Course details

Summary

Want to understand how the financial markets work? How to manage different types of risks? Interested in achieving a challenging technical degree with flexible career opportunities?

Financial engineering is a cross-disciplinary field combining financial and economic theory with the mathematical and computational tools needed to design and develop financial products, portfolios, markets, and regulations. Financial engineers manage financial risk, identify market opportunities, design and value financial or actuarial products, and optimise investment strategies.

Similar to other professional degrees at UC, the first year of the Bachelor of Science in Financial Engineering provides a breadth and depth of technical skills and knowledge across the key disciplines of finance and economics, mathematics and statistics, and computer science and software engineering.

This broad foundation is then built upon over the next two years, where you will undertake further core courses across these disciplines and can choose specialisations within Financial Engineering.

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.

Further study

Students may continue after a three-year BSc and enrol in the one-year BSc(Hons) programme. This extended programme, further builds the breadth and depth of skills with a focus on financial and economic theory, along with the mathematical and statistical tools underpinning them.

Alongside the coursework a capstone project brings together these skillsets to develop abilities for independent study and broader skills for the job market or postgraduate study in Financial Engineering.

Students may also continue to a new 180-point Master of Financial Engineering, combining coursework and a project.

Career opportunities

UC Financial Engineering graduates will be ready for the international workplace in the finance industry and related fields mentioned above. They will also be well prepared for further study in Financial Engineering in order to attain positions at higher technical levels.

Employers range from private industries, such as banking, investment, capital industries, security, data analysis, risk management and insurance, to the public sector (eg, Reserve Bank, The Treasury or regulatory bodies).

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.