Course details

Summary

Finance is a relatively new and rapidly growing discipline that examines the acquisition and allocation of financial resources. Where financial accounting measures past performance, Finance as a discipline is forward-focused. It is largely about future planning for firms or investors.

Finance consists of three interrelated subject areas:

• corporate finance studies how firms raise and efficiently utilise funds obtained from lenders and shareholders
• financial markets and institutions explores how the financial system facilitates the transfer of funds from savers and lenders to borrowers
• investment analysis studies how investors choose securities and asset classes for their investment portfolios.
• All of these areas assess the trade-off between risk and reward and the valuation of both financial and capital assets.

A Bachelor of Science (BSc) will extend your knowledge in multiple interest areas, satisfying many questions you may have about the world and encouraging you to investigate even further.

Qualification structure and duration

The Bachelor of Science requires a minimum total of 360 points:

• a minimum of 255 points of Science courses
• the remaining 105 points can be from either Science courses or courses from other degrees.
• At least 225 points must be from courses above 100-level, with at least 90 points at 300-level.

Double Degrees

Many students combine the study of a BSc with another degree, such as a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce or a Bachelor of Laws. If you are considering a double degree you should get advice from the College of Science Student Advisor or the Liaison Office.

Recommended preparation

If you are intending to major in Finance you are strongly advised to include maths, statistics and modelling in your Year 13 programme. Although some previous study of accounting and economics can be useful preparation for the 100-level courses in these subjects, it is not essential to have studied them at secondary school.

Students with very good NCEA Level 3 results (or equivalent standard in another qualification framework) in mathematics and either economics or accounting may be offered direct entry to 200-level Finance courses at the discretion of the Head of Department.

Career opportunities

Today it would be rare for a person to rise to the position of chief financial officer (CFO) without a strong grounding in both Accounting and Finance. There are also many other career opportunities for Finance graduates, with typical jobs including: financial analyst, money market and foreign exchange dealer, loan analyst, equity analyst, risk analyst/manager, portfolio manager, financial planner, investment banker and small-business manager.

Entry criteria

Admission to UC with University Entrance, or equivalent, is required to enrol for a Bachelor's degree. Applicants must have completed New Zealand University Entrance through NCEA; or Cambridge International Examinations (CIE); or International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) or any other equivalent overseas qualification.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 550 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum C+ grade; CAE or CPE minimum score of 169 with at least 162 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 57 and no PTE communicative skills score below 50.