25767 Advanced Communication for Financial Planning

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Business: Finance
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject is designed to develop students' sensitivity to the importance of communication and dialogue in the relationship between financial planner and client. It enables students to evaluate communication practices in terms of their capacity to facilitate shared understanding of investment needs, preferences and expectations. By integrating communication theory with the specific operational conditions of modern financial planning, the subject helps students to develop the skills necessary to conduct successful interviews and mentor their clients towards the attainment of the shared financial goals.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1.	Demonstrate an understanding of effective personal communication skills
2.	Appraise key communication issues in the context of a financial planning relationship, especially recognising behavioural biases
3.	Critically evaluate the factors contributing to effective communication

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject contributes to the program through developing students’ understanding of effective communication in the context of a financial planning relationship. Students learn how to evaluate communication practices and their implications for the establishment of a constructive relationship with their clients. By assisting students in developing their personal and professional communication skills, the subject also provides a foundation for enhanced performance in other situations including communicating with vendors and service providers. As such this subject contributes particularly to the development of these graduate attributes:

Communication and collaboration

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is delivered through a variety of face-to-face and online teaching strategies. A combination of interactive lectures and online modules will expose students to key issues in communication and provide a theoretical foundation for skills development. Lectures draw on active learning strategies such as video case analysis, peer-to-peer discussions, simulated interviews and brainstorming activities.

Content (topics)

Foundations of communication
Evaluation of personal communication in financial planning
Intercultural aspects of communication
Personal communication skills
Coaching and mentoring

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Quiz on the content of the online learning component*

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2
Type:	Quiz/test
Groupwork:	Individual
Weight:	20%
Criteria:	*Note: Late submission of the assessment task will not be marked and awarded a mark of zero.

Assessment task 2: Individual assignment

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3
Type:	Report
Groupwork:	Individual
Weight:	40%

Assessment task 3: Written final exam (open book)

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3
Type:	Examination
Groupwork:	Individual
Weight:	40%

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.

Required texts

Knight, J. 2016, Better Conversations. Coaching Ourselves and Each Other to Be More Credible, Caring, and Connected. Corwin, Thousand Oaks.

References

Eunson, B. 2012, Communicating in the 21st century, 3rd ed., Wiley, Milton QLD.

Dweyer, J., 2015, The Business Communication Handbook, Cengage Learning Australia.