Finance
The Finance specialisation within the Master of Commerce prepares students for careers in asset management, investment banking, risk management, corporate strategy and regulation. The specialisation covers critical concepts in corporate finance and investments within its core units. The specialisation’s electives allow students to shape their advanced learning around existing experience and build deep knowledge and technical skills in the key fields of industry. These include corporate valuation, derivative securities, risk management, mergers and acquisitions, portfolio theory, asset pricing and banking. Ethical and social considerations are discussed throughout the specialisation. Learning is supported through interactive tutorials and current content.
The Discipline of Finance has strong engagement with practitioners and regulators, locally and internationally, and has research activities spanning all areas of Finance. This ensures that our student-focused curriculum remains highly relevant to the careers of our students.
Requirements for a Finance specialisation
To achieve a specialisation in Finance within the Master of Commerce or Master of Commerce (Extension), students must complete 30 credit points in units of study comprising:
- 6 credit points of Table A - Foundational units of study;
- 6 credit points of Table A - Finance core units of study; and
- 18 credit points of Table A – Finance selective units of study.
Students completing this specialisation to meet the requirements for the Master of Commerce or as their compulsory specialisation for the Master of Commerce (Extension) would complete a 6 credit point capstone unit from Table A – Capstone units of study for their degree in the same subject area as their specialisation.
Students completing this specialisation as their optional second specialisation for the Master of Commerce (Extension) are not required to complete a capstone unit of study.
Sample pathways
(i) Master of Commerce
A sample pathway for the Finance specialisation spread over the three semesters of the Master of Commerce degree (Full-time study) is listed below.
| Session | Units of study | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Semester | Foundational: FINC5001 Foundation in Finance | Specialisation selective | |
| 2nd Semester | Specialisation core: FINC6001 Finance: Theory to Applications * |
Specialisation selective | |
| 3rd Semester | Specialisation selective | ||
* Students must complete FINC6001 before the Capstone subject for this specialisation.
(ii) Master of Commerce (Extension)
A sample pathway for the Finance specialisation spread over 2 years of the Master of Commerce (Extension) degree (Full-time study) is listed below.
| Session | Units of study | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Semester | Foundational: FINC5001 Foundation in Finance | |
| 2nd Semester | Specialisation core: FINC6001 Finance: Theory to Applications* | |
| 3rd Semester | Specialisation selective | Specialisation selective |
| 4th Semester | Specialisation selective | |
* Students must complete FINC6001 before the Capstone unit for this specialisation.
Please Note. This sample progression is meant as an example only. Depending on unit prerequisites, students may be able to complete these units in a different sequence to that displayed in the table above.
For details of the foundational, core, selective and capstone units of study required for the specialisation please refer to the Finance section under Commerce Subject Areas in this handbook.
Learning Outcomes
| Learning Outcomes – Finance specialisation | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Integrate and assess financial information by applying financial theory, analytical tools and advanced decision-making methods. |
| 2 | Organize and analyse data using advanced skills and critically interpret results to provide solutions to financial problems. |
| 3 | Integrate knowledge of finance with other disciplinary knowledge to effectively respond to complex financial challenges in diverse contexts. |
| 4 | Identify opportunities and construct new ideas for dynamic financial settings, taking into account various business and financial risks. |
| 5 | Effectively collaborate with others from diverse disciplinary, social and cultural backgrounds in financial decision making and solving financial challenges. |
| 6 | Critically evaluate the ethical implications and sustainability of financial decisions and approaches to solving financial challenges. |
| 7 | Communicate effectively and professionally to diverse stakeholder groups using a range of communication and presentation modes and methods appropriate to business and professional financial contexts. |
| 8 | Influence others in a way that facilitates collaborative and cooperative environments through reflection on personal and professional values and actions. |
Further information
For further information regarding study in finance in the Commerce coursework programs, please contact the Discipline of Finance.