Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance

at University of Wollongong - Southern Sydney Campus Australia

Finance is about money and investments. People on their own, people in partnerships, companies and other entities (including state and federal governments), have a common objective of profitable investment. What is a government-secured bond? What is a share? What are the reasons for investing in either and when is the right time? These are some of the questions answered in the domain of finance.

This degree
You will undertake a foundation year that covers all core disciplines of business, giving you a solid understanding of issues facing organisations today. From your second year, you will begin your major in Finance. The degree has an emphasis on practical applications and real-world financial management. Careers include finance manager, research analyst, management reporting manager, equity trade analyst, stockbroker, bank officer, investment operations analyst and venture capitalist.
You will also undertake a final-year capstone subject that lets you apply everything you have learned in collaboration with students from other disciplines. Plus, you have the option of applying for an internship to gain valuable experience whilst receiving credit towards your degree.

What you will study
You will learn the theoretical knowledge and tools demanded by employers in all sections of the world economy: investment, financial markets, financial modelling and portfolio analysis. You will utilise state of the art technology to learn advanced statistical techniques for analysis, including the classical linear regression model, model diagnostics, univariate time series modelling and forecasting. You will explore corporate finance, including financial strategies, security analysis and portfolio management.

The Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship will provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop ideas into sustainable business opportunities and to foster innovation in your workplace. You will learn how to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, experiment with design thinking, and learn to use tools and techniques to convert your ideas into reality.

Throughout your degree, our academics will equip you with knowledge in innovative leadership, financial skills for entrepreneurs, how to navigate the complexities of innovation and entrepreneurship, business innovation planning, and creating and marketing new products. You will understand how to raise capital and gain detailed knowledge of the complexities of initiating, developing, managing and exploiting innovation.

The Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship will allow you to explore the potential exploitation of your own business idea. You will learn to evaluate opportunities from a range of perspectives, including financial, technical and legal, as well as gain a thorough understanding of the processes associated with the development and marketing of a new product in today’s complex environment.

You will then complete your degree with an industry-based research project that will enable you to apply the skills developed into a practical project.

The business sector is one of the world's largest employers offering varying roles and careers. Business plays an important role in assisting the evolution of a complex global economy by providing solutions to problems in a sustainable and ethical way.

This degree
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a flexible degree offering a broad education across all key aspects of the business environment. In addition to studying the essential core disciplines of accounting, economics, finance, management and marketing, you can tailor your studies according to your interests or career aspirations by choosing electives from particular Business disciplines, or you can combine Business electives with subjects from other disciplines.
You will also undertake a final-year capstone subject that lets you apply everything you have learned in collaboration with students from other disciplines. Plus, you have the option of applying for an internship to gain valuable experience whilst receiving credit towards your degree.

What you will study
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a flexible degree offering a broad education across all key aspects of the business environment. In addition to studying the essential core disciplines of accounting, economics, finance, management and marketing, you can tailor your studies according to your interests by choosing electives from a particular Business discipline, or you can combine Business electives with subjects from other disciplines.

Economics is concerned with the big picture how a country, region or particular market is operating; while finance is a more microscopic look at industry risk and return on investment. The two disciplines complement each other giving you a more complete picture of the business world and open many doors to sought-after careers.

This degree
The Bachelor of Economics and Finance is for high achievers and as a graduate of the degree, you will be able to identify and apply the tools of analysis to a wide range of economic issues, including the behaviour of consumers and firms, the labour market, the environment, fiscal and monetary policy, and international trade.

Students will develop the skills necessary to make responsible professional judgements in their economic and financial decision-making. Your final year culminates with an exciting applied research project capstone subject. This experiential learning opportunity offers an international workplace-based project, or more traditional research-based project.

What you will study
You will study the theory, policies, practices and institutions of both the domestic and global economies. You will also develop expertise in the ways individuals, businesses and other organisations raise, allocate and use money.

The Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance is an introductory course designed to provide a general understanding of areas in Applied Finance such as financial statement analysis, managerial finance, statistics and corporate governance.

Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance, you may enrol in a Master of Applied Finance and be eligible for credit for the four subjects completed within the Graduate Certificate. Progression with credit to other Masters programs, including the MBA, may also be possible.

We value the importance of prior learning and work experience in this course and understand that not all mature age working professionals have completed an undergraduate degree. If you fit this profile, still apply for the course, as we will assess your other relevant tertiary qualifications or substantial relevant professional or managerial experience.

In today’s technology-driven world, people and organizations are generating, collecting, and storing more data than ever before. Organizations across various industries are seeking graduates with skills to utilize and interpret this data to inform business strategies and add value to their business.

The Master of Business Analytics is designed to prepare you with the essential skills to undertake real-world Business Analytics tasks on big data business problems. You will develop skills and knowledge in business analytics, including how to apply tools and technologies required to perform descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics and how to apply these tools to a business landscape.

The Master of Marketing involves an exploration of the motives of consumers during the purchase of products and services. You will learn how to use this market research to make more effective marketing decisions.

Leading Marketing academics will teach you to examine who the customer is to develop a competitive advantage by effectively positioning products/services in the market. You will study how to utilize promotional tools an organization may use to create this competitive advantage and enhance a brand’s equity, whether the organization is a commercial, non-profit, or social entity.

This master’s degree will ultimately enable you to develop and demonstrate technical knowledge and skills in marketing, a field increasingly important for all types of organizations that need to deliver value through the products and services they create. You will have the opportunity to study a wide range of advanced topics in marketing and gain professionally oriented generalist and specialist marketing skills.

The Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) Advanced is a two-year course designed for non-accounting graduates who want a career in the accounting profession and want to enhance their learning experience by including another discipline specialisation within their course. The learning experience and knowledge areas in the MPA Advanced are focused on the practice of accounting.

Within the MPA Advanced, you can choose to complete one of three possible specialisations, depending on your career aspirations. The Financial Management specialisation enables you to focus on areas of financial management such as banking and securities. The International Business specialisation allows you to broaden your knowledge of intercultural aspects of the business environment. The Business Analytics specialisation equips you with the skills to utilise and interpret data to inform business strategies and add value to businesses.

Management is the art and science of planning, coordinating and leading group efforts. It is the mobilising of human and material resources to achieve organisational goals. Effective managers make socially responsible decisions both in the short and long term whilst providing inspiring and motivating leadership that can affect all levels of the organisation.

This degree
You will undertake a foundation year that covers all core disciplines of business, giving you a solid understanding of issues facing organisations today. From your second year, you will major in Management to understand the framework of organisational structures, be able to examine quality and risk management, and analyse business strategies. Careers in management include company manager, operations manager, workforce planner, general manager, and strategic development executive.

You will also undertake a final-year capstone subject that lets you apply everything you have learned in collaboration with students from other disciplines. Plus, you have the option of applying for an internship to gain valuable experience whilst receiving credit towards your degree.

What you will study
You will learn how to manage – strategically and ethically – both physical and intangible assets for organisational success and employee wellbeing. You will do this by gaining a sound understanding of the framework of organisational structures, including the local and international environments in which they operate. Final year subjects enable you to identify and analyse quality management systems, strategically manage risk and develop international business strategies.

The Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting is an introductory course that provides a general understanding of accounting and related areas in business, including finance, statistics and economics.

Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting provides a pathway to the Master of Professional Accounting or Master of Professional Accounting Advanced, with credit of four subjects towards the Master's degree.