Athabasca University

Programme overview

Athabasca University's online Bachelor of Commerce, Finance Major combines finance and economics to give broad exposure to financial management. The program emphasises financial markets, financial instruments and investment decision-making and teaches methods for acquiring and managing capital. It is offered fully online with monthly starts and flexible pacing; the standard degree route is four years, with an accelerated post-diploma route available for students who hold a recognized Canadian post-secondary diploma.

What you'll study

Coursework covers core business disciplines alongside finance-specific topics. Subject areas identified in the program include:

• Financial markets
• Financial instruments
• Investment decision-making
• Methods of gaining and managing capital
• Core business areas such as marketing, statistics, financial and management accounting, information systems, organisational behaviour and commercial law

The program is delivered as a 120-credit degree and its Faculty of Business holds AACSB accreditation. It is also a CFA University Affiliated Program, covering most CFA Program content including ethical and professional standards.

Entry requirements

There are no formal academic admission requirements: applicants need only be 16 or older and may enrol at any time. Students who already hold a degree in administration, business, commerce, management or a related major or concentration from AU or another university are not eligible to apply to this specific finance-major program.

For diploma holders, AU provides a post-diploma route with generous transfer credit to shorten completion time. Transfer credit restrictions apply to older coursework: business and administrative studies senior (300/400) level courses more than 10 years old, CMIS courses more than 5 years old, and statistics courses more than 10 years old are not accepted unless a student demonstrates current work in the field.

Career prospects

The curriculum prepares graduates for roles across the financial services sector where understanding markets, instruments and investment choices is central. The program data cited by the university reports a high employment rate and median earnings for graduates, reflecting outcomes in finance-related careers; additionally, alignment with CFA Program content supports pathways into roles such as financial analyst, portfolio management and investment advising.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Athabasca University offers financial aid and awards to help students reduce barriers to study. Tuition is charged per course on a pay-as-you-go basis and specific per-credit and per-course fees vary by faculty and student location; sample fee tables are published by the university for reference. Diploma-to-degree students should review transfer-credit rules and consult AU’s financial supports when planning an accelerated pathway.