Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Finance

Summary

A Bachelor of Science (BSc) is about understanding and improving the natural world through observation, experimentation, modelling, and calculation. The Bachelor of Science requires a minimum total of 360 points:

• a compulsory 15-point Science course
• a minimum of 255 points of Science courses
• the remaining 90 points can be from either Science courses or courses from other degrees.

At least 225 points must be from courses above 100-level, with at least 90 points at 300-level.

Double degrees

Many students combine the study of a BSc with another degree.

Conjoint degrees

Students can study the Conjoint Bachelor of Product Design and Science or the Conjoint Bachelor of Commerce and Science, which requires 60 points less than a double degree and will be completed in four years in an intensive format.

Finance Major

Finance is a rapidly growing discipline that examines the acquisition and allocation of financial resources. Where financial accounting measures past performance, Finance as a discipline is forward focused. It is largely about future planning for firms or investors.

Finance consists of three interrelated subject areas:

• corporate finance studies how firms raise and efficiently utilise funds obtained from lenders and shareholders
• financial markets and institutions explores how the financial system facilitates the transfer of funds from savers and lenders to borrowers
• investment analysis studies how investors choose securities and asset classes for their investment portfolios.

All of these areas assess the trade-off between risk and reward and the valuation of financial and capital assets.

Further Study

If you have achieved top grades during your Bachelor of Science, you may be permitted to enter the BSc(Hons), which is an accelerated 12-month postgraduate degree.

Career opportunities

Today it would be rare for a person to rise to the position of chief financial officer (CFO) without a strong grounding in both Accounting and Finance. There are also many other career opportunities for Finance graduates, with typical jobs including: financial analyst, money market and foreign exchange dealer, loan analyst, equity analyst, risk analyst/manager, portfolio manager, financial planner, investment banker and small-business manager.