give you

the credentials to do so.

Dr Lee-Ann SteenkampHead: Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning

05Message from the Director of USB

18Tamsyn Gradwell’s story

11Discover the competencies you will gain

14Application deadlines

10Overview of USB’s Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning

21Facilities, resources and services

13Core modules

15How to apply

07Message from the Programme Head

21Additional information

12Who should enrol?

14Fees

22USB Alumni Association

08Discover USB’s advantages for you

21USB faculty

12Programme structure

14Admission requirements

23Contact us

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Thank you for your interest in the University of Stellenbosch Business School. You have come to the right place to discover and develop your leadership potential.

We are one of the few Triple Crown Business Schools in the world. These are schools with the three major international accreditations, namely AACSB (from the USA-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), EQUIS (from the Brussels-based European Foundation for Management Development) and AMBA (from the UK-based Association of MBAs). In addition, our executive education programmes, delivered via our private partner, USB-ED, is ranked among the Top 100 in the world by Financial Times.

You therefore know in advance that the standard of our academic programmes, infrastructure and learner support is benchmarked against the best. We would also like you to know the following about USB:

• We are deeply committed to Africa. At the same time, we educate you to function in a global business world.

• We will lead you to study the latest theories in a particular field while also providing you with opportunities for practical application in your business.

• We will walk the road to sharpen your critical thinking abilities while also igniting your passion for better business skills.

• We will widen your strategic vision while also equipping you with operational skills in fields like responsible leadership, finance and marketing.

• We will carefully select you to enter into one of our programmes, and then engage with you to leave us as a changed person.

USB is a values-driven school. We embed our values – like integrity, inclusivity, excellence and innovation – in everything we do.

We are part of Stellenbosch University – the top research university in Africa – and steer our research agenda to inform business and the content of our curricula. Via our Small Business Academy we create value for budding entrepreneurs to improve their businesses and create jobs in their communities.

Ultimately, USB aims to bring hope to Africa and to the world. Join us in turning this dream into a reality.

Prof Piet Naudé USB Director

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Message from the Director of USB

From a business school perspective, social

development in South Africa happens through empowering

students to understand their role as responsible

leaders when they go back into society.

Prof Piet Naudé, USB Director

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Dear prospective postgraduate student

In addition to the Triple Crown of accreditations held by USB, the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning is an approved programme of the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI). This means that USB complies with the strict accreditation criteria of the FPI and is an approved education provider.

We are proud of the fact that graduates from Stellenbosch University consistently achieve high pass rates in the FPI’s Professional Competency Examination (PCE).

I believe that our programme’s success can be attributed to two factors: We make use of highly qualified and experienced lecturers (both from academia and practice) and we attract the best students. The Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning will open many doors for you, most notably to eventually qualify for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation. The Postgraduate Diploma will also allow you entrance to our prestigious MBA, thereby offering you an even wider range of career opportunities.

In short, with our proven track record, it is clear that we set our students up for success!I invite you to partner with USB and let us help you take your career to the next level.

Dr Lee-Ann SteenkampHead: Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning

Message from the Programme Head

Our programme’s success can be attributed to using highly qualified lecturers and attracting

the best students.

Dr Lee-Ann SteenkampHead: Postgraduate Diploma

in Financial Planning

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Discover USB’s advantages for you

African contextualisation of business knowledge

USB has become known for its African-focused expertise in areas such as sustainable development, futures research, development finance, ethics and corporate governance, responsible leadership development, management coaching and emerging-country economics.

Connections with the business sector

USB’s close cooperation with industry ensures an academic offering aligned with the needs of the world of work. Areas of alliance and collaboration include representation by the local and international business community on the USB Advisory Board. Partnerships between USB and industry include societal initiatives such as the USB Small Business Academy and the Consulting Club.

Collaborative learning

Our students come from different industry backgrounds, cultures and geographies. This diversity enables them to learn from one another and to work with different perspectives. Our students regularly mention collaborative learning as one of the highlights of their learning journey.

Social impact

USB’s ultimate purpose is to develop responsible leaders who will be stewards of society. For USB, social impact means the societal orientation and impact of our curricula and research, our involvement in social dialogue and public policy making, the social impact of our engagement with stakeholders, our collaboration with partner schools and organisations, and our sustainability and responsibility practices. For USB’s students, this translates into engaged learning.

