Bachelor of Business and Enterprise (Financial Services)

The Bachelor of Business and Enterprise (Financial Services) is a three-year degree taught at Southern Cross University. It sits at level 7 on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which is the standard bachelor's level. You study full time over three years, or part time over a longer period if that suits your circumstances. The degree is built around units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You need to pass a required total of credit points to graduate. Most Australian universities run two main study periods a year, sometimes three, and you enrol in a handful of units each period.

What you actually study

The financial services major covers the core of business: accounting, economics, business law, management and marketing. Then you specialise in financial services units, which typically include financial planning, investment analysis, risk management, superannuation and insurance, and the regulatory framework that applies to Australian financial advisers. You learn how to read a balance sheet, build a client file, assess a client's risk tolerance and recommend a strategy. Assessment mixes exams, assignments, group projects and case studies based on real Australian businesses. Some units use spreadsheets and financial planning software.

Structure and work-integrated learning

Southern Cross University structures its degrees around study periods rather than a single long year, so you can often choose how many units you take at once. The degree usually includes a capstone unit in your final year, where you bring together what you have learned to solve a practical business problem. Many students also take a professional placement or internship unit, working with a financial planning firm, bank, credit union or accounting practice. Work-integrated learning is common in this field because employers want graduates who have already sat in on client meetings and seen how a practice runs. The university's placement office helps arrange these, and you can often count the placement towards your degree.

Skills and who it suits

You finish with the ability to analyse financial information, apply Australian regulatory rules, communicate advice clearly and use industry software. The degree suits school leavers who want a business career with a financial specialisation, career changers moving into financial planning or banking, and people already working in a bank or advice practice who want the qualification to move up. It also suits international students who want an Australian qualification and the chance to work here after graduation. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream once you finish. English requirements for international applicants are usually IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5 overall for this kind of degree, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 105618D. Check the official page for the current unit list, study period dates and fees.

• Financial adviser or planner – working with clients on superannuation, insurance, investments and retirement planning. You may need to meet additional education and professional standards to give personal advice in Australia.
• Paraplanner – preparing financial plans and research for advisers in planning firms, banks and dealer groups.
• Banking officer or lending officer – home loans, personal loans, business banking and credit assessment with the major banks, credit unions and building societies.
• Investment or insurance analyst – supporting portfolio managers, underwriters and claims teams in insurance companies and funds management firms.
• Superannuation administrator – member services, compliance and reporting for industry and retail super funds.
• Business development or relationship manager – looking after client portfolios in financial services organisations.
• Compliance or risk officer – checking that advice and products meet Australian financial services laws and internal policies.

Financial services is a large employer across Australia, with concentrated hubs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, plus regional centres. Banks, super funds, insurance companies, financial planning practices and fintech firms all hire graduates from this kind of degree. Some roles require further study or professional accreditation, so confirm the requirements with the relevant body and the university before you enrol.