Continuing Mathematics at University Level

[qwerty101]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

So i will be doing commerce in 2016 with a focus on Accounting and Finance (majors). I did both Specialist and Methods in VCE and achieved raw scores in the 40s for both. I have planned for my first and second year (did second year so i could see how the pre reqs etc worked out), as part of the accounting accreditation i have to complete a breadth track related to law. In first year ill be doing Principles of Business Law.

The problem is i have one more space for a breadth and am contemplating placing Calc 2/Linear Algebra (which one is harder?/better?) I havent chosen to do Accelerated Mathematics bc i feel this gets to deep into the maths for my liking, i am considering my earlier two options because i may pick up some economic subjects along the way.

None of the other breadth subjects interest me, but in saying that, im worried that some of the harder maths might hurt my WAM/GPA etc.

Also does anyone know about Qualitative Methods 1, how much maths involved and should i do this in semester 2 after covering some Introductory Microeconomics (i didn't do economics or accounting 3/4s (only 1/2 accounting which i dropped for specialist)) but did do Business Management, however i doubt that helps with anything lol.

Cheers

[qwerty101]

Also, does anyone know anything about Finance 1? It didn't have it on the Accounting+Finance sample timetable but if i don't do it i won't have any finance subjects down :/ yikes

[Mieow]

Calculus 2 is one of the best maths subjects I've taken ever while Linear Algebra was one of the worst.
If you can survive Specialist Maths you can do pretty well in Calc2 imo. Very interesting subject, well coordinated and lots of support available (Lin. Alg was pretty much the same to a lesser extent but it is such a goddamn abstract subject that you probably won't get your head around it until exam time...if ever)

[heart]

I did Finance 1 as a breadth subject enjoyed it a lot and made me regret not doing an commerce undergrad which was intensified recently after watching the movie "the big short". By your study scores for specialist and maths methods you probably enjoy maths a lot like I did so doing the quantitative pathway might be a better option. Overall pick subjects on what you enjoy cause personally the harder subjects I did doing my undergrad were always more enjoyable and gave me much more return then the easy subjects (principles of genetics) which to be honest didn't find rewarding at all. Also strong maths knowledge indeed would help in the finance field a lot ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Harris_Simons )

[96n_n]

linear algebra is very very different to high school maths. the calculations are very simple but the concepts are very very hard to grasp that at times it becomes very frustrating. As Mieow had said, it's a very abstract subject. I scored similar scores as you during my VCE years and I would recommend Calc 2 if you had to choose between the two.

[notveryasian]

QM1 looks at basic statistical inference, not too "mathsy", and you don't need knowledge of Intro Micro to do well. Doesn't really matter when you complete it in 1st year. If you enjoyed Specialist Maths, then you may very well enjoy Calc 2(which is pretty much an extension on the topics in Spec.)

Also, does anyone know anything about Finance 1? It didn't have it on the Accounting+Finance sample timetable but if i don't do it i won't have any finance subjects down :/ yikes

Yeah, you don't need to do Finance 1 to do a Finance major as long as you do a first year quantitative subject (such as QM1) and ACCT10002 Introductory Financial Accounting. I've met a fair number of Accounting majors that take this path. You can always choose to do Finance 1 of course, if you want a taste of finance in first year. Since the accounting major is fairly "crowded" due to the required subjects for accreditation, not doing Finance 1 can give you an extra subject slot which you can use on a commerce elective or breadth.

[qwerty101]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed. I am looking at Calc 2 vs Principles of Property at the moment - i think i will eventually decide which one and probably leave this breadth to semester 2 so i have more time to think. In saying that, itll be a long time since ive done maths if i were to do calc 2 in semester 2, and principles of property looks a bit at real estate and property investment which is something i've been interested in for a while and something that can complement the commerce side of the course.

I think it might be time to hang up the boots on developing stronger math knowledge, i think most of the math i will ever use will probably be related to the calculus in specialist and methods (i.e. when doing some eco subjects) - this is just the general concensus I've got from online googling.

QM1 looks at basic statistical inference, not too "mathsy", and you don't need knowledge of Intro Micro to do well. Doesn't really matter when you complete it in 1st year. If you enjoyed Specialist Maths, then you may very well enjoy Calc 2(which is pretty much an extension on the topics in Spec.)

