Master of Applied Finance in Investing and Financial Services

at University of Wollongong - Southern Sydney Campus Australia

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is designed for experienced professionals with ambition and drive who wish to develop their responsible and sustainable leadership skills. You will gain a holistic strategic business point-of-view required to operate effectively in an increasingly competitive and changing global business world.

The course has been designed to cover three stages:

• Diagnostics, where you learn to diagnose issues in real organisations with a focus on marketing, employee engagement, talent management and accounting.
• Exploration, where you explore the latest thinking and practices in organisations and research worldwide, while developing skills in innovation and business transformation.
• Integration and Application, where you develop your strategic decision-making skills, undertake a real-world business project and hone your personal effectiveness as a responsible leader.

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.

The Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) is designed for students who want a career in the accounting profession. The learning experience and knowledge areas for this program are focused on the practice of accounting.

The course first introduces the fundamental principles of accounting, economics, and aspects of the economic system and then proceeds to the study of specific knowledge areas which are vital for accounting professionals. You will develop knowledge and skills to apply accounting principles in the preparation and interpretation of financial statements and, enable you to research current accounting issues. You will also have an understanding of the differences between accounting principles and taxation law and the tax implications of business activities.

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 Applied Finance (Financial Services) is for students interested in acquiring an advanced understanding of financial institutions, bank management, and lending. If you are currently working in the Finance industry or a recent graduate, you will benefit from the specialized knowledge learned in this course.

You will study the theory and practice of financial management and gain an understanding of the global financial system. Additionally, competing approaches to corporate governance and business ethics will be developed, and you will learn how to provide protection against portfolio, financial and corporate risks.

You will examine the legal framework establishing, controlling and regulating financial institutions and examine bank management theory, a bank's lending process and the securities associated with it.

The Master of Computer Science will provide you with the skills and ability to solve complex real world problems by integrating computer science methods with effective management strategies, and by developing and deploying computer applications. During this degree you will be able to put theory into practice with an individual capstone project.

What you will study
You will study subjects in IT project management, advanced programming, algorithms and data structures. You can choose to complete subjects from the below four areas:

• Computational intelligence, and reasoning and learning
• Machine learning algorithms and big data
• Advanced network security and computer security
• Software requirements and specifications, and service-oriented software engineering

People are an organisation's most valuable resource. Human Resource Management (HRM) is concerned with finding the right staff for an organisation and having employed them, nurturing them so that they want to stay and perform to the best of their abilities. Rather than solely focusing on the bottom line, HRM also focuses on motivational factors, employee health and wellbeing, human rights, ethics, and the impact of responsible management on society.

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 Human Resource Management. This major will teach you about the people side of business operations by gaining an understanding of Human Resource Management theories and practices. Careers in HRM include HR manager, HR consultant, industrial officer, recruitment manager, training management, safety manager and career development manager.

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
Specific focus is placed on the acquisition and development of employees, positively influencing their employment performance, and monitoring and managing the processes of staff selection, retention and turnover. HRM examines specific people management practices such as recruitment and selection, organisational behaviour, employee relations, management of change, learning and development and workplace health and safety management.

The Master of Applied Finance with a double specialisation in Investing and Financial Services is for students who are interested in focusing on investment, portfolio management and financial services. The degree will allow you to integrate technical, theoretical and industry knowledge on the operation and organisation of – and participation in – local and international finance. The Investing specialisation focuses on investment and portfolio management, while the Financial Services specialisation focuses on financial institutions, as well as bank management and lending.

The Master of Financial Management provides an opportunity for you to enhance your career opportunities by developing further professional and personal skills, and knowledge in Financial Management areas.

You will learn to plan, organise, direct and control financial activities such as obtaining funds and using funds for investments. You will study topics such as investment management, financial strategy, financial statement analysis and learn how to review the global financial system and understand the principles of descriptive and inferential statistics and their applications in the business environment.

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.