| Formal Education in Technical Analysis |
   This two subject Dip TA (ATAA) course is a superb, cost effective way, to achieve greater knowledge of Technical Analysis and both a locally and internationally recognised qualification. If however, you need a comprehensive introduction to the subject of Technical Analysis you can enrol in the FIN231 without committing to the second subject in the Diploma. Why undertake the Diploma? The Dip TA (ATAA) is the premier qualification available in Australia providing a broad and deep understanding of Technical Analysis to the highest international professional standards. Successful completion of the two subject course will enable an ATAA member to attain the Dip TA (ATAA) qualification, and become recognised by the International Federation of Technical Analysts as a Certified Financial Technician (CFTe). These qualifications are professionally recognised by employers in the financial services industry, and attest to an analyst’s skill and expertise as a professional. If you are a self directed private trader/investor this qualification will insure that your breadth and depth of knowledge is fitting for the management of your own funds. Course Curriculum for Dip TA (ATAA) - and by accreditation the CFTe (IFTA) The Diploma course has two subjects.
This subject is available from the elective subjects within the Kaplan Master of Applied Finance. It covers the theory and practice of Technical Analysis as a practical discipline. The current subject outline is available here.
The second subject concentrates on “specialised” technical analysis taking the course to a more advanced “international” standard. This subject includes also considers the process of preparing reports as an “advisor” rather than a trader. The current subject outline is available here.
Cost All subject fees are to be paid to Kaplan at the time of enrolment. To be admitted to the programs, candidates are required to complete the Kaplan enrolment forms. FIN231 Technical Analysis $ 1,595.00 incl GST Short course 9063: Specialised Techniques in Technical Analysis $1,350.00 incl GST To achieve the Dip TA (ATAA), candidates also need to be members of the ATAA. Current annual membership fee: $ 240.00 Enrolment To enrol in either FIN231 Technical Analysis or 9063 Specialised Techniques in Technical Analysis go to theKaplan Professional website: Diploma of Technical Analysis (ATAA) and select the option “Enrol online". Complete the enrolment process. Course fees must be paid in full to Kaplan at the time of enrolment. If you are not an ATAA member, you can join online or click here to download a membership application form. Further Educational opportunities Following successful completion of the Dip TA (ATAA) and the awarding of the CFTe, you may decide to undertake the MFTA (Master of Financial Technical Analysis). This requires a university style research paper and it is intended to be a severe test of professionalism in the global area. Full details can be obtained from the IFTA website. History of the Dip TA (ATAA) The Australian Technical Analysts Association (ATAA) was formed in 1990. It joined the International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA) shortly after its incorporation. In the early 1990s education was seen as a pressing need. A number of ATAA members at the time worked with the Securities Institute of Australia (SIA) to develop a course and qualification that could be offered professionally. Initially a one subject course (E202 Technical Analysis) was offered in the SIA’s Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance. The ATAA would issue the Dip TA (ATAA) to ATAA members who successfully completed this subject. Later in the 1990s the ATAA approved course was expanded to two subjects, (E114 Technical Analysis and E171 Specialised Techniques in Technical Analysis). These subjects were regularly revised and developed over the years. In 2002, the Dip TA (ATAA) was formally accredited by IFTA as equivalent to the DITA qualification. The DITA was later renamed as CFTe (Certified Financial Technician). In 2005, the SIA joined with the Australasian Institute of Banking and Finance to create FINSIA (Financial Services Institute of Australasia) and the Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment continued. In 2007 FINSIA took the decision to sell its large education business assets to Kaplan Inc, a global education company and wholly owned subsidiary of the Washington Post Company. The Australian business is a major education provider to the financial services industry, trading as Kaplan Professional. Over the years the ATAA has supported ATAA members and SIA, FINSIA and now Kaplan Professional to provide “world class” education in Technical Analysis. IFTA Accreditation The International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA) is a federated body of National Technical Analysis association’s worldwide. IFTA was formed in 1986 and now represents 21 National associations in most major countries. IFTA provides many services and also develops and maintains a world class assessment and examination process. Syllabuses, assessment and examination processes available in some countries may be accredited as equivalent to the IFTA offering. The Australian Dip TA (ATAA) is accredited as equivalent to the CFTe. About Kaplan Professional Kaplan Professional is a national provider of professional education and training for the financial services, tax and accounting and real estate sectors in Australia. It forms part of Kaplan, Inc., (Kaplan) a leading global education provider with over 70 years' experience in schools, colleges and universities. Today Kaplan is in over 35 countries worldwide, serves more than one million students each year and has over 31,000 employees in approximately 600 locations. With over $2.3bn in annual turnover, Kaplan delivers programs globally for early education, post-secondary education, professional training and more. Kaplan is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO). For more information please visit the Kaplan Professional website. References from past attendees We received a non-solicited email from one of the recent graduates of the Dip TA (ATAA) and it is worth publishing in full. (If other graduates of the Dip TA would like to send us their recommendations, we would also like to publish them here, send to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ). From Pavlos Th. Ioannou In the beginning there was the Dip TA (ATAA): A brief history of my Master in Financial Technical Analysis (IFTA)
By Pavlos Th. Ioannou* It was a great experience for me both professionally and intellectually to have been able to obtain the Diploma in Technical Analysis awarded to me by our Association after successful completion of the two postgraduate courses provided by Finsia-Kaplan. Here below is the brief story of how, from the Dip TA (ATAA), I have arrived at the MFTA. It is my hope that the same challenging route will be successfully followed by many other members of ATAA.
