Did you know the accounting major at Murdoch Uni is number one in the state for median graduate salary?

From popular podcasts and books (She’s on the Money, The Barefoot Investor, My Millennial Money), to TV shows and movies (Billions, The Wolf of Wall Street), YouTube channels, Instagram and TikTok accounts, FIRE, crypto, blogs, and news reports – finance is big news and no longer shrouded in mystery or dismissed as a boring subject.

With this growth in interest, there’s a need for professionals who can advise and guide people through this complex and fascinating world. This is where graduates of finance and accounting step in.

What can I study if I’m interested in a money-related business degree?

There are a few different options, depending on where your interests and career aspirations lie. There are a diverse range of majors within the Bachelor of Business, we will focus on two of the most popular options: Finance and Accounting.

Bachelor of Business (Finance)

In general, a finance career focuses on the future performance of an organisation or individual, rather than a current or past situation. You might be helping with budgeting, financial strategies, long-term projections, investing, and management of assets. If working for a corporation, you might have a great deal of influence over mergers and acquisitions and the long-term business direction.

Some finance professionals reveal that they don’t really love maths. While this may come as a surprise, you don’t have to be a maths wizard to study this degree or excel in a finance career. For many in this field, it’s about strategy and opportunities.

Career possibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Financial planner
• Financial analyst
• Investment strategist
• Credit manager
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO), or
• Finance broker.

Bachelor of Business (Accounting)

Accounting is focused on the accuracy of financial activities of an organisation or individual, and being able to interpret, discuss, and present this information.

Depending on what role you take, you might analyse cash flow and budgeting, take responsibility for the routine day-to-day fiscal operations, and create detailed reports of what’s happened in the past. As a general rule, accountants, auditors, and bookkeepers are very detail-oriented and enjoy drilling down on the numbers.

Career possibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Accountant
• Auditor
• Bookkeeper
• Financial analyst
• Forensic accountant
• Chief financial officer (CFO)
• Business consultant, or
• Financial accountant.

Still not sure?

Take the fun quiz Which business major are you? for more information about the various business courses on offer at Murdoch. Read about careers in finance and hear directly from accounting lecturer, Dr Terri Trireksani, about what it’s like to be an accountant.

And if you’re liking the sound of more than one major, there’s the opportunity to personalise your course by taking the Bachelor of Business as a double major – like Natalie who studied a double degree in Management, and Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

Why finance at Murdoch?

We have a five-star rating for undergraduate student engagement, skills development and student support for business and management according to the Good Universities Guide. Additionally, the accounting major at Murdoch is number one in the state for median graduate salary, so you’ll have a great start right out of uni.