Master of Applied Finance in Investing and Financial Services

at University of Wollongong - Southern Sydney Campus Australia

The Master of Business Administration (Executive) is a unique degree designed for experienced senior managers who want to build their professional capabilities, those aspiring to executive positions and entrepreneurs who are motivated to start and grow their own business venture. The program will develop and advance the skills required to respond to the dynamic business environment by identifying, implementing and managing best business practices through all stages of business life cycles.

You will learn to be innovative, visionary and strategic in the delivery of key business outcomes and realise and develop your authentic leadership style. Your managerial and directional skills will be enhanced to enable you to provide effective responses to the organisation of all business models.

The subjects are specifically designed and taught for interactivity, and you will be able to share and learn from likeminded professionals at similar stages of their career in the classroom. This allows you to expand on your career network and immediately utilise the learnings back to your current senior managerial or executive role. The assessment tasks are similarly designed to be applied back to real and current business objectives.

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.

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 Management provides an opportunity for you to enhance your career opportunities by further developing theoretical and practical skills and knowledge in key management areas.

Graduates of the Master of Management will have examined organisational structures, led and implemented organisational change, managed projects and leveraged organisational competitive advantages in the changing global marketplace.

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 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.

The Graduate Certificate in Business is for those who want to advance their career, formalise their industry experience or up-skill and move into a business-focused role within their field. This course covers key business areas including accounting, financial management, organisational behaviour and marketing management.

The Graduate Certificate in Business caters for both professional and lifestyle commitments by giving students the choice to study on campus at Wollongong or Sydney CBD,

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.

Accountancy is about providing reliable, timely and accurate information for decision makers, especially for economic decisions. Whether working for a multinational company, a government agency or in public practice, accountants play a pivotal role in advising senior management on the financial performance and direction 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 study advanced accountancy topics. The Bachelor of Business majoring in Accountancy provides you with the knowledge and experience to move into many types of business careers such as an accountant, auditor, business analyst, treasurer, corporate accountant, financial controller and advisor. 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
Topics of study include financial reporting, auditing, management accounting, and information systems in accounting. You will learn about financial accounting in its organisational, social and political contexts as well as study relevant law subjects (including taxation law and law of business organisations) to be eligible for associate membership of professional accounting bodies.

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.