Honours

The Discipline of Finance Honours Coordinator is Reuben Segara.

Reasons for Undertaking Honours in Finance

An honours degree in finance at the University of Sydney is a very prestigious and highly sought after qualification.The Finance Honours programme was introduced in 1996. Since this time, the Discipline has graduated over 200 honours graduates. This elite group of alumni have gone on to excellent graduate positions with leading Investment Banks, Investment Management, Private Equity firms and other financial services organisations. A number of these students have also undertaken PhDs in Finance.

The honours year is an extremely challenging and rewarding year. It provides students with the opportunity to study with a select group of students and to work one-on-one with an academic supervisor to develop problem solving and analytical skills.

During the honours year, students work on a research thesis which allows them to develop expertise in a specific area of finance. It also provides students with considerable research experience and allows them to develop their writing skills and to develop and structure ideas. Much of the honours year involves independent learning which requires students to be highly self-motivated. Students must also develop time management skills. This experience is critical for successful careers after the honours year.

Final Honours Year in Finance

Objectives of Final Honours Year in Finance

The objective of the Honours Year is to produce high quality graduates who are capable of securing employment with leading employers in the financial services sector or undertaking advanced research degrees (Masters or PhD) at leading universities. During the year students will enhance their research and analytical skills and develop strong problem solving skills. Students will also improve their ability to work independently and to manage projects.

Apply online

• Bachelor of Commerce Final Honours Year application form
• Bachelor of Commerce (Liberal Studies) Final Honours Year application form

The closing date for applications for Final Honours Year is the last working day in November.

Entry Requirements

Entry into honours is highly competitive and places are limited. The minimum entry requirements are an overall WAM of at least 65 in senior units of study and a Finance WAM of 70.

Structure

The Final Honours Year program is a full time year of study commencing in semester one of the given year where students develop high level research and analysis skills. The program comprises two components: course work and a thesis.

The course work component comprises 3 units of study which are completed in semester 1:

• Research Methods;
• Foundations of Finance/Empirical Finance; and
• Market Microstructure/Corporate Finance.

Students work on their thesis over the whole year, although a significant component of the work is completed in semester 2. The thesis is an extended piece of research in a specific area of finance. The thesis should be written in the format of an academic journal article, but with a more extensive literature review. The thesis is written under the direct supervision of an academic staff member. The role of the supervisor is to guide the topic selection, to assist in formulating the research hypotheses and executing the research and to ensure the overall direction of the research.

Students are encouraged to make contact with academic staff shortly after accepting their offer into the honours programme in order to begin the process of finding a suitable thesis topic.

Students are also expected to attend the Discipline of Finance Seminars on Friday mornings.

Theses Submission

Theses are due on the last Friday before Stu Vac at 4.00pm. Two soft-bound copies of the thesis must be submitted.

Examination/Assessment of Theses

Final Honours grades comprise a 30% weighting on 4th year course work and a 70% weighting on the 4th year thesis. Each of the three courses is equally weighted.

The final grade of honours will be determined on the following University scale:

The Business School may award a university medal to suitably qualified candidates; this takes into account the whole academic career as well as the Final Honours Year. The criteria are very strict. Students should note that being the top student does not automatically mean one receives a medal.

Careers Information

All notices concerning Finance Final Honours Year, information about employment opportunities, scholarships etc. will be posted on the Finance notice board outside to the Finance Office (Room 402, Economics and Business Building).

Scholarships

In addition to the University of Sydney honours scholarships and other Business School scholarships, the Finance Discipline at the University of Sydney offers up to 5 scholarships of $5,000 each for honours students annually. To be eligible for these scholarships students must have completed their undergraduate degree at the University of Sydney. Only Australian citizens and permanent residents can be considered for these scholarships. Scholarships will be awarded to students with the strongest academic performance in Finance.

All decisions regarding Honours Scholarships will be announced by mid February.

The Gilles Kryger Honours Scholarship in Finance

Commencing in 2006 the Gilles Kryger Honours Scholarship is open to students commencing Final Honours Year in Finance. Details regarding this scholarship are available on the Business School Scholarships web page.