Graduate Certificate or Diploma of Finance overview
Graduate certificates in finance are ideal for those from unrelated disciplines wishing to enter the industry. The University of Wollongong and other institutions offer this course with units in financial statement analysis, statistics and moreover a six month period if studied full time. These courses can be taken part-time too, resulting in completion times of up to three years.
Graduate diplomas allow students to explore their needs or interests through a variety of electives. Griffith University exemplifies this during their program, which offers subjects in income tax law, equity investing, financial markets and more. These courses are well suited to exist finance professionals wishing to broaden their skillset. They can be taken over the course of a year full time or longer if part-time.
Employment options
The list of employment options specified here make a great fit for finance graduates, but for some further study might be required. A career at Oak Financial Planning as a financial planner becomes a viable option due to the knowledge of proper investment that comes with these courses. Those coming from an existing finance career will find themselves better suited to investment banking at prestigious companies like Goldman Sachs after completing a finance diploma.
Scholarships and funding
There are a number of unique funding opportunities for students of finance in these courses. The IBISWorld Economics, Business and Finance Scholarship from Curtin University provides finance students with partial funding given they are Australian citizens. The 1800Approved Scholarship Grantis another example, providing partial funding for postgraduate coursework in business subjects, including finance. There are others available but can have very strict requirements beyond just citizenship. Students are therefore advised to check all prerequisites carefully before applying.
Prerequisites and selection process
Graduate certificates tend to require a bachelor degree in any subject, making them a fantastic entry point into a finance career or further study. A credit GPA (65%) is often expected regardless of degree, however.
Graduate diplomas normally require two years of relevant work experience in addition to a relevant undergraduate degree, as is the case for Macquarie University’s program. This is a fair representation of how they all are, but students unable to meet these requirements can enter these courses via the graduate certificate if they wish.