BlogBusinessWhat It’s Like Studying a Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash University

What It’s Like Studying a Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash University

Banking and Finance Monash - Fact Sheet

Are you looking to take your understanding of the finance world to the next level with a Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash? Perhaps you’re a bit of a numbers and business whiz and want to learn all about the skills needed to manage money in institutions like banks and investment houses. 

Keep scrolling to find out everything there is to know about the units, assessments, culture and what it’s really like studying Banking and Finance at Monash Uni. 

Let’s dive in! 

What is a Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash?
Core Units for this Degree
How to Get into a Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash
What’s the Teaching Format?
What’s the Faculty and Culture Like?

What is a Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash?

The Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash is a course that teaches the essential skills and knowledge involved in managing money in all institutional settings. It’s a program that will equip you with all the necessary info to secure a great position within the financial world! 

You’ll be learning how to undergo advanced financial analysis to evaluate and understand the complexities of the banking and financial sector to manage money, grant credit, make investments, provide financial facilities and acquire capital. Like in Year 12 Business Studies, Commerce and Economics, you’ll be building on your knowledge of futures, derivatives, bonds, stocks and the other aspects that make the banking and finance industry such a central societal piece. 

You’ll be gaining the knowledge that is welcome and in-demand in all sorts of professions, industries and career paths. Essentially, you’ll be exploring the importance of a robust and efficient financial system that acts as the main foundations of an effective economy. 

You’ll be covering the ins and outs of the banking and financial sector so if that sounds like something you’re interested in, it might be a great choice for you! 

Can this degree be studied in conjunction with another?

Sure can! A double degree is a great option for students who are having trouble specialising in a single discipline or want to be able to fast track their studies, enhance career flexibility and increase employability. 

If studying a double degree is something you’d like to do, there’s one main combination for Banking and Finance students. This is the Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Banking and Finance degree.

A business degree will give you a greater opportunity to study the business-related aspects of finance and law that applies to business, statistics and business management. So, it would be a great addition to complement your Banking and Finance degree!

By undergoing this double degree, you’ll have an even wider scope of career possibilities and a more well-rounded understanding of finance and banking especially in relation to the business world. 

Honours

Another great feature of the Bachelor of Banking and Finance degree at Monash is the opportunity to progress to a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours). This is the main pathway for further study once you graduate from the Banking and Finance program.

While this aspect is not compulsory, it’s a great option for students who want to build their knowledge and gain a competitive advantage in the working world. 

To be eligible to apply, you’ll need to have a distinction grade average or above in 24 credit points of Level 3 studies. There may also be some extra subjects that you’ll have to complete as prerequisites but the main entry requirement is decent marks!

So, if you’re hoping to graduate with an Honours degree, you’ll need to work pretty hard throughout your Bachelors course. 

You can take a further look at the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) right here!

Career Paths

Finance and banking jobs are always going to be in demand. We’ll always be using money and there’ll be a lot of people who need some help managing, understanding and investing their money. So, that’s where you come in!

Once you graduate from the Bachelor of Banking and Finance degree at Monash, you’ll be prepared and confident to ace a position within the finance world and beyond! Some possible career paths include:

    • Financial markets broker 
    • Loan officer 
    • Financial analyst 
    • Bank customer service officer 
    • Financial planner 
    • Finance manager 
    • Company secretary 
    • Business analyst
    • Marketing specialist 
    • Mergers and acquisition adviser 

You’ve got plenty of options. You could even commit to some further study to become an actuary, a teacher or you could stick to academia! 

Core Units for this Degree

To graduate from the Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash Uni, you’ll need to complete a total of 144 credit points.

Credit points or units are the way that universities measure the workload of particular subjects. So, it’s a way to figure out how much of a commitment a certain subject will be.

The majority of subjects in the Banking and Finance course are worth 6 credit points each. This means that you’ll be taking approximately 24 subjects in your degree with 4 each semester. 

Your subjects in the Banking and Finance program are divided into 4 distinct categories. These include foundation business knowledge, specialist discipline knowledge, capstone experience and free elective study. You’ll need to complete the allocated amount of all of these sections, we’ll explore a few in more detail next.

You can take a deeper look for yourself here!

Foundation Business Knowledge

Core UnitsDescription
MicroeconomicsThis introductory subject is all about microeconomics and other basic economic ideas that can be used to analyse economic applications in everyday life. You’ll be learning all about supply and demand, consumer behaviour, consumer decisions, optimal production and the different market structures. 
Business StatisticsThis subject will teach the foundational statistical techniques that can be applied to issues across a range of businesses. You’ll be getting to know topics like descriptive statistics, categorical and numerical data, charts, standardisation techniques and the concepts involved in sampling. 
Introduction to Financial AccountingHence its title, in this subject you’ll be introduced to financial accounting with reference to the Conceptual Framework and Accounting Standards. You'll get to know about the different accounting processes, practices and policies used in financial statements. 
Accounting for ManagersContinuing in accounting, in this subject you’ll develop an understanding of the basic accounting concepts to non-accountants. This will be the information used by potential investors and managers. You’ll build on your knowledge to do with financial statements and how they work alongside cost, performance measurement and budgeting. 

