Bachelor of Banking, Finance and Technology - Finance

The University of Waikato

Get ahead of the fintech revolution with New Zealand's first specialist fintech degree. This specialist degree will equip you for a career in the cutting-edge world of fintech, where new technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence and crytpocurrencies are shaking up the banking and finance sectors. You will gain expertise in financial markets, digital finance, banking operations, automated trading, as well as blockchains, cryptocurrencies, cybersecurity, impact investing, and more. At Waikato, our lecturers have international expertise in this field, and degree content will be continuously refreshed to ensure it remains up-to-the-minute. In the last decade, the digitisation of global financial systems has led to the meteoric growth of new technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies (eg. Bitcoin). Discover how these innovations are transforming the way that people exchange financial data to pay for goods and services directly from their phone, transfer funds, borrow money, and even make financial investments with apps like Sharesies. There are diverse career opportunities in the world of fintech for our graduates. These include startup businesses disrupting the sector, retail/investment banks, consulting firms, large organisations with finance teams, and central banks like RBNZ that develop policies and regulate digital currencies. Studying Finance at Waikato University will prepare you for highly paid positions in the financial and business sectors anywhere in the world. Finance is focused on managing money, investments, banking and credit, the share, bond and commodity markets, and financial analysis and decision making. You'll gain a broad understanding of how the world's financial markets operate, and develop skills for financial analysis and decision-making. For example, you could end up running an investment fund, working for the World Bank, or structuring the finance of a major project for a corporation. Students will learn how to interpret financial data, forecast risk and returns, conduct shares and bond valuations, 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, portfolio selection, capital markets, and the governance of financial institutions. Practical assignments will prepare you for exactly what you'll encounter in your financial career. For example, students get to work on a funds simulation project using real data, and prepare a report on a publicly listed New Zealand or Australian company, while playing the role of a trainee investment analyst. Our students have access to a brand-new Finance Trading Lab in Hamilton, which is kitted out with high-tech simulation software used by the professionals. This uses real-time trading prices for global and NZX financial markets so students can experience the thrill of buying and selling shares/bonds/commodities, and compete to build the most valuable portfolios. If you enjoy mathematics, accounting, economics, and using analytical tools to find the meaning behind numbers, than finance may be the right fit for you.Career OpportunitiesBanker (investment or commercial)Banking, financial services and financial regulationBusiness analystChief financial officerCorporate financerFinancial AnalystFinancial managerFinancial planner/advisorInsurance and financeInvestment advisorPortfolio managerSharebrokerStockbrokerTreasurer

Waikato Management School