International stature and global perspective

USB is part of the 100-year-old Stellenbosch University, an international institution of distinction and the top research university in Africa. USB has partnerships with some 80 business schools representing all the continents and has a presence in various parts of the African continent. Joint research, faculty members serving on international boards, international memberships, jointly presented conferences and the exchange of faculty members and students contribute to USB’s global perspective of business knowledge.

Strong focus on responsible leadership development

USB’s mission is to develop responsible leaders through well-grounded business education and research. Responsible leadership development is ingrained into USB’s programmes – in particular the MBA.

Research and the sharing of business knowledge

USB creates business knowledge through its research centres, academic conferences, research fellowships, the research undertaken by its faculty members and students, and its partnerships with the business industry and other academic institutions. The school shares its research on various platforms, including its journals, website, conferences and speaker events.

Study at a school with 3 international accreditations

USB was the first school from an African university to receive all three international accreditations: AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. The school is also well ranked in South Africa (No1 in PMR.africa, 2017) and in Africa (Eduniversal’s Top 3 in Africa, 2017).

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Launched at Stellenbosch University in 2005, the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning is a sought-after qualification which culminates in the internationally recognised CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) designation. With an excellent track record of consistently achieving high pass rates in the FPI’s Professional Competency Examination, USB’s Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning has established itself as a leading programme in its field in South Africa.

This qualification is presented at NQF Level 8, the same level as an Honours degree. It addresses the educational requirements for the designation of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, which is awarded by the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa (FPI). This is the highest designation for financial planners in South Africa and it is also internationally recognised. On completion of USB’s Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning, students will be eligible to apply to the FPI to write its entrance exam, known as the Professional Competency Examination.

Consumers and clients have become more knowledgeable as a result of increased access to information and a stronger awareness of their rights which are protected by ongoing regulatory developments. They therefore require high-quality financial advice from advisors with the necessary qualifications, professional status and membership of a recognised professional body.

USB’s high success rate can be attributed to two factors: We use highly qualified and experienced lecturers (both from academia and practice) and we attract the best students. Also, the fact that lectures are presented twice a week after hours on the USB campus by academics and industry professionals – in contrast to the distance learning model used by many of the other education providers – further enhances our students’ learning experience.

This programme allows you to study while you work. You can choose to do the programme over one or two years. Classes are presented at the USB campus twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, from 18:15 to 21:15. It is therefore a residential based course and not a distance learning programme.

Overview of the programme

8Overview of the USB’s Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning

Convenient format: Evening classes are presented twice a week over 1 or 2 years, which means you can learn while you earn.

NQF level: 8 (120 credits)

FPI accreditation: The Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa has approved USB as an education provider for this programme.

Language: English, although students may answer assessments in Afrikaans

Discover what you will gain from this qualification

Obtain CFP® professional accreditationIf you have obtained the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning at USB, you become eligible to write the Professional Competency Examination (PCE) of the FPI and to obtain professional accreditation as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®). This designation will communicate your expertise and credibility not only in South Africa but also internationally as the CFP® designation is internationally recognised as the benchmark for professional advice.

Earn the trust of your clientsThe CFP® professional accreditation, which builds on this Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning, allows you to provide financial advice that complies with an increasing number of regulations in an environment in which clients are receiving increasing legal protection and are also becoming more aware of their rights. Therefore, as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® – or CFP® for short – you offer your clients peace of mind underpinned by an acknowledged qualification. For your clients this translates into high-quality financial advice from an advisor with the necessary qualifications, professional status and membership of a recognised professional body.

Invest in your career by establishing yourself as an expertThis postgraduate programme is an investment in your career path as it allows you to establish yourself as an expert in the financial services industry. It therefore holds advantages for your career in a local and global world characterised by financial uncertainty and a changing regulatory landscape.

Study at an FPI-accredited education providerThe FPI has approved USB as an education provider based on its stringent compliance criteria. USB consistently achieves high pass rates in the FPI’s national Professional Competency Examination – significantly higher than the national average pass rate.

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The Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning is a specialised programme aimed at helping you obtain CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) professional accreditation. It is therefore aimed at professionals already employed in the financial services industry but who would like to further their career paths.

