Study Finance

What is finance? 

Finance in its’ most simple form is money. This includes the complex ways we interact with it for our personal benefit or on a larger scale such as managing organisational funds or even working at a national or global level in money markets worldwide. The Australian financial market grew 13.2% to $10.9 trillion during 2021* alone. Finance is all about managing financial resources and making strategic decisions in the face of uncertainty. It looks at how businesses raise capital, how people distribute savings and investments, and organisational policies and decisions. Finance is something we all have an interest in whether it’s personal or professional and it has huge impact on companies and individuals.

Finance affects all businesses and organisations and is also an industry in itself, which is why there is never a shortage of roles and positions you can pursue in finance. Financial careers have always been held in high esteem due to the heavy influence money, assets and cash flow have on organisations. Certain finance roles allow professionals to work with money and financial assets to create even more wealth and cash flow for clients and organisations. These professionals work with money to make more money.

^{*Roy Morgan Banking & Finance Currency Report, 2021}

Why study finance? 

Finance informs large-scale decisions for people at all levels. From personal finance to strategic decision-making within organisations, those who control the money also control the direction many organisations take. Skills and knowledge in finance provide value for those working in the financial services industry, including banking, brokerage and investment management, and just general business.

Skills and expertise in finance give you the ability to creatively problem solve, create wealth and apply those skills broadly across a broad range of industries. Your analytical and finance skills will put you in demand and set you up for success in a diverse range of careers in finance in Australia and across the globe whether you’re a domestic or international student.

You have the option to study full-time or part-time depending on where you are at in your career so your study can fit in with your life and your professional aspirations. There are 18 finance degrees to choose from as well as a range of double degrees and degrees which offer finance as an area of specialisation.

“UNSW’s Master of Commerce program has been an excellent fit, allowing me to explore my passions and broadening my understanding of the business world as a whole.” Shreya Gramle, UNSW Graduate

Interested in the intersection of finance and technology? Explore UNSW Business School's broad range of Financial Technology (FinTech) study options here.

Why choose UNSW?

UNSW Business school is one of the top finance schools in the Asia-Pacific. We offer a suite of programs in corporate finance, corporate governance and investments. UNSW Business School in a leading destination to study finance, ranked the #1 Business School in Australia (Australian Financial Review (AFR) Boss, 2024) and #1 in Australia and #22 globally for finance (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025). That means our business education leads the way in career impact, quality and reputation. Studying at UNSW Business School will set you up for a stellar career in finance.

At UNSW, our community are at the forefront of change and innovation. You’ll learn adaptive thinking as you build your expertise and blend theory with hands-on experience through work-integrated learning and internship opportunities with our industry partners located in Australia and overseas which benefit domestic and international students.

During your learning you’ll benefit from real-world learning, we offer a world-class learning lab. A physical space and data platform with real-time financial data putting theory into practice. Our finance graduates have gone on to work for consulting firms, wealth management firms and the big four banks, demonstrating how far a UNSW finance education can take you.

Your career opportunities

When you study a finance degree, whether it's a bachelor's degree, graduate diploma, graduate certificate or master's degree there is one common theme in studying finance - money permeates all industries. So there’s no shortage of career opportunities for those with skills and expertise in finance at Australian finance organisations as well as global organisations. Finance is well known for being one of the more lucrative industries when it comes to salaries and remuneration which makes it even more attractive to prospective employees.

Career options include:

• Asset management
• Corporate finance (credit analyst, financial analyst, trader, treasury)
• Personal financial adviser
• Risk management analyst
• Stockbroker

Study with us

Finance and Accounting degrees

Study Finance online

UNSW is passionate about imparting knowledge and helping people develop professionally no matter what their circumstances are. If you need more flexibility in your postgraduate finance study why not consider studying online? We offer the following online degrees:

• Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance (Online)
• Graduate Certificate in Business (Online)
• Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance (Online)
• Master of Applied Finance (Online)

What our graduates say

“The learning culture at UNSW, which challenges the status quo, helped set me apart from other financial advisors and prepared me for the fast-paced world of finance. I’ve been challenging the status quo ever since and have now started my own Financial Advisory helping people gain financial freedom and live a fulfilled life.” 

Harry Goldberg, Co-founder, Adviser and Coach, Purpose Advisory