Master of Applied Finance

Program Overview

The Master of Applied Finance at UWA Business School empowers graduates with advanced finance knowledge, analytical skills, and communication abilities for success in the global finance industry. Taught by experienced finance professionals, the program covers practical topics, including risk management and capital markets, preparing students for in-demand careers in diverse sectors like consulting, investment banking, and financial planning. Graduates also benefit from a close affiliation with the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program and hands-on experience through industry-standard trading simulations and database analysis.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Master of Applied Finance is a specialized postgraduate program offered by the UWA Business School. It is designed to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary for a successful career in the global finance industry. The program is practical in nature and caters to both graduates already working in the finance sector and those with a non-finance background who wish to transition into the field.

Objectives:

The program aims to:

• Provide students with advanced theoretical and technical finance knowledge and skills to solve emerging and/or advanced finance problems.
• Develop students' ability to apply knowledge and skills to complex problems/issues in finance.
• Enhance students' communication skills, enabling them to effectively communicate complex finance issues to both specialists and non-specialists.

Description:

The Master of Applied Finance covers a wide range of applied finance topics, including:

• Risk management
• Capital markets
• International finance
The curriculum complements the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program, and candidates preparing for the CFA qualification are encouraged to enroll in the Master of Applied Finance as a preparatory course.

Teaching:

• The program is taught by experienced finance professionals, including professors who have served on the Commonwealth Government Superannuation Roundtable, acted as expert witnesses in court cases, and developed an Equity Preference Index in partnership with Colonial First State.
• The program utilizes real-world case studies and examples to apply learning to reality, providing students with a sound basis for entry into the working world.

Careers:

• Applied Finance graduates are in demand across a range of industries, including:
• Consulting
• Corporate finance
• Financial planning
• Financial risk management
• Funds management
• Insurance
• Investment banking
• Major employers include firms such as:
• Deloitte
• Ernst & Young
• KPMG
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Investment banks such as UBS and Macquarie Group
• Private equity firms
• Superannuation fund managers
• Graduate Careers Australia lists the financial services industry as the fourth largest sector of the Australian economy, accounting for more than eight per cent of GDP and employing nearly 400,000 people.

Other:

• The Master of Applied Finance is part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program.
• The program offers hands-on experience through:
• Trading simulations in the Rosemarie Nathanson Financial Markets Trading Room, which provides industry-standard tools and recreates the atmosphere of a real trading environment.
• Analysis of firm fundamentals using extensive databases (including Bloomberg and Reuters Eikon) to form investment decisions and create reports similar to those produced by equity analysts.
• Pricing of complex fixed income securities and derivatives using quantitative models, and investigation of deviations from real-world prices (using Bloomberg and Reuters Eikon).
• The UWA Business School is accredited through both EQUIS, the European Quality Improvement System, and AACSB, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.