In the beginning there was the Dip TA (ATAA) and the CFTe… Indeed I was very lucky because I was able to complete required courses just before the discontinuation of E171 subject “Specialized Techniques in Technical Analysis”. Immediately after the Dip TA (ATAA) was awarded to me – which I proudly include along my other academic qualifications ,a B.Sc.( Econ.) and an M.Sc.(Econ.; London School of Economics.). I applied for and was awarded the CFTe. by the International Federation of Technical Analysts (IFTA), a per se very important professional qualification… …and then, the Master in Financial Technical Analysis! Just about one week ago I was awarded the Master in Financial Technical Analysis (MFTA), the highest qualification offered by IFTA, “which requires a university-style research paper” as it “is intended to be a severe test of professionalism in the global arena". The MFTA was awarded to me for the research paper “Some Mathematical Implications of the Original RSI concepts: Empirical Interpretations and Considerations for Technical Analysis”. The paper renders mathematical and theoretical support to “the RSI is wrong hypothesis” (see, for example, “Active Trader Magazine”, August 2009, pp 64-65) it explains why RSI on its own cannot assess overbought/oversold conditions of the market and interprets the relativistic character of the formation of the overbought/ oversold zones. I hope the paper will be published in the IFTA Journal and eventually in the Journal of our Association. Of course, all started with the Diploma in Technical Analysis offered by ATAA. Clearly, this is a very important qualification and internationally, the only one that leads directly to the CFTe. qualification awarded by IFTA. Indeed, as far as I am concerned the Diploma in T.A. offered by our Association is a very important professional qualification and the intellectual process towards achieving it, equally challenging and rewarding, for the following very real reasons: a) The relevant course (splendidly delivered by FINSIA), helped me to organize and enhance my understanding of Technical Analysis in a systematic and most effective manner. b) The excellently written and presented lecture notes (probably one of the best globally available set of such educational material), helped me to dig deep into the subject and its literature (both, professional and academic). The effect was to acquire a better insight of the mechanics of financial markets and understand the tremendous academic potential of the subject, which only very recently has started to be recognized (see for example, the outstanding work –both books and papers- produced the last few years by Prof. A. W. Lo, of MIT as well as by other renowned academic authorities). On a more practical level this process has evidently increased my ability to read correctly what is actually written behind market statistics and the news about international financial markets. For this reason I firmly believe that the Dip TA (AATA) and the two courses towards it, provide a very strong educational basis not only to the market professionals but to everybody dealing with financial issues, from financial economists and civil servants in relevant positions, to finance professional, risk managers, bankers, finance regulators and journalists. Indeed, the time has come for the Dip TA (AATA) to be specifically included in the list of approved (if not required) qualifications of Financial Advisors, for the purposes of ASIC. c) Professionally-wise the Dip TA (AATA) and the two courses towards it, have equipped me with powerful analytical tools and overall know-how, truly useful in my personal trading and investing endeavors and most effective in my professional activity as a Finance Consultant and Trainer. I firmly believe that anybody who needs to be in charge of his own overall investment portfolio and seriously wishes to protect and, possibly, grow it over time will find the effort towards the Dip TA (AATA) meaningful and rewarding. The best proof for the validity of all the above is, most probably, the recent award to me of the MFTA by IFTA. On the other hand, the most vivid proof of how much I value my Dip TA (AATA) is the way I treat this qualification and my membership with AATA. These may be easily deduced from the cover page of my research paper submitted to IFTA towards the MFTA. Acknowledgements… Therefore I acknowledge with many thanks my professional and educational indebtedness to our Association for awarding to me the Dip TA (AATA) as well as ATAA-FINSIA-Kaplan for putting in place and delivering the two excellent courses leading to its award. Equally I must thank the Lecturers and authors of these courses and in particular Ms Regina Meani, Mr. Larry Lovrencic, Mr. Peter Pontikis and Mr. Collin Nicholson. Of course I must also thank all those people at IFTA who were involved with the assessment of my MFTA thesis and particularly the members of the examiners panel and the Chairman of the panel Mr. Claude Mattern. Their help was extremely valuable, prompt and efficient. *Pavlos Th. Ioannou holds a B.Sc (Econ;) M.Sc (Econ;LSE), Dip TA (AATA), CFTe (IFTA), MFTA (IFTA). |