Do you dream of living and thriving in the leading financial cities of the world - New York, London, Shanghai, Sydney or Hong Kong? Stop dreaming and get going. An ANU Bachelor of Finance will equip you to excel in the global financial marketplace.

As a student you will be challenged to solve a variety of financial problems while developing a keen analytical mind. Having these skills will prove invaluable in the fast changing world of finance.

As a Bachelor of Finance graduate from the Australian National University you will be highly sought-after, so aim high and think about which cityscape view you want from your office.

Mathematics is at the core of all technological innovations.

If you’d like to master quantitative problem-solving, mathematical modelling and critical thinking, this is the degree for you.

It is an elite, research-focused program for exceptional students at Australia’s highest-ranked university.

Make your mark with maths at ANU: find out more about mathematical studies, the degree structure, the university experience, career opportunities and student stories on our website. Work and learn in both independent and collaborative ways with others to encompass diverse abilities and perspectives.

Get the inside story on what it’s like to be an ANU student by visiting our student blog.

This program is not available for Semester 2 commencement.

Employment Opportunities

Finance has applications in many fields including banking, financial consulting and planning, funds management, merchant banking, stock broking, and treasury. Examples of job titles are listed below:

Financial dealer/broker

Financial dealers and brokers conduct financial market transactions on behalf of clients and offer advice on financial matters.

Financial manager/analyst/specialist

Combines financial knowledge with management, marketing, and operational skills in order to recognise the impact of financial data on the business as a whole, as well as on individual areas within the business. Translates financial data into non-financial terms and communicates it to all levels within the organisation.

Mathematical statistician

Designs and analyses experiments, develops new statistical theories and forecasting models, and designs sample surveys and quality control systems.

Corporate treasurer

Plans short and long term finance for organisations and advises on the financial consequences of internal and external decisions. They design investment portfolios to manage financial risk for organisations by acquiring, looking after, and investing funds.

Operations manager

Possesses expertise in both finance and information technology. Usually works closely with the Chief Finance Officer and the IT department, to measure the value of software and web-deployed applications. Helps businesses make decisions that are both financially and technologically sound. Is also responsible for working with vendors of financial software and applications.

Finance has applications in many fields including banking, financial consulting and planning, funds management, merchant banking, stock broking, and treasury. Examples of job titles are listed below:

Financial dealer/broker

Financial dealers and brokers conduct financial market transactions on behalf of clients and offer advice on financial matters.

Financial manager/analyst/specialist

Combines financial knowledge with management, marketing, and operational skills in order to recognise the impact of financial data on the business as a whole, as well as on individual areas within the business. Translates financial data into non-financial terms and communicates it to all levels within the organisation.

Mathematical statistician

Designs and analyses experiments, develops new statistical theories and forecasting models, and designs sample surveys and quality control systems.

Corporate treasurer

Plans short and long term finance for organisations and advises on the financial consequences of internal and external decisions. They design investment portfolios to manage financial risk for organisations by acquiring, looking after, and investing funds.

Operations manager

Possesses expertise in both finance and information technology. Usually works closely with the Chief Finance Officer and the IT department, to measure the value of software and web-deployed applications. Helps businesses make decisions that are both financially and technologically sound. Is also responsible for working with vendors of financial software and applications.

Learning Outcomes

1. Recognise the important role of investment and financing decisions, equities, bonds and derivatives in the financial markets.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the three basic ideas underpinning finance: the time value of money; diversification; and, arbitrage and their application to corporate financial decision-making; investment decisions and portfolio management; derivatives and risk management; portfolio construction; corporate valuation; and debt markets.
3. Apply theoretical foundations in practice to various discipline backgrounds.
4. Develop the skills necessary to critically engage with and evaluate financial problems.
5. Using a diverse range of discipline backgrounds and varied data, develop the skills necessary to collect, process, interpret and communicate the outcomes of financial problems.

1. Think clearly, sequentially and logically, as demonstrated by the critical analysis of quantitative problems, such as the ability to read, understand and write mathematical proofs.
2. Demonstrate mastery of the concepts and techniques of Advanced Mathematics.
3. Communicate concepts and results clearly and effectively both in writing and orally.
4. Systematically identify relevant theory and concepts, relate these to appropriate methodologies and evidence, and draw appropriate conclusions.
5. Engage in critical review of appropriate and relevant information sources.
6. Work and learn in both independent and collaborative ways with others to encompass diverse abilities and perspectives.

