Course details

Summary

Get an in-depth view of the workings of the financial world with the Applied Finance programme at Victoria Business School.

Industry-relevant learning

Advance your financial skills and boost your career with Victoria’s postgraduate programme in Applied Finance.

Offered by the School of Economics and Finance and created in consultation with accrediting professional bodies, the programme is oriented towards applied knowledge so you gain the crucial industry skills you need to hit the ground running.

Finance from all angles

Explore the workings of capital markets in New Zealand and around the world. Gain a deeper understanding of valuation, financing, investment management and banking. Improve your computer skills and perfect the art of financial modelling.

Learn the principles, practice and operations of financial markets, and the management of corporate, government and financial institutions. You'll gain the practical and operational skills you need to succeed in the international world of volatile financial markets.

Careers

Work as a professional in major financial markets, commercial and investment banks, fund management, energy providers, other large private companies and government departments both in New Zealand and overseas.

If you work in any of the following areas, or hope to do so, then the Applied Finance programme is for you:

• corporate and bank treasury staff
• fund managers, investment advisers
• corporate bankers
• investment bankers
• corporate financial planners
• stockbrokers, commodity and futures brokers
• financial communications and data specialists
• government and local body financial controllers
• management consultants, lawyers and accountants
• board directors
• industry regulators

The programme also gives you the educational requirements you need to join the following professional finance bodies:

• Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand Inc (INFINZ)
• Finance and Treasury Association Ltd (FTA)
• Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA).

The School is continuously working to develop and foster ties with national and international professional finance bodies.

Qualification family structure

Master of Applied Finance

• Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Analysis
• Postgraduate Diploma in Treasury Management
• Postgraduate Certificate in Financial Markets Analysis

Choose the qualification that suits your career goals, time constraints and financial situation.

If you start with the Certificate or a Diploma, you can apply to transfer to the Master’s degree at a later stage. Both your academic performance and your professional work experience will be taken into account when assessing your application.

What you'll study

All the qualifications have a common theme the principles, practice and operations of financial markets, and the management of corporate, government and financial institutions.

The aim is to equip you with the knowledge and practical skills you need to succeed in the fast-paced and changeable world of financial markets.

Depending on your choice of qualification you'll complete either three courses for the Certificate or six courses for the diplomas. If you choose to study for the Master's you'll complete nine courses.

How you'll learn

You'll learn through weekly lectures for some courses, and in block format for others. The block courses are designed to give you the flexibility to continue working while you study.

Entry criteria

Bachelor's degree with a quantitative focus and two years' work experience.

Other English Language requirements:

• IELTS overall band of 6.5, no sub-score below 6.0; or
• TOEFL 90 on the internet-based test with at least 20 in writing; or
• A minimum of two ratings of 5 and two ratings of 4 in the Victoria University English Proficiency Programme test
• Pearson Test of English: A score of 65 (with a ‘Communicative’ score of not less than 58).