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Master of Commerce

Add a business edge to your discipline – apply concepts to contemporary business situations for career success.

  • Overview
  • Structure
  • Entry requirements
  • How to apply
  • Student experience
  • FAQs
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Why choose this master's degree?

  • Gain a solid grounding in business and be taught by experts in their specialist fields
  • Acquire breadth and depth of knowledge that is innovative, industry relevant and incorporates the latest thinking in business
  • Apply concepts to contemporary business issues and develop your knowledge in a specific business field
  • Wide range of specialisations: Choice of 14 specialisations to suit your interests and career aspirations
  • Professional recognition: Meet the education requirement of various professional bodies including Australian Human Resources Institute (Human Resource Management), Australian Securities and Investment Commission (RG-146) (Finance), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA-UK) (Management Accounting), and SAS (Business Analytics) depending on course selection
  • Recognition of prior learning: Up to 4 courses may be awarded based on your previous studies in business
  • Centrelink approved program:Student income support is available to study this degree in the Banking, Finance or Human Resource Management specialisation (for domestic students only)
  • Additional information: Students studying the Finance specialisation would be well-prepared to sit for the CFA exams

Who is this degree for?

  • You’re a graduate with a non-business degree seeking a postgraduate degree in business
  • You’re a business graduate interested in studying a new area of specialisation
  • You’re interested in a career change

Job and career prospects

Depending on your specialisation, there is a wide range of career opportunities available, including:

  • Business analyst
  • Compliance officer
  • Funds manager
  • Human resource consultant
  • Investment banker
  • IS analyst
  • Management accountant
  • Management and organisation analyst
  • Marketing or brand manager
  • Risk analyst
  • Stockbroker
  • Systems analyst
Don't settle for less than extraordinary
 

The Master of Commerce is a 1.5 year degree program consisting of 12 courses (72 UOC):

  • Two core courses
  • Three gateway core courses
  • Six specialisation courses
  • One capstone course

Core courses

MGMT5050 Teams, Ethics and Competitive Advantage

To achieve competitive advantage in today’s global business environment, managers require skills in problem anticipation, identification and solving, along with abilities to work with and in teams and engage in ethical decision making. Thus, critical and self-reflective thinking is central to success in both postgraduate study and professional business careers.

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Course outline

Then choose one from the following*

COMM5005 Quantitative Methods for Business

This course is designed to teach basic techniques that have proved useful in making business decisions. The basic quantitative skills will be presented in the context of practical problems of interest to business managers.
 
The general themes for the course are "Making Business Decisions" and "Interpreting Business Data". Specific business problems are introduced under each of these themes and the quantitative procedures needed to solve these problems will be presented.

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COMM5011 Data Analysis for Business

This course takes an integrated approach to the analysis of qualitative and quantitative business data. It will focus on the uses of information, formulating problems, data collection, drawing conclusions and reporting. Analysis methods for qualitative data will include data displays, coding, causal and content analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for quantitative data will be introduced.

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ECON5248 Business Forecasting

This course looks at the use of econometric and statistical techniques relevant to forecasting in a business environment and computer implementation of the methods. Short-term forecasting using time series analysis, long-term forecasting with S-shaped growth curves and trend analysis. The study of applied work is emphasised in this non-specialist course.

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Which data analysis course is right for me? (pdf)

Gateway courses

Choose three from the following*

ACCT5906 Financial Literacy for Business Decisions

Making sound business decisions depends on the evaluation and analysis of information. Given the frequent expression of information in monetary terms, financial literacy is a key element in creating value or identifying value opportunities.

This course introduces accounting as the language of business and as a tool to be used by managers within the organisation and by external parties including shareholders and creditors. The core aspects of management accounting and financial accounting are integrated and applied to significant issues as students will encounter them in business. Topics include the development of an appropriate business plan for the entity; costing and pricing; performance measurement; and the construction and use of published financial statements.

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ACCT5922 E-Business: Strategy and Processes

Note: Not available to students who have completed ACCT3585 in the last three years.

The business world today operates on a global, networked, technology platform (the World Wide Web). The rapid implementation of networked technologies world wide has impacted national economies and transformed large and small organisations.

This course uses case studies of high performing e-businesses to facilitate discussion and understanding of the strategic, technological, operational and organisational changes required by organisations to remain competitive, as they confront the strategic opportunities and threats resulting from the global networked technologies.

The case studies analyse the emergence of new business models, including start up e-businesses, the transformation of traditional bricks and mortar companies into e-businesses and the creation of virtual global businesses with outsourced functions performed by a range of specialist companies.