Specialist Discipline Knowledge

Below are more of the subjects that you’ll be required to complete throughout your degree. These subjects meet the requirements for professional accreditation bodies and will build on your abilities to critically and creatively apply knowledge of banking and finance to different business issues.

These subjects include:

    • Foundation of Finance 
    • Corporate Finance 1
    • Commercial Banking and Finance 
    • Investments and Portfolio Management 
    • International Finance 
    • Banking Law 
    • Macroeconomics 
    • Introductory Econometrics 

You’ll also get 48 credit points worth of elective subjects. So, you’ll get to choose 8 subjects that you’d like to try out.

This is a great opportunity for those wanting to broaden their knowledge, experiment with new topics or if you want to build on your current knowledge! 

Is there a built-in internship program?

Yep! This will be known as your capstone unit. You’ll get to take this subject once you’ve completed 96 credit points in your degree. So, this is a subject that you’ll complete in your final year at uni. 

The subject is called Finance and Society and it’s all about applying the theoretical knowledge that you’ve developed to practical situations. You’ll learn all about finance’s role in shaping society and how it can be used to solve business issues. 

 

How to Get into the Bachelor of Banking and Finance at Monash

To be eligible to apply to the Bachelor of Banking and Finance course at Monash, you’ll need an ATAR of at least 75.

Alternate Pathway

If you haven’t quite gotten the mark, don’t let that deter you! Your best bet when it comes to alternative entry pathways is to go through Monash College. 

If you’ve graduated from Year 12, just without the needed marks, your college pathway plan will likely involve one 8 month diploma before you can get into the Bachelor’s program. You’ll still need to compete with other students to get in, so it’s not definite, but it’s a great option to have! 

You can take a look at the Business and Economics section of Monash College right here!

Any assumed knowledge?

The prerequisite subjects that you’ll need to have studied in Year 12 to be prepared for the Bachelor of Banking and Finance course include English and Maths. So, nothing crazy! If you’ve graduated from high school, then you’ll have an English subject under your belt and as long as you’ve completed Year 12 maths, then you’re good to go. 

While these aren’t compulsory, if you’re choosing your Year 12 subjects, it may be handy to study Business, Economics or Commerce if you can! That way, you’ll have the foundational knowledge to feel confident once you get to uni and you can also find out if that’s actually what you want to spend the next 3 years studying.  

Alternatively, if you’d like to hone in on some financial skills that you may have missed out on in Year 12, you can always choose some introductory subjects when you’re choosing your electives! So, where there’s a will, there’s a way! 

Scholarships

Monash Uni is great when it comes to scholarships. Monash offers a wide variety of scholarships on account of a range of different reasons and situations.

If you’re someone who has struggled mentally, financially or physically during your school years, there may be a scholarship for you. There are also scholarships offered on account of elite athleticism, academic excellence, community engagement and if you’re an Indigenous Australian. 

So, no matter who you are, there could be a scholarship for you! You just have to look for it. You can check out Monash’s scholarships right here. 

What’s the Teaching Format?

As a student at Monash Uni, you can expect to undergo your studies in a two-semester system. This means you’ll be learning your course content over two main sessions with a pretty decent break in between.

Class Structure

Banking and Finance Monash - Class Structure

Your subjects will be taught through the classic tutorial and lecture combo.

You’ll have about a 1 hour lecture and a 2 hour tutorial for each of your classes each week. If you’re studying full-time, this means you’ll have 4 lectures and 4 tutorials each week.

All up, you can expect to be on campus for at least 15 hours each week. This should account for all of your classes, lecture and tutorial preparation, as well as some independent study to get you ready and raring to ace those assessments. 

Lectures 

Lectures will generally follow the same format no matter where you go. There’ll usually be a tutor or guest lecturer up the front of the lecture theatre who will explain the content that’s being displayed on a Powerpoint.

You’ll be surrounded by about 100 people — although this depends if it’s a core subject, major class or elective so this number will vary accordingly.  

Lectures are one of the few university occasions where you’re not directly encouraged to get involved and ask questions. They’re a pretty passive experience that require you to be taking notes and preparing any questions you may like to ask your tutor in future classes.

Your lectures will inform your tutorials, so make sure you’re around them!

Tutorials 

Like lectures, your tutorials take a pretty standard approach. You’ll have one for each subject you’re taking and they’ll last for about 2 hours with around 25 other students in the classroom with you. 

You can expect a tutorial to look a little something like this: your tutor will be standing up the front of the class, giving a more in-depth explanation of the material that you’re focusing on that week. They’ll be initiating class discussions, answering any questions and perhaps making time for a few short quizzes to make sure you’re up to date. 

