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Accreditation

The Master of Applied Finance fulfils the educational requirements for admission as a Senior Associate (SA Fin) of Finsia - the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. Senior Associate membership with Finsia also requires at least three years career experience in the financial services industry. The Master of Applied Finance also allows graduates to satisfy the education requirements for professional membership of the Finance and Treasury Association - Certified Finance and Treasury Professional (FTA-CFTP).

Admission

Local applications for the course must be made through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Futher information on courses is available on the Local Admissions section of the UWS website.

International applicants should apply directly to the University. Further information on courses is available on the International Admissions section of the UWS website or via internationalstudy@uws.edu.au.

Applicants must possess an undergraduate degree in a Business or Commerce related field or a good Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance.

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 80 credit points which includes three core units and five alternate units.

Students are permitted to complete up to two units from any other Masters degree offered by the College of Business as part of the five alternate units.

Core Units

Corporate Finance (PG)

Corporate Finance is concerned with fulfilling those managerial tasks directed to the decision-making process, including asset and project valuation, leasing, capital structure and dividend distribution and working capital management. Students wishing to take this unit as an elective will need to seek approval from either the Head of Programs or Course advisor.

Financial Institutions and Markets (MAF)

This unit ensures that students have knowledge of the basic institutional framework of the Australian banking industry and financial system. The unit briefly examines international financial markets and the interaction with their Australian counterparts.

Funds Management and Portfolio Selection

This unit covers the basic principles of portfolio selection and funds management and examines share investments. The unit focuses on the factors that affect asset prices; calculations based on the Markowitz Model of portfolio selection; the Single Index Model and the beta of a share; performance measures for a managed fund; style differences in funds management; management of fixed-interest portfolios; and the use of share derivatives to manage share portfolios.

Alternate Units

Credit and Lending Decisions

This unit teaches techniques necessary for running a successful lending book. It outlines the steps which must be taken in performing credit evaluation, and provides the analytical techniques necessary to carry out such evaluation. This unit does not cover the legal aspects of financial institution lending.

Derivatives

This unit describes the major derivative products and explains how they are used for hedging, speculation, and creating synthetic investments. In doing so, it analyses the effect of the growth of derivatives markets and their relationship to the market for the securities underlying them. Hedging applications are considered from the point of view of corporate treasurers and funds managers.

Economics (PG)

This unit concentrates on both Microeconomic and Macroeconomic theories. Microeconomics is concerned with the study of individual units within the economy - the individual consumer, the individual firm, the type of market structure facing the firm and price and output determination. Macroeconomics is concerned with analysis of the factors determining the way in which the economic resources of an economy are utilised or under-utilised. Students wishing to take this unit as an elective will need to seek approval from either the Head of Programs or Course advisor.

Financial Institution Management

This unit covers the tactics of financial institution management – the factors which determine short-term managerial decisions in financial institutions. A major part of the unit is the discussion of asset/liability management.

Financial Modelling

This unit is essential to prepare students for applied financial analysis and modelling applications used extensively in other units of the Master of Applied Finance program. It familiarises participants with the strengths and limitations of contemporary quantitative modelling techniques using multivariate statistical procedures and optimization approaches. The use of appropriate modelling software including Excel, SPSS, QM for Windows and MPT models is emphasised.

International Finance

Australian companies are increasingly competing on world markets for sources of finance and are looking for investment opportunities in foreign markets. This unit looks at the determination of exchange rates, the foreign exchange markets, effective management of exchange exposure on overseas investments, and sources of finance.

International Trade and Industry Economics

This unit is concerned with microeconomic policy development in an open economy setting. It applies and extends microeconomic theory to provide an understanding of the principles governing the formulation of international trade and industry policies. The unit reviews traditional and recent models of the behaviour of firms in international economics. It also overviews the traditional and strategic theories of trade performance and the design, formulation and implementation of trade policy. Unit available for masters only.

Law of Finance and Securities

This unit covers the aspects of the law which are relevant to financial institutions and financing decisions. It describes the legal environment within which the finance industry operates and places special emphasis on the laws regulating the day-to-day conduct of financial business. It provides candidates with the knowledge of legal fundamentals necessary for finance professionals to function in a business and financial environment that is becoming increasingly sensitive to legal pitfalls.

Marketing of Financial Products

This unit outlines the basic principles of marketing and discusses their application to the marketing of financial services. The unit will provide an understanding of how markets function and of customer behaviour, giving students the ability to formulate a marketing strategy for financial services.

Security Analysis and Portfolio Theory

This unit looks at the models developed to guide investment choice including those beyond the dominant paradigm of the EMH/CAPM view. It provides an opportunity for students to develop advanced skills in the analysis of financial statements, to understand the investment significance of such analyses, and to use such analyses in portfolio applications.

Note: 200426 Corporate Finance (PG) and 200425 Economics (PG) are currently offered at Parramatta campus. If these units are not available at Westmead when students commence their enrolment, it is expected they will be able to complete these two units at Parramatta.

Specialisations

Banking

Credit and Lending Decisions

This unit teaches techniques necessary for running a successful lending book. It outlines the steps which must be taken in performing credit evaluation, and provides the analytical techniques necessary to carry out such evaluation. This unit does not cover the legal aspects of financial institution lending.