Yeah, you don't need to do Finance 1 to do a Finance major as long as you do a first year quantitative subject (such as QM1) and ACCT10002 Introductory Financial Accounting. I've met a fair number of Accounting majors that take this path. You can always choose to do Finance 1 of course, if you want a taste of finance in first year. Since the accounting major is fairly "crowded" due to the required subjects for accreditation, not doing Finance 1 can give you an extra subject slot which you can use on a commerce elective or breadth.

I've read the reviews of Finance 1 on AtarNotes and all but one (4/5) gave ratings of 2/5 or less, even some being -1/5 and -3/5 lol. This has sort of made me wary of picking it up - i've heard its easy and sure i can pick it up to improve my WAM, and i'm sure i have the motivation to perform well if i have the correct mindset (like Business Man. which was super dry but consistently worked and it paid off).

I do have one concern, do employers look exactly at what your subjects were in uni? i will be majoring in finance and accounting but i have about 8-9 accounting subjects and 5-6 finance subjects, and i read somewhere that these two need to be equal? I will have done the subjects in final year that give me the major but leading to that i havent done a whole lot of explicit finance subjects.

If i pick up Finance 1, then it'll mean ill have to do processes and analysis co-currently with  "cost management" or something i believe.

[qwerty101]

As you can see (page 22 -  http://fbe.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/880489/BCom-Planner-2015.pdf) , there is no Finance 1, and more accounting subjects than Finance

[clueless123]

Finance 1 is usually done as a prerequisite for Business Finance. However, your accounting subjects in first year can be used instead as the prereq which allows you to skip it. It doesn't really matter whether you do it or not, but if you have a slot, it will make business finance easier- in my opinion anyway.

[qwerty101]

Finance 1 is usually done as a prerequisite for Business Finance. However, your accounting subjects in first year can be used instead as the prereq which allows you to skip it. It doesn't really matter whether you do it or not, but if you have a slot, it will make business finance easier- in my opinion anyway.

If i don't really have a spot for it, will i be at any major disadvantage? The reviews seem to all mention how basic and introductory it is so am i right to assume that the accounting subjects and QM1 will be enough?

[notveryasian]

If i don't really have a spot for it, will i be at any major disadvantage? The reviews seem to all mention how basic and introductory it is so am i right to assume that the accounting subjects and QM1 will be enough?

You definitely won't be at any major disadvantage heading into Business Finance. People who do Finance 1 get to do a bit more financial maths, but it's pretty basic for competent maths students and mainly all formula sheet.

I do have one concern, do employers look exactly at what your subjects were in uni? i will be majoring in finance and accounting but i have about 8-9 accounting subjects and 5-6 finance subjects, and i read somewhere that these two need to be equal? I will have done the subjects in final year that give me the major but leading to that i havent done a whole lot of explicit finance subjects.

Unless the subjects give some sort of real life experience, like MGMT30012, I don't think employers care too much about what subjects you do at uni. The amount of subjects you do for each major doesn't matter as long as you complete the 3 third year subjects who gives you the major. Personally I'm not doing any Finance electives and just sticking to the Finance subjects which are required for the major.

[Orb]

Just tacking on here,

Am I right in assuming that if i took the Maths pathway (so either lin alg + calc 2 or AM1 + AM2) then I don't have to do Quantitative methods and the two second year subjects that accompany it and instead do those maths subjects above and the stats subjects in 2nd year?

[notveryasian]

Just tacking on here,

Am I right in assuming that if i took the Maths pathway (so either lin alg + calc 2 or AM1 + AM2) then I don't have to do Quantitative methods and the two second year subjects that accompany it and instead do those maths subjects above and the stats subjects in 2nd year?

There's actually only 1 second year subject in the quantitative pathway after you do QM1, but yes, you're right.

[Orb]

isn't  MGMT20001 Organisational Behaviour also compulsory?

Or is that common to both pathways?

[notveryasian]

isn't  MGMT20001 Organisational Behaviour also compulsory?

Or is that common to both pathways?

Yup all students in BCom do MGMT20001