Career opportunities
The range of careers in finance is wide and varied, and well-paid. Graduates work in planning and budgeting, portfolio management, investments, securities, trading, risk management and foreign currency trading. They are employed by government departments, the education sector, banks, insurance companies, investment banks, accounting firms, stockbroking firms and many others.Because a Finance degree is relevant to economic structures worldwide, it is highly exportable. There are many job opportunities overseas, and Otago graduates compete well in international markets.
Finance at Otago
Finance is a major of the three-year Bachelor of Commerce degree programme and is taught by the Department of Accountancy and Finance.
Finance is very different from accountancy and economics. Finance is decision-oriented and focuses on how individuals allocate resources through time, either inside an organisation (e.g. corporate finance) or outside it (e.g. investments). Economics provides the intuition that guides financial decisions, while accounting reports and monitors the results of financial decisions, as well as providing the information on which financial decisions are based.
Within the Finance degree, you will learn about components of the financial system and about the institutions and financial instruments that facilitate the transfer of funds between individuals, businesses and organisations.
The degree covers practical aspects such as the concepts of value creation, required rates of return, financial mathematics, capital budgeting, capital structure and dividend policies. You will also learn about fixed income securities, options and futures, shares and simple techniques for hedging risk, portfolio diversification and portfolio evaluation.
As you progress through the degree, and perhaps into postgraduate study, you will have the opportunity to specialise in those areas of finance that particularly interest you.
Teaching style
Finance is taught in lectures and tutorials. You may be asked to write individual essays and reports, work on cases, complete group project work, give presentations and sit exams.
Double major/degree options
Many subject areas complement finance and will strengthen your degree, including Accounting, Business Law, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, Law and Information Science.
Recommended high school subjects for undergraduate study
There are no required subjects for studying Finance at Otago, but students who choose Finance usually have an interest in making decisions about managing and allocating money and resources. It's helpful if you've studied Economics, Accounting, Mathematics or Statistics at school, but these are not essential.
Choose a study option
Whether you're embarking on your academic journey with our comprehensive undergraduate programmes or aiming to reach new heights through our advanced postgraduate offerings, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Undergraduate qualifications
For new and current students studying towards a Bachelor's or other first degree. Explore undergraduate qualifications at Otago, designed to build a strong foundation in your chosen field, preparing you for a successful career or further study.
Note: this subject can also be studied as a minor.
Bachelor of Commerce (BCom)
A three-year degree offering flexibility to explore a major in Commerce along with other subjects
Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom)
Combine two majors, one in Arts and one in Commerce, into a four-year degree and expand your future career prospects
Bachelor of Commerce and Science (BComSc)
Combine two majors, one in Commerce and one in Science, into a four-year degree and expand your future career prospects
Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (BEntr)
A three-year degree that equips you to change the world as you create new products, services and ideas
Ready to apply?
Take the first step towards your future in this subject.
Further study opportunities
Whether you are looking to bridge your undergraduate studies to advanced knowledge or aiming to specialise in a specific field, Otago offers a range of graduate and postgraduate options to suit your aspirations.
Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad)
The Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad), requiring study of at least seven papers (at least four of which are at 300-level o...
Postgraduate Study in Finance
Explore postgraduate study in Finance at Otago. Gain advanced knowledge, skills, and research opportunities in a support...
Programme details
Compare programmes for this subject.