Further Information

Electives: 

Students have 48 units of electives in a single degree program. Electives can be selected from CBE or other Colleges. No more than 10 courses at 1000 level.

Students wish to undertake an out of college elective may contact the relevant College directly.

Student Responsibility:

It is the student's responsibility to select electives in such a way that:

• they satisfy prerequisites for the corresponding course/s.
• they conform to the rules set out in Programs and Courses or if unsure seek advice from the CBE office.

It is the student's responsibility to select the courses appropriate for his/her program.

Bachelor of Finance/Bachelor of Applied Data Analytics:

If students take this program in a Flexible Double Degree with a Bachelor of Applied Data Analytics, you will need to replace overlapping STAT courses with later year FINM or STAT courses.

Double Counting

Please note that students are not able to double count with the Asian Capital Markets Major and the Capital Markets Major. Therefore students may not have both a major in Asian Capital Markets and Capital Markets.

Quantitative Finance Major: 

If you wish to take Quantitative Finance Major, you will need to take MATH1113 in your first year of study.

FDD with Commerce:

Bachelor of Finance cannot be combined with Bachelor of Commerce with a Finance major.

Electives: 

Students have 48 units of electives in a single degree program. Electives can be selected from CBE or other Colleges. No more than 10 courses at 1000 level.

Students wish to undertake an out of college elective may contact the relevant College directly.

Student Responsibility:

It is the student's responsibility to select electives in such a way that:

• they satisfy prerequisites for the corresponding course/s.
• they conform to the rules set out in Programs and Courses or if unsure seek advice from the CBE office.

It is the student's responsibility to select the courses appropriate for his/her program.

Bachelor of Finance/Bachelor of Applied Data Analytics:

If students take this program in a Flexible Double Degree with a Bachelor of Applied Data Analytics, you will need to replace overlapping STAT courses with later year FINM or STAT courses.

Double Counting

Please note that students are not able to double count with the Asian Capital Markets Major and the Capital Markets Major. Therefore students may not have both a major in Asian Capital Markets and Capital Markets.

Quantitative Finance Major: 

If you wish to take Quantitative Finance Major, you will need to take MATH1113 in your first year of study.

FDD with Commerce:

Bachelor of Finance cannot be combined with Bachelor of Commerce with a Finance major.

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

There are no formal program prerequisites. But assumed knowledge is:-ACT: Mathematical Methods (Major)/Further Mathematics/Specialist Mathematics (major)/ Specialist Methods or NSW: HSC Mathematics Advanced or equivalent. More information about interstate subject equivalencies can be found here.

ACT: Specialist Mathematics and Specialist Methods (double major) / Discrete Mathematics ANU/UC.

NSW: Mathematics Extension 2 or equivalent. 

VIC: Specialist Mathematics.

QLD: Specialist Mathematics.

TAS: Mathematics Specialised / Both Mathematics IA and IB through UTAS.

SA / NT: Specialist Mathematics.

WA: Mathematics Specialist.

IB: Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL.

More information about interstate subject equivalencies can be found here .

Adjustment Factors

Adjustment factors are combined with an applicant's secondary education results to determine their Selection Rank. ANU offers adjustment factors based on equity, diversity, and/or performance principles, such as for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies.

To be eligible for adjustment factors, you must have:

• achieved a Selection Rank of 70 or more before adjustment factors are applied
• if you have undertaken higher education, completed less than one year full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) of a higher education program
• applied for an eligible ANU bachelor degree program

Please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Finance flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 48 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must include:

30 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

BUSN1001 Business Reporting and Analysis

ECON1101 Microeconomics 1

ECON2101 Microeconomics 2

FINM1001 Foundations of Finance

STAT1008 Quantitative Research Methods

6 units from completion of a course from the following list:

ECON1100 Economics 1 (H)

ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1

12 units from completion of a course from the following list:

BUSN2036 Financial Statement Analysis

CBEA2001 Australian Indigenous Perspectives in Business and Economics

CBEA3001 College of Business and Economics Special Industry Project (UG)

