Finance

Studying Finance at the University of Waikato will prepare you for exciting and rewarding careers in the global financial, banking, and business sectors.

Finance focuses on how money flows through an economy - from investments, banking and credit, to the share markets, commodities, and global financial decision making.

In this subject, you'll gain a strong understanding of how the world's financial markets operate and learn how to analyse financial data to make informed investment and businesss decisions.

Our Bachelor of Business in Finance is officially recognised by the CFA Institute's prestigious University Affiliation Program, seen as the global benchmark for industry-relevant finance education.

This confirms that Waikato finance students will master the global best-practice knowledge of investment analysis, portfolio management, professional ethics, and emerging technologies needed to succeed in today's competitive finance industry.

It also provides a strong pathway for our graduates to take their CFA exams and achieve the internationally recognised Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. This is the gold standard for investment and financial analysis profesionals, and respected by employers around the world.

Waikato's CFA affiliation also extends to the core finance papers in our new Bachelor of Banking, Finance and Technology (BBFinTech) degree, which balances traditional finance principles with advanced knowledge of cutting-edge innovations that are disrupting the financial sector - such as blockchain, data analytics, and digital payments. 

A career in finance can take you in many directions. Graduates work in areas such as corporate banking, consulting, risk analysis, currency trading, stockbroking, and investment portfolio management.

You could find yourself managing investment funds, structuring the finance for major projects, or even working for international organisations such as the World Bank.

Throughout your Finance studies at Waikato, you'll learn how to interpret financial data, assess risk and returns, value shares and bonds, and understand mergers and acquisitions. And you'll be able to make sound investment decisions for your own personal financial security.

More advanced papers cover topics such as corporate finance, capital markets, portfolio selection, and the governance of financial institutions.

At Waikato, students complete practical assignments using real-world financial data, which will prepare you for exactly what you'll encounter in your financial career. For example, working on a funds simulation project and a company anaysis where you step into the role of a trainee investment analyst and prepare a report on a publicly listed New Zealand or Australian company.

You'll also gain experience in our Finance Trading Lab in Hamilton, which is equipped with professional simulation software and real-time trading prices from global and NZX financial markets. Here you can experience the thrill of trading shares, bonds, commodities while competing to build the most successful investment portfolio.

Ultimately, Waikato finance graduates become versatile professionals who not only understand complex financial models, but can also use technology to innovate, regulate and design the fintech solutions of the future.

If you enjoy mathematics, accounting, economics, and using analytical tools to find the meaning behind numbers, Finance could be the perfect fit for you.