About this honours subject area

Note: this Honours subject area is available to students undertaking the Bachelor of Advanced Studies (including combined degrees).

An honours degree specialising in Finance at the University of Sydney Business School is a prestigious and highly sought after qualification. Since the Honours Program was introduced in 1996, the Discipline of Finance 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.

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.

The Honours Program is a full-time year of study commencing in semester one. The program has two components, coursework and a thesis. Students develop in the coursework and thesis research expertise, analytical problem-solving skills, and written and oral communication abilities.

Honours students study three coursework units comprising a compulsory unit in research foundations and methods and two specialisation electives. Depending on the specialisation of the student, coursework may be completed in semester one or across both semester one and two.

The thesis is a 20,000-word research-based dissertation on a topic in which the student has a strong intellectual interest. The research should identify an area for investigation which makes a relevant contribution to and extends the body of knowledge in the student's chosen domain. The quality of the research design, development of research question, application of appropriate methodologies and interpretation of findings, as well as the student's ability to effectively communicate this research are assessed in the thesis. Students will work on their thesis across their candidature in the program.