CBEA3066 Global Business Immersion

CBEA3070 ANU College of Business and Economics Internship Program

EMET1001 Foundations of Economic and Financial Models

FINM3009 Student Managed Fund and FINM3010 Student Managed Fund Extension (12 units*)

FINM3015 Foundations of Fintech

MATH1013 Mathematics and Applications 1

MATH1113 Mathematical Foundations for Actuarial Studies

MATH1115 Advanced Mathematics and Applications 1

STAT2032 Financial Mathematics

Any other ANU courses

*Enrolment in the Student Managed Fund (SMF) courses requires 12 units over two consecutive semesters. For more information, please see the SMF website (https://rsfas.anu.edu.au/study/student-managed-fund) and the application page (https://rsfas.anu.edu.au/news/smf-applications).

48 units from completion of one of the following majors:

Asian Capital Markets

Capital Markets

Quantitative Finance

If your flexible double degree is within the College of Business and Economics (for example Commerce and Economics), the below study plan may show the same course twice. If this is the case, you must only do the course once and replace the other course with a University Wide Elective. Please note that you cannot exceed 8 out of college electives.

The minor in Business and Economics Essentials will not be listed on transcripts for students completing the Bachelor of Commerce.

For majors and minors offered by the ANU College of Business and Economics, students may count a course towards multiple majors and minors. If a minor is a subset of all stated courses and/or prerequisites for a major, then completion of the major overrides completion of the minor, and only the major is regarded as having been completed. If all courses in a major and/or minor are compulsory courses in the degree, the major and/or minor will not be listed on the transcript.

The Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

A minimum of 84 units from completion of courses from the lists below, which must include:

30 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

MATH1115 Advanced Mathematics and Applications 1 (6 units)

MATH1116 Advanced Mathematics and Applications 2 (6 units)

MATH2305 Applied Mathematics I (6 units)

MATH2320 Advanced Analysis 1: Metric Spaces and Applications (6 units)

MATH2322 Advanced Algebra 1: Groups, Rings and Linear Algebra (6 units)

6 units from the completion of one of the following courses:

MATH1005 Discrete Mathematical Models (6 units)

MATH2222 Introduction to Mathematical Thinking: Problem Solving and Proofs (6 units)

36 units from completion of 3000-level courses from the subject area MATH Mathematics

A minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 units from completion of courses not previously taken from the following subject areas:

ASTR – Astronomy & Astrophysics

BIOL – Biology

CHEM – Chemistry

COMP – Computer Science

EMSC – Earth and Marine Science

ENVS – Environmental Science

HLMD – Health and Medicine

HLTH – Health Science

MATH – Mathematics

MEDN – Medical Science

NEUR – Neuroscience

PHYS – Physics

PSYC – Psychology

SCNC – Science

SCOM – Science Communication

STAT – Statistics

HURDLE REQUIREMENTS

Students must achieve a minimum 70% Weighted Average Mark in each period (Summer/First Semester/Autumn and Winter/Second Semester/Spring) in the subject area of MATH to continue in the Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences. During their first year of study, students will be considered in breach of this requirement only if it is not met in both Semester 1 and Semester 2.

Students who do not achieve a minimum of 70% Weighted Average Mark will be transferred to the Bachelor of Science.

First-year students should note that a prerequisite for the MATH1116 course is a mark of 60% or higher in MATH1115, and a prerequisite for both MATH2320 and MATH2322 is a mark of 60% or higher in MATH1116.

Students must achieve a minimum 70% Weighted Average Mark in each period (Summer/First Semester/Autumn and Winter/Second Semester/Spring) in the subject area of MATH to continue in the Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences. During their first year of study, students will be considered in breach of this requirement only if it is not met in both Semester 1 and Semester 2.

Students who do not achieve a minimum of 70% Weighted Average Mark will be transferred to the Bachelor of Science.

First-year students should note that a prerequisite for the MATH1116 course is a mark of 60% or higher in MATH1115, and a prerequisite for both MATH2320 and MATH2322 is a mark of 60% or higher in MATH1116.

Majors

Bachelor of Finance Majors

Study Options