University of Adelaide

What you'll study

This degree provides a balance of foundational commerce subjects and specialist units in financial planning and property. Typical full-time duration is three years, consisting of core commerce subjects, two coordinated specialist sequences (Financial Planning and Property), and elective options that allow further depth or breadth.

• Core commerce topics: introductory economics, financial and management accounting, quantitative methods for business, corporate finance, business law, and organisational behaviour.
• Financial planning sequence: personal financial advice principles, investment analysis and portfolio construction, taxation for advisers, superannuation and retirement planning, risk management and insurance, ethical and regulatory frameworks for financial advice, and a capstone or practicum focusing on client-based planning.
• Property sequence: fundamentals of property markets, property finance and investment, property valuation methods, property development and project feasibility, urban and regional economics, property law and conveyancing basics, and market research/analytics for real estate.
• Skill-building and practical experience: courses emphasise applied skills such as financial modelling, client engagement and needs analysis, valuation techniques, market reporting and use of industry-standard databases. Many students undertake work-integrated learning projects or industry-linked capstones.
• Electives and cross-discipline options: students can choose electives across finance, accounting, economics, marketing or law to tailor their degree towards particular career goals.

Entry requirements

Admission is based on a combination of secondary school results, recognised tertiary study, or relevant work experience for mature-age applicants. Domestic applicants typically apply with an Australian senior secondary certificate; international applicants present equivalent qualifications and evidence of English language proficiency.

• Recommended secondary subjects: English and mathematics (mathematics at a level that prepares you for university quantitative methods is advised).
• Alternative entry pathways: recognised diploma or associate degree holders, and applicants with substantial workplace experience can be considered through pathway programs or special entry schemes.
• International students must meet the University’s English language requirements; specific accepted tests and scores are listed on the University of Adelaide admissions pages.
• Competitive applicants may also need to meet any additional faculty selection criteria; check the Adelaide Business School admissions guidance for further detail.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for a range of roles across financial services and property sectors. Common career paths include:

• Financial adviser or paraplanner — providing personal financial advice, retirement and superannuation planning, and investment recommendations.
• Mortgage broker or lending specialist — working with banks, broking firms or specialist lenders on home and investment lending.
• Property valuer or asset manager — undertaking valuation work, asset performance analysis and portfolio management for institutional or private clients.
• Property development or project analyst — assessing feasibility, finance structures and planning for residential or commercial development projects.
• Compliance, risk and regulatory roles — supporting institutions to meet financial services and property sector obligations.
• Roles in related fields such as real estate sales, property management, investment banking support and consulting.

Why study at University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide’s commerce programs are delivered through the Adelaide Business School and emphasise applied learning and industry engagement. Students benefit from strong links with local and national employers in finance and property, opportunities for work-integrated learning, and access to academic staff with research and industry experience in finance, taxation and property markets.

The campus environment in Adelaide offers proximity to a compact financial and professional services community, which can support internships, networking and graduate employment opportunities. The degree’s mix of technical, analytical and client-facing units is designed to equip graduates with practical skills sought by employers across the finance and property sectors.