BlogUniversityWhat It’s Like Studying a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD

What It’s Like Studying a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD

Bachelor of Commerce USYD - Fact Sheet

Are you having thoughts of studying a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD, with no idea what to expect?

Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got everything you need to know from core units and majors, how to get into the degree, to the culture of the degree, and more!

Let’s get started!

What is a a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD?
Core Units and Majors
How to Get into a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD
What’s the Teaching Format?
What’s the Faculty and Culture Like?

What is a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD?

A Bachelor of Commerce at USYD is a degree focused on the analytical side of business and developing quantitative skills. So if you really enjoy working with numbers and have a keen interest in accounting, finance or even human resource management, this could be the course for you!

Sydney Uni offers students studying this degree a diverse range of subjects and learning experiences required to pursue a global career in the business industry. You can also choose up to two majors from their wide variety of subject areas.

There are core (compulsory) units in accounting, business analytics, as well as the Future of Business and Leading and Influencing in Business units created to prepare you for the workforce.

Can I study a Bachelor of Commerce with another degree or as honours?

Yes! A Bachelor of Commerce at USYD has other degree options that you can enrol in, such as:

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Dalyell Stream) – this is offered as a targeted stream for high-achieving students, who are known as Dalyell Scholars.
  • Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies – you can choose to complete advanced coursework in your Commerce degree.
  • Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies with Honours – in order to complete honours, you have to undertake an extra eight units (on top of your required 24 for a Bachelor of Commerce) and write a thesis, which can be up to 15,000 words.

You can find more info on the Commerce Degree Structures here!

Career Paths

As a graduate of this degree, there are many different jobs can potentially pursue! Whichever career you end up in really depends on the particular area of commerce that interests you most.

If you’re more inclined towards numbers, you could look into becoming an:

You aren’t just limited to these sorts of roles either – other jobs that can come out of this degree include becoming a human resources specialist, management consultant, marketing executive, policy advisor and many more!

Discover other careers you can pursue with a Bachelor of Commerce here!

Core Units and Majors

The core units within a Bachelor of Commerce includes:

  • Future of Business
  • Quantitative Business Analysis
  • Accounting, Business and Society
  • Leading and Influencing in Business

This degree at Sydney Uni is known for providing one of the largest variety of majors of any Australian business school. At least one major must be chosen from the following business subjects:

Bachelor of Commerce USYD - Majors

Your second major can be selected from USYD’s pool of shared majors, which includes over 100 areas of study.

Lastly, this degree offers a program in Professional Accounting, which is now available to complete in place of a major. The program is a fantastic opportunity if you want to pursue a professional career in accounting, as you’ll develop the expertise needed for professional accounting accreditation with the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) and CPA Australia.

What’s an International Business major like?

An International Business major explores the management, strategy and development of international business organisations and how multinational and transnational business activities function. In simpler terms, you gain knowledge on how Australian businesses work in comparison with international countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Bachelor of Commerce USYD - Student Quote

Are there built-in internships?

This degree does not have built-in internships, however on the University of Sydney Career Hub (Sydney Uni’s own job and career seeking website, which is only accessed by current students and graduates), there are numerous commerce and business related internships available for students.

How to Get into a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD

The ATAR cut off for this degree is an ATAR of 96. You can find other admission pathways into a Bachelor of Commerce here.

Are there any prerequisites?

There is a prerequisite of a Band 4 in the NSW HSC subject Mathematics or Mathematics Advanced, or a band E3 in Mathematics Extension 1 or 2.

You can find equivalent requirements here!

However, the first year of the course, and depending on your major, can be quite maths heavy. Some advice that was given by a former Commerce student is if you don’t want to fall behind, having done Mathematics Advanced in the HSC would be highly beneficial.  

What scholarships are available?

There are scholarships available for any domestic undergraduate students within the University of Sydney Business School. You can access more info here!

Check out the top business schools in Australia here!

What’s the Teaching Format?

A Bachelor of Commerce at USYD is taught through lectures and tutorials across two semesters per year.

Each unit has two hours of lectures, followed by a one hour tutorial. 

When attending lectures, don’t be surprised by the amount of students in the lecture hall. There can be anywhere between 100 to 500 people in there with you, trying to digest what the lecturer is teaching.

Within tutorials that usually consist of 20 to 25 people, you will often work in groups to solve problems tasked by the tutor. However, for accounting and maths tutorials you will mainly work individually.

The workload in most commerce tutorials can be quite heavy, often with homework. So be prepared!

The number of contact hours varies from 14 to 17 hours (for four units of study a semester), depending on your chosen subjects.

What are the assessments like?

Apart from accounting and other maths subjects, most commerce assessments involve group assignments, whether that be a group presentation or a group-written report. Otherwise, every commerce major has quizzes, a mid semester exam that can be worth 30 to 40% of your final grade, and a final closed-book exam that takes place at the end of semester in the exam period (worth up to 50%).

Skills That You Refine and Learn

Bachelor of Commerce USYD - Skills

The critical thinking and practical skills you develop through a Bachelor of Commerce at Sydney Uni are not only grounding in business-related areas of knowledge, but the degree also allows you to gain essential interpersonal and leadership skills. This is a massive plus!

By learning how businesses operate, you’ll achieve the necessary problem-solving and analytical thinking skills needed in the real business world. Commerce at USYD thrives on enabling students with the opportunity to study globally and work with leading international companies, enhancing your communication skills and capacity to work in a fast-paced environment.

As many assessments are assigned as group work, your ability to become a greater team player will also be refined.

What’s the Faculty and Culture Like?

Like any other degree at USYD, Sydney Uni’s Business School can have a reputation for being elitist and perhaps a little intimidating. The novelty of the sandstone is worthwhile as a Bachelor of Commerce at USYD is renowned for its highly intelligent and successful tutors and lecturers, maintaining its status as one of the best Business Schools in Australia.

However, as Commerce is an immensely popular degree, the intake at the University of Sydney is extremely large. You will often not see the same person twice in a tutorial. This won’t take away your ability to make friends though!

Societies

The Sydney Uni Business Society (SUBS) is one of the biggest societies on campus. All students studying a Commerce degree are automatically members, with its aim to help commerce students enhance their academic and business careers through social events and networking opportunities. SUBS also throws a really big (and really fun) ball at the end of the year.

USYD’s Business School also has major-specific societies, such as:

  • Sydney Marketing Society 
  • Accounting Society at the University of Sydney
  • BusinessOne Consulting
  • Finance and Banking Society
  • Network of Women
  • University Network for Investment and Trading

The full list of USYD Business Societies and Clubs are here!

By being a member of any business society, you will be able to network with professional mentors from transnational and multinational companies, providing you with a head start to your global business career. Guaranteed you’ll also build friendships as well. It’s a win-win!

What resources and support programs can you access?

Peer-assisted study sessions (PASS) are available for students enrolled in core units in Sydney Uni’s Business School, to help with any learning difficulties you are experiencing. They are hour-long weekly sessions, working in groups of 10 to 16 students.

PASS is a very beneficial way to receive help if you’re struggling with any business-related areas like maths, but as many Commerce students use this service, it is best to get in early!

Looking into the pros and cons of this degree? Check out our article here!


Isabelle Plasto is a Content Writer at Art of Smart Education and in her third year of a Media and Communications degree at the University of Sydney, majoring in Digital Cultures. You can find her work published in Dementia Australia’s August 2020 eNewsletter, an organisation very close to her heart. Apart from writing, Issy loves to travel, cook and boogie to 70s disco music.

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