The course also studies the move to digitalised core processes across the value chain– the e-enabling of customer relations; the e-enabling of enterprise resource planning, financial and accounting processes and human resource processes; and the emergence of global, digitalised supply chains. It reviews the financial opportunities the technologies provide to reduce costs, improve productivity and efficiency, and transform concepts of speed and flexibility.

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Find the course outline PDF for this course in the archives

ACCT5930 Financial Accounting

Note: Not available to students who have completed ACCT2542 in the last three years.

This course examines:

  • The fundamentals of financial accounting for entities of simple organisational design
  • Financial recording processes, systems design and internal control
  • Preparation of general purpose statements of financial position, operating performance and cash flow statements
  • Responsibilities in financial reporting
  • Financial reporting constraints
  • Recognition and measurement of specific financial statement elements
  • Analysis and interpretation of financial reports

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ECON5103 Business Economics

An introduction to economic analysis and policy, with particular application to decision-making in business. The course provides students with the tools to use economic principles in decision-making and an understanding of the broader economic environment in which business decisions must be made.

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FINS5512 Financial Markets and Institutions

Serves as an introductory course. Focuses on major financial markets, including the equity, money, bond, exchange rate and derivatives markets. The basics of financial instruments in these markets, such as bank bills, treasury bonds, futures and options are taught. Exposure to the tools of analyses and the roles and innovations of major financial institutions, eg the banks and non-banks, such as finance companies, building societies and credit unions, life and insurance companies and funds management companies.

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FINS5513 Investments and Portfolio Selection

Develops a basic conceptual framework to understand modern investments. Students learn to evaluate alternative investment strategies, develop a more complete understanding of the risk-return relation, and discuss recent developments in investment management. Surveys various financial markets and provides a review of the instruments used to allocate capital and manage risk. Topics include measuring risk and return, designing portfolios, pricing risk, valuing equities, valuing fixed income securities, hedging with derivatives. Students are assessed through a variety of means; including quizzes and exams, computer exercises, and case study discussions.

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INFS5885 e-Business

This course aims to develop students' abilities to use, analyse, and evaluate electronic business technologies and to propose a business model and develop business strategies employing these technologies. The course covers intra‐ and inter‐ organisational systems, payment systems, mobile systems, cloud computing, social technologies, smart systems, and other Internet‐based information systems relevant for electronic business. Core elements of the course are the analysis and discussion of current electronic business case studies as well as the entrepreneurial development of actual electronic business models.

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MARK5700 Elements of Marketing

Marketing plays a key role in acquiring and retaining customers that is critical to the success of an organisation. Elements of Marketing examines how to attract and retain customers by understanding their expressed and latent needs, translating these needs into value offerings that customers want, creating brand awareness and communicating benefits of the value offerings, managing the delivery of value offerings to customers, and capturing value back to the organisation. The application of the theories, concepts, techniques and practices of modern marketing will be conducted via case studies, individual and group assessments.

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MGMT5710 Managing and Leading People

Employers are increasingly demanding that graduates commence employment with highly developed skills in management and leadership. This course provides a foundation for the development of these skills for students undertaking the MCom program. The course introduces students to theories of management and leadership, including cultural differences in effectiveness of leadership, leadership in different types of organisations, and their relationships with other departments within the organisation, as well as encouraging students to engage in personal development of skills necessary for effective leadership and management.

The course aims to help students improve their understanding and competences in managing others, exercising leadership in a variety of situations and the ability to effectively work with other people in modern organisations. Students will undertake learning activities that address managerial and general skills.

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RISK5001 Fundamentals of Risk and Risk Management

"This course aims to introduce students to the complex and diverse range of risks that organisations must manage in today's increasingly global environment. The course discusses the complex nature of the words 'uncertainty' and 'risk', and how their many definitions and interpretations impact risk management. Subsequent lectures demonstrate why organisations must manage risks and what is different in the way they approach risk management today, compared to the past. The fundamental role risk culture and communication play in ensuring an organization’s ability to manage risks at Enterprise level is emphasised, and various frameworks for risk management reviewed.

The course aims to enhance students' ability to think 'outside the box' and encourages them to find solutions to complex problems, given limited information. Class debates and case study lectures are used to achieve these student attributes"

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TABL5511 Legal Foundations of Business

Law is an increasingly significant factor in business. In any business decision fundamental legal questions may arise about the potential liabilities of the parties, the rights that the parties have and how the business or transaction should be organised. This subject introduces the Australian legal system; outlines alternative forms of business organisation; discusses the legal framework of business regulation; and examines areas of law particularly relevant to business including the law of contract and torts, the laws relating to specialised commercial transactions, the regulation of restrictive trade practices and sales promotion, and intellectual property.

