Honours in Accounting and/or Finance
Benefits of fourth year honours
The Honours program offered by the Department of Accounting and Finance provides students with an enhanced opportunity for careers in industry and/or academia, by providing advanced studies in accounting, finance, a combination of both and finance/econometrics. It is an opportunity to challenge and extend your knowledge and is different from anything you have previously experienced in your undergraduate studies. An honours degree provides you with analytical skills, problem-solving, strategic thinking, presentation and communication skills as well as benefits and opportunities such as:
Careers
An Honours degree provides you with enhanced employment opportunities. While some employers require an honours year, others recognise the attributes an honours graduate brings to the workforce. Honours is the first step towards a position at a university as well as higher degree (PhD) studies.
Self-development
Honours classes are typically small and involve a high level of staff and student interaction. Students in Honours are exposed to the latest research and knowledge in the units chosen and develop research and presentation skills, as well as improving self-confidence and networking skills for the future.
Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) (Caulfield/Clayton campus)
The Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in accounting, finance and finance/ econometrics is offered across the Caulfield and Clayton campuses, with classes being taught at either campus on any given day. The Honours program has a semester 1 intake only and commences on 4 February 2013 with an induction week all students are required to attend.
Course Structure
Accounting and/or finance specialisation*
Students must have their enrolment approved by the head, or nominee, of the Department of Accounting and Finance.
| Semester 1 | |
|
Research Methods (6 credit points – Compulsory Unit Accounting and/or Finance Specialisation) |
|
|
Research Design and Analysis (6 credit points – Compulsory Unit Accounting and/or Finance Specialisation) |
|
| Accounting Specialisation | Finance Specialisation |
| Any two of the following core units: | Any two of the following core units: |
| Issues in accounting information systems | Advanced modelling in finance |
| Issues in auditing and assurance | Issues in corporate finance |
| Issues in financial accounting | Issues in banking |
| Issues in management accounting | |
| Semester 2 | |
| Research dissertation (18 credit points – Compulsory Unit Accounting and/or Finance Specialisation) | |
| Any honours elective unit offered by the Faculty of Business and Economics subject to the approval of the Head, or nominee, of the Department of Accounting and Finance. | |
* Students wishing to complete an honours year specialising in both accounting and finance should select one core unit from each discipline in first semester.
Finance and econometrics specialisation
Students must have their enrolment approved by the heads, or their nominees, of the Departments of Econometrics and Business Statistics, and Accounting and Finance.
| Semester 1 |
|
Completion of two AFX units (12 credit points) and two ETC units (12 credit points) from the following |
| Advanced modelling in finance |
| Issues in corporate finance |
| Issues in banking |
| Econometric theory |
| Applied econometrics 2 |
| Microeconometrics |
| Semester 2 |
| Research project (12 credit points – Compulsory Unit) |
| Financial econometrics 2 |
| Any elective honours unit offered by the Faculty of Business and Economics subject to the approval of the Head, or nominee, of the Department of Accounting and Finance. |
Please note that it is possible to do the honours year part-time however units are only available during the day. For accounting and finance students undertaking the program part-time this involves the completion of one core "issues" unit and research methods unit in first semester and the elective unit in second semester of your first year. In the second year, one core "issues" unit and research design and analysis are taken in first semester and the research dissertation (thesis) is completed in the second semester.
For finance and econometrics students this involves completion of one AFX unit and one ETC unit in the first semester of each year. In the second semester of the first year the elective unit is taken and the research project is completed in the second semester of the second year.
Please refer to the Monash University Handbook for complete course information at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/
Admission requirements
Admission in the Department of Accounting and Finance Honours program is competitive and selection is at the discretion of the Head of Department or nominee. Whilst meeting the minimum application criteria is essential, this does not guarantee admission into the Honours program. The minimum requirements are as follows:
Accounting and/or Finance specialisation
Applicants must have completed a bachelor degree, with a major in accounting and/or finance offered by the Faculty of Business and Economics or an equivalent qualification from another university; and have achieved an average equivalent to at least 70% in discipline specific second and third year units.
Finance and Econometrics specialisation
Applicants must have completed successfully a bachelor degree offered by the Faculty of Business and Economics or an equivalent qualification from another university; and have achieved an average equivalent to at least 70% in relevant second and third year units.
Econometrics specialisation
Applicants should have completed at least three third year finance and three third year econometrics units including ETC3400 and ETC3410. Other appropriate third year units are ETC3450, ETC 3460, ETC3490, ETC3500 and ETC3510. Applicants should have completed ETC3470 Econometrics pre-honours.
How to apply:
Domestic student application forms for the honours program can be obtained from http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/student/forms/index.html.
International student application forms are available from http://www.monash.edu/study/international/apply/ and submitted to International Recruitment Services (Note that if you have or are going to apply for permanent residency you must complete an International student application form).
Please note that when applying for the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in the Department of Accounting and Finance your application must include a one to two page summary addressing the following:
- Why you would like to do honours at Monash
- Your areas of research interest; and, if known,
- Which topic you would like to pursue in your honours research project.
University scholarships
The Monash University Jubilee Honours Scholarship is awarded to the highest achieving eligible students who achieve a minimum of a high distinction (80 per cent) in previous tertiary studies. Applications open first week of August 2012 and close 31 October 2012 for 2013. Information regarding 2013 scholarships will be available at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/scholarships/
Departmental scholarships
The Department of Accounting and Finance offers a limited number of scholarships to outstanding students undertaking an Honours program within the Department. Final selection will be by competitive panel interview. The panel will consist of the Head of Department, a head of discipline, the department's honours coordinator and the department's higher degrees research coordinator. Potential recipients will be selected for interview based on:
- Grades obtained in accounting and/or finance units during the final two years of their degree(s);
- Prize(s) awarded for academic achievement(s); and
- The one to two page written component of the application.
Contacts
Honours Administrator:
Kim Miller: Kim.Miller@monash.edu
Honours coordinator:
Cameron Truong: Cameron.Truong@monash.edu
To find out more about the Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Honours) available from Gippsland and Sunway campuses, click here.