Financial Institution Management

This unit covers the tactics of financial institution management – the factors which determine short-term managerial decisions in financial institutions. A major part of the unit is the discussion of asset/liability management.

Law of Finance and Securities

This unit covers the aspects of the law which are relevant to financial institutions and financing decisions. It describes the legal environment within which the finance industry operates and places special emphasis on the laws regulating the day-to-day conduct of financial business. It provides candidates with the knowledge of legal fundamentals necessary for finance professionals to function in a business and financial environment that is becoming increasingly sensitive to legal pitfalls.

Marketing of Financial Products

This unit outlines the basic principles of marketing and discusses their application to the marketing of financial services. The unit will provide an understanding of how markets function and of customer behaviour, giving students the ability to formulate a marketing strategy for financial services.

Funds Management

Derivatives

This unit describes the major derivative products and explains how they are used for hedging, speculation, and creating synthetic investments. In doing so, it analyses the effect of the growth of derivatives markets and their relationship to the market for the securities underlying them. Hedging applications are considered from the point of view of corporate treasurers and funds managers.

Financial Modelling

This unit is essential to prepare students for applied financial analysis and modelling applications used extensively in other units of the Master of Applied Finance program. It familiarises participants with the strengths and limitations of contemporary quantitative modelling techniques using multivariate statistical procedures and optimization approaches. The use of appropriate modelling software including Excel, SPSS, QM for Windows and MPT models is emphasised.

Financial Institution Management

This unit covers the tactics of financial institution management – the factors which determine short-term managerial decisions in financial institutions. A major part of the unit is the discussion of asset/liability management.

Security Analysis and Portfolio Theory

This unit looks at the models developed to guide investment choice including those beyond the dominant paradigm of the EMH/CAPM view. It provides an opportunity for students to develop advanced skills in the analysis of financial statements, to understand the investment significance of such analyses, and to use such analyses in portfolio applications.

Treasury

Credit and Lending Decisions

This unit teaches techniques necessary for running a successful lending book. It outlines the steps which must be taken in performing credit evaluation, and provides the analytical techniques necessary to carry out such evaluation. This unit does not cover the legal aspects of financial institution lending.

Derivatives

This unit describes the major derivative products and explains how they are used for hedging, speculation, and creating synthetic investments. In doing so, it analyses the effect of the growth of derivatives markets and their relationship to the market for the securities underlying them. Hedging applications are considered from the point of view of corporate treasurers and funds managers.

Financial Institution Management

This unit covers the tactics of financial institution management – the factors which determine short-term managerial decisions in financial institutions. A major part of the unit is the discussion of asset/liability management.

Security Analysis and Portfolio Theory

This unit looks at the models developed to guide investment choice including those beyond the dominant paradigm of the EMH/CAPM view. It provides an opportunity for students to develop advanced skills in the analysis of financial statements, to understand the investment significance of such analyses, and to use such analyses in portfolio applications.

The following specialisation in Property Investment is also available to students enrolled in the Master of Applied Finance:

Property Investment

Income Property Appraisal

This unit is replacing VA802Z - Income Property Appraisal. Develop understanding of theory and practice of valuation of retail, office and industrial property. Critically evaluate the various risk factors in retail, office and industrial property investments. This unit concentrates upon income producing properties. It forms an essential resource for property investment analysis and property development.

Property Finance and Taxation

This unit is focussed to develop the student's knowledge of finance and taxation with particular reference to the property industry.

Property Investment Analysis (V2)

This unit is replacing unit CO811A. This unit introduces the concepts of investment analysis in the context of a study of the performance of individual created property investments.

Property Portfolio Analysis

This unit examines the role of property in an investment portfolio, with particular attention given to property portfolio performance analysis and property investment strategy. The performance analysis of both direct and indirect property is also examined to assess the strategic contribution of property to an investment portfolio.

Master of Applied Finance

The Master of Applied Finance prepares students for executive careers in finance, banking, funds management and corporate treasuries. The degree is specifically designed to encompass all these fields so that students can choose the units appropriate to their career opportunities. It provides students with the technical knowledge necessary to function in an evolving and increasingly sophisticated financial environment with an emphasis on the practical application of these techniques. All of the units have been developed by individuals who are actively involved in the financial sector.

Duration

1 Year FT/ 2 Years PT

Location

Westmead

Accreditation

The Master of Applied Finance fulfils the educational requirements for admission as a Senior Associate (SA Fin) of Finsia - the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. Senior Associate membership with Finsia also requires at least three years career experience in the financial services industry. The Master of Applied Finance also allows graduates to satisfy the education requirements for professional membership of the Finance and Treasury Association - Certified Finance and Treasury Professional (FTA-CFTP).

How to Apply

All domestic applications for entry to UWS postgraduate courses must be made through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Step by step instructions are available on on How to Apply pages.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must possess an undergraduate degree in a Business or Commerce related field or a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance.

Course Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 80 credit points which includesthree core units and five alternate units.

Other UWS PG Courses

GC Applied Finance
 

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