Postgraduate Finance

Study postgraduate finance at La Trobe University

Finance is an important, practical area of study which concerns itself with the commercial activities of providing funds and capital, as well as the management of money, credit and investments. In essence, it studies how individuals, businesses and organizations raise, allocate and use monetary resources over time. Postgraduate study in Finance at La Trobe is designed to equip you with the tools needed to succeed in this lucrative and expanding sector of the economy.

Master of Accounting and Financial Management

This course aims to enable students who did not major in accounting and finance to achieve a professional accounting qualification, and to extend their study beyond the minimum requirement for a professional membership.

Students augment foundation studies in accounting, finance, economics and statistics with more advanced studies in management accounting, financial accounting, auditing and taxation, allowing them to meet the membership requirements of the Australian accounting professions. An extended program offers studies in financial and derivative securities. This course aims to enable students who did not major in accounting and finance to achieve a professional accounting qualification, and to extend their study beyond the minimum requirement for a professional membership.

Master of Financial Analysis

The Master of Financial Analysis program from La Trobe University facilitates
entry into a wide range of challenging and rewarding careers in the financial
sector as well as providing a pathway to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, which is the recognised designation of professional excellence within the global investment industry. The curriculum is based on the industry endorsed CFA Institute Candidate Body of Knowledge (TM). The focus of the course is on financial analysis, security valuation and portfolio management, and builds on a broad foundation of study in economics, accounting and quantitative methods.

Lecturers and practitioners will assist students to develop the knowledge, skill and analytical thinking suitable for gaining a professional accreditation as a CFA charterholder and establishing a career in investment, banking or finance.

Master of Financial Analysis/Master of Professional Accounting

This double degree program is the ideal pathway to internationally recognised professional accreditations in both accounting and finance.

The curriculum is jointly based on the finance industry endorsed CFA Institute Candidate Body of Knowledge TM and the IFAC International Accounting Education Standards for Professional Accountants.

The program focuses on financial analysis, security valuation and portfolio management, together with financial and management accounting. It builds on a broad foundation of study in economics and quantitative methods. Lecturers and practitioners will assist students to develop the knowledge, skill and analytical thinking suitable for gaining professional accreditation as a charterholder with the CFA and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA).

Career opportunities

Finance graduates are equipped to pursue careers in the fields of corporate finance (for example, mergers and acquisitions, new issues, foreign exchange, securities portfolios, syndicated loans and money market operations). In any of these areas, graduates may be employed as analysts (for example, dealing with forecasting financial markets, pricing financial products and developing trading strategies), as dealers (in foreign exchange, bond, stock and money markets) and even as sales people who market financial products.

Master of Islamic Banking and Finance 

La Trobe University’s Master of Islamic Banking and Finance (LMIBF) is the first course in Australia dedicated to Islamic banking and finance. This cutting-edge coursework masters program is built around a defined body of knowledge of proven relevance to the Islamic finance industry.

The program will provide postgraduate students with training in the technical skills in demand by global Islamic capital markets and institutions. Students will develop expertise in Islamic banking, Islamic insurance and Islamic capital markets. Upon successful completion of the course they may be granted exemptions from the Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) Part One requirements for international
professional recognition.

This innovative program seeks to meet the growing demand for graduates with sound academic and industry knowledge in Islamic finance in the Middle East and South East Asia, and in particular, the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC), Indonesia and Malaysia. Graduates will also be prepared to enter the growing Islamic finance sector in Australia.

Career Opportunities

At a time when conventional financial systems are going through crisis, graduates can further their careers in the Islamic financial services industry by developing a professional niche. The LMIBF is a gateway for specialisation in specific areas of banking and finance such as:

• Islamic insurance (takaful)
• Islamic structured products
• Regulation and supervision
• Research and development
• Wealth management
• Analysis and consultancy
• Business analysis
• Banking
• Academia
• Risk analysis

Course information

This course is offered at the following campuses: Albury-Wodonga; Bendigo; Melbourne (Bundoora); Melbourne (City); Mildura; Shepparton

How to apply

Local students apply by direct application to the Faculty of Law and Management.

Information for international students

The following section helps assist international applicants in locating the course information and required application procedures.

International student course information

International student application information

International students should visit our international students' page for conditions of entry, eligibility and fee information.