Master of Financial Analysis

Learn to invest wisely. Invest in your future career.

Global financial services are evolving. More than ever, firms are searching for highly trained experts who can navigate the complexities of global capital markets and take advantage of new technologies.

La Trobe's Master of Financial Analysis offers you the opportunity to develop specialist expertise in banking, fintech, international business or business research. You'll extend your core investment and financial skills, and enhance your ability to provide financial services and advice.

Develop your core financial and investment expertise in our financial trading room. You'll learn professional investment tools used every day in the financial markets, such as the Bloomberg Information Service, and you'll work with real-time data from international markets and respond to breaking news and events. Examine the latest research by our leading finance academics and learn how to use powerful analytic tools, while taking in guest lectures delivered by industry experts.

Distinguish your expertise by completing a specialisation of your choice. If you want to develop the skills to build quantitative financial models and applications, you might consider the fintech specialisation. If you want to start a career in banking or international finance, you might choose to specialise in banking or international business. You could also undertake a thesis as part of an applied research specialisation and take the next step on a pathway to a PhD and a career in research.

No matter which path you choose, you'll investigate the latest technological advances and develop the core skills you'll need to navigate the complexities of global financial markets. You'll build a strong knowledge of financial tools and instruments while learning how to fund businesses, operate in international financial markets, manage financial risks and make wise investments.

Graduate with the confidence and expertise to succeed in the global banking and financial sector.

Key features

• Get a head start. La Trobe University is affiliated with the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute, and our Master of Financial Analysis is recognised by CFA Institute as covering more than 70 per cent of the Candidate Body of Knowledge, which is required for the CFA Charter exams. The CFA Charter is the leading professional accreditation in global finance.
• Get real-world trading experience. Learn in a trading room equipped with a Bloomberg Information Service. You can also use it for your personal research and to obtain the Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) certificate.
• Develop in-depth expertise. You can choose to specialise in banking, fintech, international business or business research.
• Get accredited. Graduates are eligible for membership with the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA).
• Build a strong career. Graduates have found careers in leading Australian and international firms, including Deloitte, Telstra, NBN Co, Antares Equities and BlackRock.

You'll learn:

• Security valuation
  Source and analyse financial information using the Bloomberg Information Service and value a range of financial securities. Critique the ethics of financial decisions.
• Portfolio management
  Construct and manage investment portfolios for investors with different goals and risk profiles, using the Bloomberg Information Service.
• Corporate finance
  Develop and manage a firm's investment and funding strategies.
• Financial risk
  Measure and manage financial risk.
• International finance
  Measure and manage the exchange rate risk of international financial trade and investment.

The qualification awarded on graduation is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as Level 9 - Masters Degree.

After graduation, you could work across a wide range of commercial and public sector organisations. Our graduates have found careers in leading firms in Australia and around the world, including Deloitte, Telstra, NBN Co, Antares Equities and BlackRock.

Possible roles include:

• Financial analyst
  Analyse, value and provide investment recommendations on a range of investment securities.
• Fund manager
  Manage investment portfolios. Help investors to meet their investment goals within the constraints of their risk profile.
• Stockbroker
  Advise professional institutional clients and private retail clients on their investment strategies.
• Business analyst
  Use financial data to solve business problems and improve business processes.
• Financial controller
  Oversee business finances and make key decisions on operations and spending.

Salaries for financial controllers in Australia range from an average of A$113 000 to upwards of A$160 000.*
* PayScale, 2021, Average Financial Controller Salary in Australia

Professional recognition

La Trobe University is recognised by the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute as a University Affiliate for its Master of Financial Analysis. The Master of Financial Analysis is recognised by CFA Institute as covering more than 70% of their Candidates Body of Knowledge defined for CFA Program examinations, Levels I-III. Please contact CFA Institute for further details. Graduates of the Master of Financial Analysis may apply for membership with the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA) . Membership may be subject to additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree.

Please note, the following course structure is indicative and subject to change depending on your course location, offer year or how you tailor your course with specialisations, majors, minors and electives. Structures for the following year are not normally finalised until October, so the sample provided is based on the most recently approved structure.

To qualify for the award of Master of Financial Analysis, students must complete a total of 240 credit points across 2 years.

Year 1

Year 1 requires the completion of 120 credit points

including:

• 120 credit points from chosen Core

Year 2

Year 2 requires the completion of 120 credit points

including:

• 60 credit points from chosen Core
• 60 credit points from chosen Specialisation

Specialisations (StudyFlex available)

A specialisation is a sequence of related subjects studied in your course. In some courses, you need to complete at least one specialisation to attain your degree.

Students to select one specialisation

• Banking
• Business research StudyFlex
• Fintech
• International business StudyFlex