Fundamentals of Finance
UndergraduateLTU-FIN1FOF2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- Subject may require attendance
- Enrol by
- 20 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Price from
- $2,124
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Fundamentals of Finance
About this subject
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Apply the concept of the time value of money to the valuation of annuities, perpetuities, bonds and equity securities.
- Compare the sources of finance available to a business and estimate the cost of capital, cash flows and financial viability of different investment projects.
- Apply statistical techniques, the capital asset pricing model and modern portfolio theory to analyse and compare the risk-return characteristics of investment portfolios.
- Describe the current financial environment and define a study plan and potential career path.
- Introduction to Finance
- Time Value of Money
- Financial Mathematics
- Valuation of Securities
- Cost of Capital
- Capital Budgeting
- Project Evaluation
- Risk and Return
- Portfolio Theory
- Market Efficiency
- Options
Finance defines the process by which individuals and businesses raise and manage funds. Financial skills are a prerequisite for success not only if you are seeking a career in banking and finance, but equally for success in any business career. Indeed, financial literacy is a skill required to successfully manage your personal financial well-being. In this subject, through lessons in our financial trading room and industry-related content, you will examine the nature of the financial environment and the types of financial decision-making required to succeed, both from a business and an individual perspective. You will develop an understanding of the concept of the time value of money, methods of valuing various financial assets such as shares and bonds, and methods of project evaluation. You will consider the trade-off between risk and return in relation to investment assets, and its importance in understanding portfolio theory, and the cost of capital for a business. Finally, you will be able to define a study plan and potential financial career paths.
- Online and/or in class assessment tasks (equivalent to 1000 words). (25%)
- Individual assignment (equivalent to 1,000-word per student) (25%)
- Final examination (equivalent to 2,000 words) (50%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
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- QS Ranking 2024:
- 17
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 18
Entry requirements
Equivalent subjects
You won't be able to enrol into this subject if you've already successfully completed or currently enrolled in the following subject(s) as they are considered anti-requisites due to the similarity of the content.
Others
Past La Trobe University students who have previously completed FIN2FIN (Finance) are ineligible to enrol in this subject.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateLAT-BUS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DIP
UndergraduateLAT-HSC-DEG
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Health Sciences
UndergraduateLAT-AHS-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateLAT-PYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-HSC-DIP
Bachelor of Information Technology
UndergraduateLAT-TEC-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CRM-DEG
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