The programme consists of four compulsory modules, each worth 30 credits. Modules 1, 2 and 3 have to be successfully completed in order to gain entrance to Module 4, the Case Study. Modules 1 and 3 are presented in the first semester of the academic calendar, and Modules 2 and 4 in the second semester. You have the option to complete the modules in one or two years.

Who should enrol?

Programme structure

Core modules Module 711: Financial Planning EnvironmentThis module provides an overview of the field of financial planning. The principles and practices of financial planning and personal financial management are first addressed. This includes a review of the regulatory environment for financial planners. Students will also be familiarised with financial calculations and the concepts of the time value of money. The remainder of the module is devoted to tax planning and offers a detailed look at the Income Tax consequences for an individual.

Module 713: Corporate Financial PlanningThis module focuses more on the corporate aspects of the employer-employee relationship. The first focus area is on business planning, which includes the taxation of different business entities. Next, the focus shifts to employee benefits and specifically retirement funds. The module concludes with an overview of medical schemes’ requirements and regulations, including developments that affect healthcare cover.

Module 742: Personal Financial PlanningThis module equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to conduct a financial planning exercise for a client. It comprises four units: In the first unit, the student will acquire in-depth knowledge of the structure, nature and tax of estate planning tools, including the law and taxation of trusts. The second unit comprises retirement planning, which also includes the tax implications of retirement, death and divorce. The third unit is designed to address the investment needs of the client. The last unit incorporates risk management and differentiates between short-term and long-term insurance as part of the insurance planning exercise.

Module 744: Case StudyThe programme culminates in a Case Study, where students are expected to integrate the knowledge acquired in the first three modules in order to prepare a comprehensive financial plan for a client. This module prepares students for the FPI’s Professional Competency Examination.

Postgraduate Diploma in Financial PlanningSAQA ID: 71690, NQF 8

Module code Module name Status Credits Dates

711 Financial Planning Environment Compulsory 30 Term 1

713 Corporate Financial Planning Compulsory 30 Term 2

742 Personal Financial Planning Compulsory 30 Term 3

744 Case Study Compulsory 30 Term 4

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This PGD will put the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL

PLANNER® designation within your reach

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• South African students: 15 November each year • RPL applicants: 31 October each year

The programme fees for 2019 are published on USB’s website once this information becomes available. See www.usb.ac.za/finplan for details.

Important

• Deposit: All students pay a deposit on acceptance of admission. International students need to pay a deposit of 50% of the annual programme fees on acceptance to the programme and the balance prior to, or upon registration. The deposit is deducted from the programme fee. The deposit payable is non-refundable.

• Application fee: The application fee must accompany the application. The application fee is not refundable.

• Travelling, accommodation and meals are for students’ own accounts.

• USB reserves the right to change the fees at any time.

Application deadlines

Programme fees

The entry requirements into the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning are as follows:

• Regular applicants: Bachelor’s degree at NQF level 6 (old) or 7 (new) or equivalent

• RPL candidates: An Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning at NQF level 6 from an FPI-accredited education provider, with at least five years’ work experience (please refer to USB’s RPL policy for this option). Applicants are requested to submit details of employment for the previous five years.

Admission requirements

Before you start

• You will be able to complete the form in steps without losing information.

• The online application form consists of various sections. In order to process to the next section, all the information in the current section must be completed and accepted by the information management system.

• The application process is the same for South African and international students.

• It is best to use Google Chrome as web browser when completing your application.

The application process

Go to www.USB.ac.za/apply and complete the online Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning application form by completing each of the following sections:

Section 1: Personal details

Section 2: Address details

Section 3: Work and studies

Section 4: Documentation

Here you need to upload the following supporting documentation:

• Completed and signed application form

• Certified copies of all academic records and degree/diploma certificates

• Proof of application fee payment

• Detailed CV

• A copy of your ID (or passport for non-South African students)

• A marriage certificate (where the applicant’s new surname does not match that on the degree certificates)

Section 5: Application fee payment

Application fee: Bank: Standard Bank; Type of account: cheque account; Account name: US Business School; Account number: 073003069; Branch name: Stellenbosch; Branch code: 050610; Beneficiary name: Stellenbosch University; SWIFT code: SBZAZAJJ. Proof of payment of your application fee should be e-mailed to the cashier at payments@usb.ac.za.

