General
This course is designed for graduates of either the Bachelor of Commerce honours program or of the Graduate Diploma in Commerce who have majored in accounting and finance or econometrics. The course has been designed to extend the disciplinary competence of candidates and provide them with research training. It involves a combination of both coursework and supervised research.
Course objectives
On completion of the course student should:
* be familiar with current developments in accounting, finance and related fields as represented by recent contributions to leading journals;
* be able to undertake independent research, and effectively communicate their research results both orally and in writing;
* have had the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and motivation necessary for doctoral level studies;
* have the capacity for independent critical evaluation of current research and policy issues in their area of specialisation;
* have developed specialised skills and knowledge in one of the specialisations available in the Master of Commerce.
Entrance requirements
Students wishing to enrol in the Master of Commerce should normally have completed the Bachelor of Commerce honours degree in the Departments of Accounting and Finance or Econometrics, at second class honours or better, or the Graduate Diploma in Commerce in the Department of Accounting and Finance, or their equivalent.
Duration
Normally eighteen months full-time or three part-time years.
Course structure
The course is available by coursework and minor thesis or by major thesis plus one subject. The coursework and minor thesis option entails four subjects plus a 25,000-word essay. The research component is 67 per cent of the work required for the degree. The major thesis must be approximately 50,000 words long. It constitutes 92 per cent of the workload, the remainder made up by one subject. All students are required to attend and pass a graduate seminar.
Department of Accounting and Finance
Students may undertake either the coursework and minor thesis option or the major thesis and one subject option.
Cousework and minor thesis option
1 Two level-five subjects taught by the Department of Accounting and Finance.
2 Two subjects chosen from:
* other level-five or level-four subjects taught by the department
* AAF5000 Reading subject
* with approval of the head of the Department of Accounting and Finance, graduate subjects in the departments of Economics and Econometrics (Clayton).
3 Graduate seminar
* AAF5110 Accounting and finance graduate seminar
Major thesis option
1 One subject from:
* a level-five subject offered by the department;
* AAF5000 Reading subject
2 Graduate seminar
* AAF5110 Accounting and Finance graduate seminar
Department of Econometrics (Clayton)
Students may undertake the options of a major thesis and one subject or a minor thesis and four subjects.
Cousework and minor thesis option
1 Two subjects
* ECM5400 Special topics in econometrics I
* ECM5410 Special topics in econometrics II
2 Two subjects selected from:
* other level-five or four subjects taught by the department
* graduate subjects taught by the departments of Accounting and Finance and Economics
3 Graduate seminar
* ECM5470 Econometrics graduate seminar
Major thesis option
1 One level-five subject
* In special circumstances, the head of the department may approve a special subject based on a level-four subject taught by the department.
2 Graduate seminar
* ECM5470 Econometrics graduate seminar