Assessments 

You can expect your assessments to be completely different depending on the subject that you’re taking. As a banking and finance student, the majority of your units will be assessed based on an examination or test. So, you’ll be doing a lot of independent study to prepare.

Alongside the written exams, you can expect to be graded on things like your software skills, your ability to calculate and also your confidence working with clients, writing up bank statements and evaluating investment opportunities. So, you’ll be assessed on the important info that will get you set for the real world.  

Skills That You Refine and Learn

Banking and Finance Monash - Skills

You’ll leave the Bachelor of Banking and Finance degree with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge to ace a position in the financial world. Not only will you be developing some essential numerical and statistical skills but you’ll also be getting to know how to communicate with clients, how to solve issues and generally make a positive impact on individuals and businesses wanting support in managing their money.

Some of the skills you’ll gain include:

    • Interpersonal skills 
    • Problem solving 
    • Analytical skills
    • Critical thinking 
    • Innovation 
    • Management abilities 
    • Communication 
    • Knowledge of IT
    • Oral speaking skills 
    • Decisiveness 

Most importantly, you’ll graduate equipped with plenty of transferable skills! So, you’ll never feel pigeonholed in a single profession. Instead, you’ll develop a well rounded understanding that can be applied to a wide scope of different workplaces, industries and professions. 

As we mentioned before, your communication and oral speaking skills will be imperative to a role as any kind of financial planner or investment manager. You’ll be constantly liaising with clients to understand their position and recommend solutions.

Devising strategic and successful solutions will come down to innovation, problem solving and decisiveness. So, all of these skills will become more and more important as you progress to the working world. 

Banking and Finance Monash - Quote

Although it’s good to mention that you are in no way expected to possess these skills before you begin uni. They’re skills that you’ll build on during your degree, as you complete work experience and as you begin real work! So, definitely don’t let this deter you if you don’t think you’re the best oral speaker yet. 

What’s the Faculty and Culture Like? 

As a student in Monash’s Bachelor of Banking and Finance course, you’ll be supported throughout your degree by the Monash Business School. This is a school of accomplished and experienced business researchers and one that serves over 10 other departments and centres. This is where the Department of Banking and Finance fits in.

The Business School also consists of the Department of Accounting, Department of Business Law and Taxation, Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics, Department of Management, Department of Economics and the Department of Marketing — among others!

So, as a student in the Department of Banking and Finance, you’ll have easy access to every other aspect of business. So, if you’re ever wanting some extra academic support or assessment help, you can count on the Monash Business School.

Banking and Finance at Monash began over 40 years ago so you can be confident that you’ll feel welcome and supported by knowledgeable staff and teachers. 

Culture

The Banking and Finance cohort at Monash are a group of clever, friendly and judicious students who, like you, are ready to take on the finance world and learn the ins and outs of banking, investments, loans and much much more.

You’ll constantly feel supported in your studies and can be sure that you’ll be set with some long term friends once you graduate. While it can be a pretty competitive degree, you’ll be encouraged to get to know your peers and learn from them too. 

Wondering what the pros and cons of this degree are? Check out our article here!

Clubs and Societies

There are a huge variety of clubs and societies offered to current students at Monash Uni. No matter your interest, you’re guaranteed to find a group of people that you’ll connect with and share similar interests with. You can join as many clubs and societies as you desire and it’s a great way to foster friendships, step out of your comfort zone, enhance your network and try new skills! 

There are over 100 student-led clubs and societies to choose from and there is absolutely no requirement to join a banking and finance club — although the option’s there. You might want to use the society opportunities to explore disciplines or activities outside of your degree. 

You might be interested in joining the Business and Commerce Students Society, the Monash Marketing Society, the Creative Writers Club or the Boardgames Society! You can feel confident that at Monash you’ll find a club right up your alley! 

Resources

The final great aspect of the Bachelor of Banking and Finance is the kinds of resources and support services that Monash offers all of their students. Uni can be a tricky time and Monash understands the strain your studies can take on your mental health, emotional well being, and relationships — especially if you’re someone that tends to put pressure on yourself to perform amazingly every time. 

Whether you need some academic assistance, counselling, course advice, language support, IT help or an understanding of the disability accessibility services on offer, Monash is there to help. 

You can take a look at Monash’s Health and Wellbeing page here and you can check out Monash’s study support section right here! 


Gemma Billington is a Content Writer at Art of Smart and an undergraduate student at the University of Technology Sydney. While studying Journalism and Social and Political Sciences, Gemma enjoys spending her time at the gym or reading about Britain’s medieval monarchy – ideally not at the same time. She currently creates and administers social media posts for Central News and writes for the student publication, The Comma. After completing her undergraduate degree, she hopes to study a Masters of Medieval History and is very excited about the prospect!

 

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