Section 6: Status

What happens next?

Your application can only be assessed by the selection panel if it is accompanied by your completed online application form, all the supporting documents and proof of your application fee payment. The outcome of the selection process will be made known within 30 days or as soon as possible thereafter.

How to apply

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Bachelor’s degree (NQF 7) OR Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning (NQF 6)

+ work experience

Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning (NQF 8) at USB

Pass the FPI’s Professional Competency Exam

Obtain the CFP® designation

Take your career to the next level:Enrol for an MBA (NQF 9) at USB

Career path options with a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning from USB:

Career path options

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My name is Tamsyn Gradwell and I currently a work as a Business Development Consultant at Nedgroup Trust Limited. In 2002 I moved from Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape to Cape Town to enrol for tertiary education and since then I have made the Mother City my home. At that stage, I had a BCom in Financial Accounting.

I had been working in the financial services industry as a financial advisor for almost five years when I found out about USB’s PGD in Financial Planning from colleagues and legal advisors who spoke of its merits and advantages.

It wasn’t until I joined Nedbank in 2016 that I got the opportunity to enrol for the PGD in order to pursue the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® title. My motivation was to gain credibility in the industry and to solidify my knowledge.

The PGD in Financial Planning really opened my eyes to the bigger picture of financial planning – the holistic view that financial planning principles are based on.

My motivation was to gain credibility in my industry and solidify my knowledge.

In particular, the Case Study Module covered during the last part of the programme put things in perspective. There is the perception in the industry that financial planning is merely insurance sales and not something to be taken seriously. But I wanted to see for myself. What I thought I knew was turned upside down and inside out!

During lectures I found myself thinking back to client situations when I practised as a financial advisor, realising how I could have added more value to my clients and more value to my business. In my work I am starting to identify more opportunities for financial advisors to engage with clients on a higher level. I am starting to ask clients the right questions. I am able to think like a professional and how we can all work together to serve our clients better.

A highlight for me during my USB journey was to graduate cum laude. More recently, I also found out that I passed the Financial Planning Institute’s Professional Competency Examination and that my certification has now been approved by the FPI!

These highlights are extra special as it was challenging for me to balance work and studies while ensuring that I remained ‘present’ for my three-year-old daughter, whom

Tamsyn Gradwell

I am now able to think like a professional.

Alumnus

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The PGD really opened my eyes to

the bigger picture of financial planning.

Tamsyn Gradwell, USB Postgraduate Diploma

in Financial Planning alumnus

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Information sessions

USB hosts various Information Sessions during the year. This is where you can obtain first-hand information on the programme and meet faculty members, alumni and support staff. See www.usb.ac.za/events for dates, venues, timeslots and booking details.

Assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning USB provides wider access to its programmes through its Assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL) process. In line with the requirements of the Council for Higher Education (CHE), USB may admit up to 10% of its student body under ARPL. Prospective students applying for the Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning at USB have to adhere to the following:

•Have at least an Advanced Certificate in Financial Planning at NQF level 6 from an FPI-accredited education provider.

•Have at least five years of relevant working experience after obtaining a school leaving certificate.

•Submit a comprehensive CV, indicating detailed areas of responsibility as well as information of activities outside the work environment.

•Provide USB with at least two references (typically current or former line heads) who can testify about the candidate’s managerial or related professional abilities. These references will be required to give a detailed personal reference about the candidate on forms provided by USB.

•Next, USB’s Admissions Committee (head of the programme and another academic) will conduct an in-depth interview with the candidate.

•If the Committee is of the opinion that the candidate has the abilities to cope with the demands of the Postgraduate Diploma, he/she may be admitted.

• A recommendation of admission is sent via USB’s Academic Planning Committee to the Board of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences for notification.

• Note that ARPL candidates need to apply by 31 October each year to allow sufficient time for the assessment process.

Additional information I am single-parenting. Making sure that I had reliable and trustworthy help to watch over her when I went to evening lectures was a priority for me. My friends and family were my support during that time.

I am very excited to see more women in this industry.

I believe education in financial planning is crucial because the challenge is still the negative perception around financial planning in South Africa. There’s a great need for mentorship of young professionals entering the industry. It should be a long-term commitment for the advisor and for the client. As a financial planner you build your practice like medical professionals would build their practices. All the elements of good business principles are needed to make it successful.