| Level | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 100-level | BSNS 112 Interpreting Business Data | 18 |
| BSNS 114 Financial Decision Making | 18 | |
| BSNS 115 Accounting and Information Systems | 18 | |
| FINC 102 Business Mathematics | 18 | |
| BSNS 111 Business and Society, BSNS 113 Economic Principles and Policy – must normally be taken in first year of study | 36 | |
| 200-level | FINC 202 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management | 18 |
| FINC 203 Financial Data Analysis | 18 | |
| FINC 206 Fundamentals of Corporate Finance | 18 | |
| 300-level | FINC 302 Applied Investments | 18 |
| FINC 303 Financial Management | 18 | |
| Two further 300-level papers, (one must be a FINC paper, and the other must be a FINC, ACCT or ACFI paper) | 36 | |
| Plus | 126 further points; must include 54 points at 200-level or above. Up to 90 points may be taken from outside Commerce. | 126 |
| Every programme must include BSNS 111-115. At least three of these papers must be passed before enrolling in any 200-level Commerce paper, and all must normally be passed before enrolling in any 300-level Commerce paper. For single-degree BCom students, all five must be attempted in the first year of study or equivalent. STAT 110 or STAT 115 will be accepted as an alternative to BSNS 112 as a required paper or as part of the major subject requirements or as a prerequisite when: Any student who completed PTWY 111 before enrolling in the BCom degree shall be exempt from the requirement to complete BSNS 113. Any student who has completed PTWY 112 before enrolling in the BCom degree shall be exempt from the requirement to complete BSNS 114. A candidate completing the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws is able to satisfy the CPA/CAANZ accreditation requirements by substituting:a) LAWS 202, LAWS 203, LAWS 204, LAWS 301 and LAWS 407 in place of BLAW 211 and BLAW 212 b) LAWS 416 in place of ACTP 312. | ||
| Total | 360 |
A minor subject can be included in many of our undergraduate degrees. To earn a minor, you typically must complete a minimum of 90 points in that subject, with at least 18 points at the 300-level.
Your minor can be a subject more commonly taken for a different degree. For example, a BCom majoring in Marketing can include Japanese as a minor subject. To include this subject as a minor in your application, first find a major subject through our Subject Search or Study Match.
You can check what’s required to receive the minor accreditation in the programme details below.
Available as a minor subject for a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Music (MusB), Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA), Bachelor of Theology (BTheol), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (BEntr), Bachelor of Health Science (BHealSc), Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom), Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) or Bachelor of Commerce and Science (BComSc) degree
| Level | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 100-level | BSNS 114 Financial Decision Making FINC 102 Business Mathematics | 18 18 |
| 200-level | See below | |
| 300-level | Three FINC or ACFI papers above 100-level, including at least one 300-level FINC paper | 54 |
| Total | 90 |
Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
FINC papers
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT299 | 2025 | Special Topic | 18 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| ACFI406 | 2025 | Advanced Financial Econometrics | 20 points | Semester 2 |
| ACFI525 | 2025 | Governance Issues in Accounting and Finance | 20 points | Semester 2 |
| FINC102 | 2025 | Business Mathematics | 18 points | Semester 1, Semester 2 |
| FINC202 | 2025 | Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management | 18 points | Semester 1, Semester 2 |
| FINC203 | 2025 | Financial Data Analysis | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| FINC204 | 2025 | Personal Finance | 18 points | Summer School |
| FINC206 | 2025 | Fundamentals of Corporate Finance | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| FINC299 | 2025 | Special Topic | 18 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC302 | 2025 | Applied Investments | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| FINC303 | 2025 | Financial Management | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| FINC304 | 2025 | Financial Markets and Institutions | 18 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC305 | 2025 | International Financial Management | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| FINC306 | 2025 | Derivatives | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| FINC308 | 2025 | Financial Econometrics | 18 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC309 | 2025 | Financial Modelling | 18 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC310 | 2025 | Fixed Income Security Analysis | 18 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC320 | 2025 | Sustainable Investing | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| FINC399 | 2025 | Special Topic | 18 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC480 | 2025 | Dissertation or Case Study | 40 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC502 | 2025 | Advanced Corporate Finance | 20 points | Semester 1 |
| FINC503 | 2025 | Studies in Capital Markets | 20 points | Semester 1 |
| FINC505 | 2025 | Mathematical Finance | 20 points | Semester 2 |
| FINC510 | 2025 | Advanced International Financial Management | 20 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC511 | 2025 | Financial Risk Management | 20 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC512 | 2025 | Financial Analytics | 20 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC520 | 2025 | Climate and Energy Finance | 20 points | Semester 1 |
| FINC544 | 2025 | Behavioural Finance | 20 points | Not offered in 2025, expected to be offered in 2026 |
| FINC598 | 2025 | Special Topic | 20 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| FINC599 | 2025 | Special Topic | 20 points | Not offered in 2025 |
More information
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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.
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