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Specialisation courses

Choose six courses from one of the following specialisations

Capstone course

Choose one from the following*

ACCT5931 Strategic Management Accounting

Note: Not available to students who have completed ACCT3583 or ACCT3593 in the last three years.

This course examines links between strategy and resource management as it considers the effective use of an organisation’s financial and other resources in creating value for a range of organisational stakeholders. The course provides students with a management accounting toolkit for analysing the value created for and by various stakeholders, both currently and for a sustainable future.

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Course outline
COMM5010 Strategy, Marketing and Management

This course is designed as a capstone core course in the Master of Commerce program. The course addresses perspectives from core and disciplinary courses in the MCom. It aims to provide students with broad business competencies and skills in developing strategic objectives for creating, maintaining, developing and capturing value for organisations and enhancing competitive advantage. It draws on knowledge and skills from completed courses in their study plans in addressing the Program Learning Goals of the Master of Commerce degree.
 
The course seeks to:
  • Integrate knowledge and skills in a framework for conceptualising, developing and implementing corporate and business strategy drawing on key concepts in marketing and organisational capabilities
  • Synthesise knowledge from alternative perspectives and generate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in developing and implementing strategy
  • Engender critical reflection on the practice of business and management in working with people, and ethical decision-making
  • Provide opportunities for considering global business career. Students will have opportunities of applying the above in case-studies and projects with course participants

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FINS5568 Capstone Portfolio Management Process

The course presents a continuous and systematic approach to the process of portfolio management. The process begins with the development of a policy statement to suit the needs, constraints and preferences of an investor. A thorough examination of past, current and projected conditions of the economy, markets, industries and companies is then conducted to form risk-return expectations for the implementation of investment strategy and construction of portfolio. The last stage of the process focuses on the continual monitoring of portfolio performance and changes to both market and investor-related factors. This reality check serves as impetus for updating the policy statement and revising the investment strategy.

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Course outline
INFS5997 Enterprise Systems and Business Design Practicum

The Enterprise Systems and Business Design Practicum course is a capstone option for the Enterprise Systems and Business Design specialisation stream in the MCom program. This course provides an opportunity to integrate academic rigor with industry experience; to apply theory to solve real world problems, to make the learning experiential, to facilitate project-based learning, and to integrate scholarship with practice. This course is a supervised practicum; students must submit project plans and obtain approval from their academic mentor prior to beginning any work on the project.

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Find the course outline PDF for this course in the archives

COMM5030 Social Entrepreneurship Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply their cumulative learning, and build practical business and leadership capabilities within a social entrepreneurship context. Social entrepreneurs use business thinking to develop operating models aimed at creating positive social outcomes to reach people in need. The course is taught through genuine student engagement in a social entrepreneurship project, supported by both online modules and face-to-face strategy workshops. Each practicum experience will be different depending on the particular project on which each student will work. Assessment tasks are designed to provide a consulting style framework to both create value for the social entrepreneurship project, and to enable students to demonstrate their ability to apply and synthesise social entrepreneurship concepts. Assessments include project scope setting, a project presentation, a final project report, and a critical review and reflection.

The course can be taken either as a Master of Commerce and Master of Commerce (Ext) capstone practicum course or as an elective in one of the following Master of Commerce specialisations: Accounting (Management Accounting) or Management and Human Resource Management (Innovation & Entrepreneurship) . If taken as a capstone, it should be studied in the final semester of the program in place of the nominated capstone of the main specialisation. The course is offered during the standard semester periods or as an intensive course during Summer and Winter.

This course is by application only. Criteria for enrolment include: academic merit, genuine interest in social impact, any extra-curricular activities or experience in related fields.


For enquiries please contact CSI Students at: csistudents@unsw.edu.au

 


Find the course outline PDF for this course in the archives

*Course selection will depend on chosen specialisation and prior studies.

Program details
View full program details in the UNSW handbookThe official University guide to degree programs and courses offered at UNSW
Class timetable
View more information on the class timetable websiteThe official University class timetable website
To be eligible for the program, you need to have:

The UNSW English Language requirements also apply to this program.

Note: No other requirement (such as GMAT, GRE, personal statement, academic referee) is considered unless otherwise specified.

Alternative entry

Applicants who do not have a credit average within their bachelor degree may be assessed on other performance indicators. For example, an applicant with an above average mark obtained in a Bachelor degree (for Australian qualifications this would be in the range of 60-64%) may result, on a case by case basis, in an offer being made based on the following performance indicators:

  • GMAT score of 600 or above.  The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is an exam created to measure the academic abilities needed to succeed in graduate management education. Further information can be obtained from www.gmac.com
  • Completion of other undergraduate, postgraduate or research qualifications
  • Professional qualifications completed through relevant professional bodies, for example the Institute of Chartered Accountants or CPA Australia
  • Relevant work experience is not a requirement but may be taken into consideration as an indicator of performance to support the application

Pathway option

If you don’t have a bachelor degree, the Graduate Certificate in Commerce is a pathway to the Master of Commerce (for domestic students only).

