Why Study / Key Benefits

Massey University’s Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (Personal Financial Planning) is a Level 7 graduate qualification intended for university graduates who want to change their business specialisation, update their financial-planning knowledge, or build an academic pathway into further study. It provides the equivalent of an undergraduate-level major in Personal Financial Planning without requiring students to complete another bachelor’s degree.

Key benefits include:

• Specialist university-level education in personal financial planning and financial advice.
• Coverage of investments, financial markets, risk management, tax and estate planning, personal financial management and financial-plan implementation.
• A flexible distance-learning structure, making it suitable for international students who remain outside New Zealand.
• A potential academic pathway to postgraduate study in business or a related area.
• The qualification satisfies the educational requirements for becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM professional through Financial Advice New Zealand, although additional professional requirements must also be completed.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The Personal Financial Planning endorsement requires 120 credits selected from the approved Personal Financial Planning course schedule. The current official regulations identify the following eight 15-credit courses:

1. 110380 – Estate and Tax Planning
   Covers practical issues in estate and tax planning for investors and small businesses in New Zealand.
2. 125211 – The Financial Planning Process
   Introduces the theories and processes involved in financial planning and advice. Massey identifies this as the introductory course and recommends taking it first.
3. 125220 – Financial Institutions and Markets
   Examines financial institutions, products and markets and the role of governments in managing financial systems domestically and internationally.
4. 125241 – Introduction to Investments
   Introduces the fundamental and practical concepts of investing, including equity, debt instruments, derivatives and basic portfolio concepts.
5. 125310 – Financial Advice Implementation
   A capstone course focusing on implementing the financial-planning process and developing a comprehensive financial plan.
6. 125312 – Applied Personal Financial Management
   Examines issues and potential solutions associated with individual personal-finance decisions.
7. 125340 – Investment Analysis
   Covers analytical techniques used in investment decision-making.
8. 125351 – Personal Risk Management
   Examines personal risk management, methods of reducing potential impacts and the role of insurance.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The programme's specific endorsement is:

• Personal Financial Planning

The subject area covers:

• Financial planning and advice
• Personal financial management
• Investments
• Investment analysis
• Financial institutions and markets
• Personal risk management
• Insurance
• Tax planning
• Estate planning
• Financial-plan implementation

Programme Highlights

• NZQF Level 7 Graduate Diploma.
• 120-credit qualification.
• Can be completed in approximately one year full-time when started in Semester One.
• Designed specifically for university graduates who want to change or broaden their business specialisation.
• Distance learning is available for all courses.
• International students can study online from outside New Zealand.
• Covers practical and theoretical aspects of personal financial planning.
• Includes a capstone Financial Advice Implementation course.
• Provides the educational component for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM professional designation through Financial Advice New Zealand, subject to additional professional requirements.
• Potential pathway to further postgraduate business study.

Career Outcomes

Massey identifies career opportunities including:

• Financial Planner
• Retail Banker
• Insurance Advisor

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The current programme page confirms that international students can study online from outside New Zealand.
• The Personal Financial Planning endorsement is delivered through distance learning.
• Full-time students should begin in Semester One because of course sequencing.
• Students beginning in Semester Two study part-time because required courses are sequenced across semesters.
• 125211 The Financial Planning Process should be taken first.
• No 100-level courses can be counted toward the Graduate Diploma.
• Certain courses have prerequisites, corequisites or restrictions.
• The programme satisfies the educational requirement for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM professional designation through Financial Advice New Zealand, subject to additional professional requirements.
• It does not satisfy the current Financial Markets Authority educational requirement for licensing as a New Zealand financial adviser.
• Students working in financial services who are not currently advisers may apply for free Student Associate status with Financial Advice New Zealand.

International Student Visa Requirements

Online study from outside New Zealand:

The current programme page explicitly allows international students to study online from outside New Zealand. An international student who remains outside New Zealand for the entire online programme would not normally need a New Zealand student visa simply to undertake the online study.

Study in New Zealand:

An international student who travels to New Zealand to study on campus would generally need an appropriate New Zealand student visa. The relevant Immigration New Zealand route is the Fee Paying Student Visa, subject to the student's individual circumstances and visa conditions.

Immigration New Zealand currently states that the Fee Paying Student Visa:

• permits study in New Zealand for up to 4 years;
• costs from NZD $850;
• has a published processing benchmark of 80% within 8 weeks;
• requires an offer of place from an approved education provider;
• requires evidence of sufficient funds to pay tuition fees or an applicable scholarship;
• requires evidence of sufficient living expenses or an acceptable sponsor;
• requires acceptable insurance;
• requires the applicant to meet the other visa requirements.