Teaching and Research

UniSA has an excellent reputation in teaching and learning and an enviable record of achievement in graduate employability. Our teaching focuses around preparing students to be work-ready through relevant and industry-informed curricula. UniSA ensures its teachers motivate, challenge and stimulate students’ learning, with our research activity informing our teaching across our broad discipline profile.

Teaching and learning excellence are at the centre point of our promotion criteria, performance management practices, and approaches to rewards and recognition for our academic staff.

Research at UniSA is inspired by challenges and opportunities, partnered with industry and communities, and underpinned by excellence. Our academics engage in interdisciplinary teams to translate their research into meaningful outcomes. Contributing to a research environment that is vibrant, responsive and outward-facing are the University’s research themes. The themes link our research strengths and address local and global socio-economic needs:

• An age friendly world
• Transforming industries
• Scarce resources
• Cancer
• Healthy futures
• Transforming societies

Our flagship institutes and strategic alliances include the Future Industries Institute, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Sansom Institute for Health Research and the Centre for Cancer Biology. Further information about our enterprising research and research centres and concentrations can be found at our Research page.

Industry Connections

Real solutions don’t happen without great partnerships. We have partnered with local icons and international heavyweights to drive the advancements behind a better society. Across the University, we seek to match our research capability and strengths with the opportunities, challenges and needs of our partners, and maximise the mutual benefits of engagement.

With a growing presence on Adelaide’s cultural calendar and as a partner across arts, culture and sporting events, we’re acting on a social mission to enrich our society. Our campus spaces stimulate and foster creativity and innovation, support new models of learning, support our enterprise researchers and connect with the community.

Professional staff

As a professional staff member you get exposure to the research and teaching at UniSA, and work closely with leading academics who through research and teaching, are shaping the professionals of the future.

Professional staff support both staff and students, and this ranges from career advice services to students, finance, HR, marketing, facilities and management, research support – all of these areas are critical to supporting the day-to-day operations of departments and the university as a whole. There are numerous benefits and opportunities for personal development at UniSA.

In addition to new education standards, FASEA has outlined new professional requirements. This includes completing a professional year (for new entrants only), passing a national exam, undertaking Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and completing a code of ethics course.

The financial services industry is one of the leading sectors in the Australian economy and plays a key role in facilitating the productive flow of funds between industries, companies and people.

If you’re an existing financial adviser, your qualification opens up many more opportunities in your business and career.

If you’re looking to make a career change, there are a range of roles you could pursue in diverse businesses. There are opportunities in financial institutions, investment banks, superannuation and insurance funds, financial advisory firms – or you could choose to be self-employed and set up your own practice. Financial advisers can also specialise in a number of areas, such as tax planning, risk management or retirement planning.

Careers to consider include:

Client relationship manager: proactively engage clients by providing high value, holistic and strategic financial advice; identify opportunities to build new client relationships and strengthen existing ones; research the latest products and regulations; and focus on delivering a high-quality customer experience.
Estate planner: provide clients with legal, financial and accounting advice to ensure long term financial protection of their estate during life and post-mortem; help ensure any assets are dispersed according to the wishes of the deceased in an effective way; and develop estate plans which may include preparing wills, life insurance, family trusts and manage tax implications for beneficiaries.
Insurance broker: research and review available finance and insurance products to meet client requirements; arrange insurance, home loan mortgages and other types of finance for clients through banks, lenders, financiers and insurance companies; help clients understand insurance policy conditions, risks, premium rates and benefits; prepare reports for underwriters and liaise with other insurance professionals.
Investment adviser or manager: develop financial plans and investment strategies for individuals and organisations; monitor investment performance and review investment plans based on needs and changes in the market; buy and sell stocks and bonds for clients; and provide advice on tax implications, securities, insurance cover, pension plans and real estate.
Qualified financial planner or adviser: help clients to meet short-term and long-term financial goals; assist with legal and financial documents, financial laws and regulatory requirements; provide advice on personal investments and security planning, estate planning, tax planning, employee benefits planning and insurance planning; and deliver a high-quality customer experience.
Superannuation consultant: provide compliant financial advice in areas such as personal and business superannuation, retirement income stream products, pensions rollovers and annuities; interpret new legislation changes and consider the impact of those changes on the portfolio of funds, help clients understand merits of Self Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSF), and develop retirement plan strategies.
Wealth manager: deliver holistic wealth management strategies and plans to help clients grow and sustain long-term financial goals; provide services across a range of areas including financial planning, investment management, and financial advice on pensions, trusts, inheritances, estate planning, retirement planning, and tax bands; and possess knowledge of software solutions and key platforms in the industry.

Bachelor Degree or Masters by Coursework Degree - 2 years - 3 years (Adelaide)

Masters by Research - 3 years - 4 years (Adelaide)

PhD qualification - 4 years - 5 years (Adelaide)

Applicants are required to have one of the following:

• A completed bachelor degree* from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent; or
• A completed graduate certificate or higher postgraduate qualification* from a recognised higher education institution.

Applicants who have:

• completed a bachelor degree in a business discipline; or
• completed a bachelor degree which includes a major in business, commerce, marketing or management; or
• completed a graduate certificate in a business discipline,
   

are eligible to enter the program with 0.5 EFTSL (18 units) Advanced Standing and complete the program in 1.5 years of full time study or equivalent part time study.