Recognition of Prior Learning

Up to 4 courses (24 UOC) may be awarded based on your previous business studies (bachelor or higher). You will be notified of the credits in your official letter of offer.

Students who are not graduates of Australian or NZ universities

For students who have studied at overseas universities, the normal minimum academic requirement is the equivalent of a credit average grade (65%) from an Australian university, as determined by the UNSW Postgraduate Coursework Entry Calculator. Details on assessment will be determined by your grading system so it is important that this is attached with your transcript when you apply.

Note: For applicants from non-211 China universities for UNSW Business School Postgraduate Coursework programs, 88 cut off is equivalent to an 85% Australian scaled average using the calculator.

We will use the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR). They are the government body that provides official information on the comparability of overseas qualifications with Australian qualifications using the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as our benchmark.

In those countries where an equivalent grade has not been established, the following will be taken into consideration:

  • The standard and content of the undergraduate program completed, and
  • The standard of the institution from which the qualifications were obtained
  • Indian universities award different types of bachelor and master degrees, with different requirements in terms of length of study. At a minimum, applicants would be required to have a 3-year bachelor degree or professional bachelor degree and provide all individual marksheets.
  • Iranian universities award different types of bachelor degrees, with different requirements in terms of length of study. At a minimum, applicants would be required to have a 4-year bachelor degree.

Application checklist

Before you apply, ensure that you:

  1. Choose the right program that matches your interests and career aspirations
  2. Meet the entry requirements of the program
  3. Check if you are eligible to apply for credits or advanced standing based on recognition of prior learning (RPL) for this program

    4. Note: You can apply for credits during the online application process

  4. Have the various supporting documentation for your application. E.g.

   a. Official academic transcripts
   b. Proof of completion of qualification
   c. Proof of identity and citizenship
   d. Proof of relevant work experience (if required)

    You can upload the above documentation during the online application process

How to apply

You can apply for this program online:

There are two intakes per year:

  • Semester 1 (March) intake, apply by November 30
  • Semester 2 (July) intake, apply by May 30

Late applications may be accepted after the closing dates subject to the availability of places.

Need help?

Still need help finding the right postgraduate business program for you? Contact us now.

We know you're busy balancing postgraduate study with your personal and other work commitments. So UNSW Business School's dynamic learning spaces, facilities and student support helps you make the most of every day on campus.

Expand your professional network

Your postgraduate cohort is more than a valuable future business network – you'll make lifelong friends in class and at a range of social events. Join a student club – there are more than 180 social, cultural, sports and professional clubs to choose from. The Graduate Student Association is a great place to start.  Find out more

All the support you need to achieve

If it has been a while since you last studied, you may need to brush up on your skills. We'll help with study skills workshops and Career Mentoring programs. Our Meet the Executive series offers unique behind the scenes business insights and the Business School's LEAD Business Leadership program, as well as many other orientation, leadership and mentor programs, can open the door to new opportunities. Find out more

Stay active on campus

Exercise boosts your mental wellbeing and can help you deal with exam or assignment pressures. It's easy to stay fit with state of the art sporting facilities on campus, including a 50m indoor pool, fitness centre, squash courts and a range of competitive sports teams.

Everything you need in one place

The UNSW Kensington campus is like a village hub, with cafes, bars, banks, a post office, medical and dental centres as well as retail outlets. It's a short bus trip to Sydney's CBD, many beautiful beaches, the SCG and Centennial Park, and movie theatres at Fox Studios.

Make the most of every opportunity

Your postgraduate degree is a unique chance to get a new perspective on life. So get involved – as well as student clubs and social activities there are internships, volunteer projects, competitions and international exchanges on offer. It's a great way to further develop your leadership, project management or specialist skills.

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Quick facts for students

Program code
8404
Award
Masters Degree (Coursework)
Total Units of Credit (UOC)
72
Study Mode
Face to face
Duration
1.5 years full-time, 3 years part-time
Commencing semesters
Semester 1 - March
Semester 2 - July
Course fee*
$4,110
Program fee (total)*
$49,320
* Fees are indicative only
Related programs
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​​​​​​​​​Area of Study

Browse the list of study areas available for postgraduate study

​
 
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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Search Degrees​​

Find a degree, course or interest

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