Future students
Studying Finance at The University of Melbourne
Finance studies how individuals, businesses and institutions raise funds to implement investment strategies, and how they allocate these funds to a variety of investment opportunities. A basic knowledge of finance benefits a wide variety of career choices where careful financial decision making is necessary. Finance professionals need strong quantitative skills. For students studying science and engineering, the discipline of finance provides great opportunities to apply those quantitative skills in practice. Financial decisions often involve behavioural elements. Psychology students may find the discipline of finance a natural experimental laboratory. An understanding of personal financial management will be valuable in managing your personal finances throughout your life.
The Department of Finance offers subjects in each of the four main areas of finance:
- Financial Institutions - deals with the behaviour and decisions of banks and other financial institutions, such as managed funds, and includes the design of securities and other financial instruments
- Investments – considers the selection and pricing of securities and includes portfolio management and the behaviour of securities markets, such as the share market
- Corporate Finance – analyses financial decision making by companies and covers such issues as capital structure (how much should a company borrow?), dividend decisions and project evaluation
- Derivative Securities – deals with forward contracts, futures contracts, options and swaps; these instruments are essential tools in risk management
More specialised subjects in finance include Financial Planning (personal finance), Real Estate Finance, International Finance, Entrepreneurial Finance and Asian Capital Markets.
Focus on Finance
What makes finance at the Department of Finance at the University of Melbourne, Australia better than other institutions? We differentiate ourselves by our sole focus on finance teaching and research, with high academic standards and ideals. We are one of only two departments in Australia, and the only department in Victoria, with this exclusive focus on finance.
- Find out how to study Finance at the University of Melbourne.
- Below is a video promoting First-year Finance, presented by Finance's Head of Department, Professor Paul Kofman
Download transcript [pdf 424KB]
Undergraduate students
Undergraduate study in Finance at the University of Melbourne, Australia requires enrolment in a Bachelor of Commerce degree. The Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) is a three-year degree.
- Further information about the Bachelor of Commerce, including admission requirements, is available.
Honours students
A Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) requires a further one year of full time study, following three (full time) years of study.
- Find out more about the benefits of the honours program in Finance.
Postgraduate students
The Department of Finance has a strong reputation in research and a wide range of research interests. To support its postgraduate students, it offers a range of both professional and research programs at the postgraduate level.
The Masters programs include the Master of Financial Management and Master of Applied Finance. In addition, a one-year Postgraduate Diploma is available
The Department’s two research programs are the Master of Commerce (Finance) and Doctor of Philosophy.
Scholarships, prizes and financial support
The Melbourne Undergraduate Scholarships program offers one of Australia’s most innovative and generous programs for undergraduate students. There are also many scholarships and prizes available to honours and postgraduate students.
- Find out more about eligibility for our scholarships, prizes and financial support.
Facilities and resources
There is a range of resources available to Finance students, including Peer-assisted study computing facilities and a specialised Economics and Commerce Library.
- Find out more about the facilities and resources available to Finance students.