I am very excited to see more women in this industry because historically women played the ‘admin role’ in financial planning practices. Now more and more women are establishing themselves as financial planners.

During lectures, I found myself thinking

back to client situations ... realising how I could

have added more value.

USB faculty

Besides its full-time and part-time academic staff, many of whom have distinguished themselves as organisational leaders, USB welcomes international academics and experts to lecture on its programmes. This gives students exposure to academic learning and real-world experience from across the globe. Find out more about USB’s faculty at www.usb.ac.za.

Facilities, resources and services • ICT facilities: These include wireless broadband internet access campus-wide, an e-learning platform,

break-away rooms, network connections for notebooks and access to software packages and databases.

• Library: The library provides access to printed and online local and international publications, books, journals and databases (including SA-ePublications, Scopus, Ebscohost, Gartner and Emerald), as well as a repository of master’s and doctoral theses (SUNScholar). See http://library.sun.ac.za.

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•Support services: Support to students is offered via these touch points such as the Admissions Office, Academic Administration, Careers Office, International Affairs Office, Alumni Relations Office and USBI (library).

•Business services: This facility offers e-mail, phone, photocopying, printing, courier and related services to students.

• Lecture theatres: All the auditorium-style and flat-floor lecture theatres are equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment and network facilities.

•Accommodation and restaurants: The Bellvista Lodge (www.usb.ac.za/bellvista) on the campus provides accommodation and a restaurant. Two other restaurants offer meals and refreshments.

USB Alumni Association

USB’s Alumni Association has strong roots and a wide reach. We are extremely proud of our more than 27 000 alumni who have excelled in managerial and leadership roles all over the world – many of them at the highest level. Various channels are used to create ongoing conversations between USB and its alumni, opportunities for continued learning and ways to give back to USB. Together, USB and its alumni create a powerful network that contribute to the common good of society. See www.usb.ac.za/alumni.

Establish yourself as an expert in the financial services

industry.

Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning enquiries Telephone: +27 (0)21 918 4246 | finplan@usb.ac.za | www.usb.ac.za/finplanCarl Cronjé Drive, Bellville 7530, Cape Town, South Africa

Information sessions Telephone: +27 (0)21 918 4246 | finplan@usb.ac.za | www.usb.ac.za/events

USB Careers Office Telephone: +27 (0)21 918 4187 | usb.Careers@usb.ac.za

International Affairs OfficeTelephone: +27 (0)21 918 4196 | international@usb.ac.za

Campus accommodation Telephone: +27 (0)21 918 4444 | www.usb.ac.za/bellvista

USB Alumni Office Telephone: +27 (0)21 918 4212 | usbalumni@usb.ac.za

West African Office Prospective students from West Africa can contact USB’s representative in the region for assistance with applications, transcripts and visas: Contact person: Gbemisola Abdul-MartinsTelephone: 234 8033136294 | 08033136294E-mail: gbemi@cognityadvisory.comPhysical address: Lagos Cognity Advisory Office, 2nd Floor, 84 Opebi Road, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

East African Office Prospective students from East Africa can contact USB’s representative in the region directly for assistance with applications, transcripts and visas: Contact person: Alex Matheri Telephone: +254 (734) 606000 (office) | +254 722 251638 (mobile) E-mail: alex.matheri@usb.ac.za Physical address: 1st Floor Suite 108, Nanak House, Kimathi Street, Nairobi Postal address: PO Box 3285-00506, Nairobi, Kenya

Mauritian OfficeProspective students from Mauritius can contact USB’s representative in the region directly for assistance with applications, transcripts and visas: Contact person: Marietjie van der MerweTelephone: +230 52 91 85 84E-mail: marie@globalnatives.com

Start your discovery here

Start your discovery here

University of Stellenbosch

Business School

Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning

+27 (0)21 918 4246

finplan@usb.ac.za www.usb.ac.za/finplan

www.usb.ac.za

Carl Cronjé Drive, Bellville 7530, Cape Town, South Africa

Where USB’s alumni come from

AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND

countries in ASIA

countries in the AMERICAS

countries in EUROPE

countries in AFRICA

This programme can give you

access to our MBA