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Commerce Double Major & Electives? (1 Viewer)

lJenkins

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Hey Guys,

Just had a few questions regarding a commerce degree, hopefully some you guys can answer them. I'm majoring in accounting and finance and not sure how some of the courses work.

For example on UNSW handbook site, some courses can be counted towards Accounting and Finance major apparently.


Please note: Students majoring in both Accounting and Finance may count FINS3626 towards the Accounting AND the Finance Major.

ACCT3563 is included for the benefit of students undertaking majors in both Accounting and Finance to allow compliance with the requirements of the professional Accounting bodies. Students with majors in Accounting and Finance may count this course towards the Finance major AND the Accounting major. Students planning on studying honours in Accounting must take ACCT3573 Issues in Financial Reporting & Analysis (6 UOC) in place of ACCT3563 Issues in Financial Reporting & Analysis.

Does that mean if I take both these subjects, it would count as 12UOCS to my Accounting major and also 12UOCS to my Finance major? Thats the assumption I'm under, however when I asked the lady at the ASB Office she said it will only count to one of the majors, which was contrary to what is said on the online handbook.

Also does phys1160 count as a elective or a gen-ed? Can I take it as a free elective?


Cheers fellas
 

Shadowdude

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For that one... hmm, I will go out on a limb and say that those courses count both towards an Accounting and Finance major. That is, if you take the course and you want to do an Accounting major - it'll count. And similarly for Finance.

However, I think it seems counter-intuitive if a 6uoc course can contribute 12uoc to your program - an Accounting/Finance double major. So... yeah. That's my interpretation.


Also for that Physics course - when you say 'elective', does that mean Free elective or Commerce elective? Free electives can count towards gen ed - depending on what you take.
 

maratyeu

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Extending what Shadow has said,

Free Electives have to be from within your faculty ie ASB
Gen Eds have to be from outside your faculty ie SCI for PHYS1160 (There are always exemptions)

ACCT3563 is a compulsory core subject if you want to receive an ACCT major. Whilst FINS3626 can contribute to be 1 of 3 "Free Electives" that are required for your ACCT major.

However both are considered free electives for a FINS. Contributing 2 of the 4 "Free Electives" required for FINS major.

Yes, they should total 12UOC needed for each major, but ideally you would only want ACCT3563 to only count for your ACCT major (since its compulsory anyways) to undertake more electives in your FINS major. Similarly with FINS with your ACCT major.

Otherwise it'll just frees up 12UOC of free electives you can spend on other commerce courses.
 
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lJenkins

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Thanks for the responses guys, still mixed opinions on whether or not they take two or not. I'll confirm again at student centre tomorrow.

In regards to free elective, the handbook says. "Free electives account for up to 42 UOC (7 courses). At least one of these courses must be taken from within the Australian School of Business to ensure you complete 96UOC of Business courses within the BCom. The free electives may be used to complete a second major from within the Australian School of Business or count towards major of 54 UOC in a modern language offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Science. See requirements for language major."

So my understanding free elective only has to be from ASB only if you dont have the 96UOCS all up, what if I do have 96UOCs from ASB already, lets say I do all the compulsorys of 48 UOCs and then I'm pretty sure If I do those courses that overlap for both majors, I'll have some extra free electives? Are they usable outside of ASB or still within ASB course?

EDIT:The free electives may be used to complete a second major from within the Australian School of Business or count towards major of 54 UOC in a modern language offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Science. See requirements for language major.

Sorry just read that, so that means free elective MUST be either in ASB or a modern language? Damn that sucks!
 
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Shadowdude

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So if you plan to do a major stream that makes you have 96 uoc in Commerce automatically - then no, you don't need to use any those extra 48uoc you have in extra Commerce courses - so more free electives for you.

Free electives can be used for anything. So if you want to do another ASB major or a modern language - you can. That's just saying you can, if you want. But you don't have to.
 

lJenkins

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Ahh okay, thanks alot! So could I count phys1160 as a free elective then? or will it still account as a gen-ed for me?
 

Shadowdude

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I'd count as a gen-ed, if you do a single degree.
 

seremify007

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For what it's worth if you are doing an accounting major, just make sure you meet all the subject requirements of the respective industry body/association which you intend to pursue subsequent to finishing uni (e.g. CA vs. CPA requirements).
 

lJenkins

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For what it's worth if you are doing an accounting major, just make sure you meet all the subject requirements of the respective industry body/association which you intend to pursue subsequent to finishing uni (e.g. CA vs. CPA requirements).
Okay, think I should have been more clear on my current situation (feel rude now), Im doing a single degree in commerce doing double major in acct and fins. I dont plan on pursuing a career in accounting so CA and CPA requirements are not of my concern. Ive completed the compulsory an flexi core subjects last year.

This sem I've done fins1612,fins2624, acct2542 and a gen-ed(fitness). So ive planned out to do those two courses I mentioned in my first post which seem to mean i'll have 2 extra electives due to the fact they overlap. So it would mean I would be able to do 2 geneds and 2 electives, but am confused what constitutes a free elective/gen ed under my circumstances.
 

Shadowdude

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For you, free electives and gen ed are pretty much the same thing unless you use your 'free electives' on Commerce subjects.


Besides, isn't gen ed just 6uoc outside your faculty anyway? You've done your gen-ed requirement with Fitness - so just consider your other free slots as free electives, for whatever you want.
 

moll.

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For what it's worth if you are doing an accounting major, just make sure you meet all the subject requirements of the respective industry body/association which you intend to pursue subsequent to finishing uni (e.g. CA vs. CPA requirements).
Yeah, hahaha I didn't do this. Was halfway through my major when I actually looked at the list of course requirements. Whole pile of extra tax and legal subjects which would have taken up all my free electives that I wanted to use on economics subjects, so I was like 'fuck that' and changed it to a minor in accounting. Now majoring Econ, Fins.
 

moll.

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Okay, think I should have been more clear on my current situation (feel rude now), Im doing a single degree in commerce doing double major in acct and fins. I dont plan on pursuing a career in accounting so CA and CPA requirements are not of my concern. Ive completed the compulsory an flexi core subjects last year.

This sem I've done fins1612,fins2624, acct2542 and a gen-ed(fitness). So ive planned out to do those two courses I mentioned in my first post which seem to mean i'll have 2 extra electives due to the fact they overlap. So it would mean I would be able to do 2 geneds and 2 electives, but am confused what constitutes a free elective/gen ed under my circumstances.
If you're not going to do CA/CPA then an accoutning major isn't going to be overly useful to you once you graduate. You may be better off to swap it to a minor and then branch out into another subject area, eg actuarial, economics etc.
 

lJenkins

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If you're not going to do CA/CPA then an accoutning major isn't going to be overly useful to you once you graduate. You may be better off to swap it to a minor and then branch out into another subject area, eg actuarial, economics etc.
Hmmm... I thought the general consensus was to do a accounting major anyway because alot of the knowledge/skills you attain are very transferrable. I have no interest in actuarial and a minimum in economics. I actually like management accounting tbh, however I think the mgmt acct courses are very wishy washy so I've opted not to actually do them. I'll stick with my double majors accounting and finance anyway considering I'm doing only a single degree and I guess it is also the cookie cutter build for commerce.
 

moll.

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Hmmm... I thought the general consensus was to do a accounting major anyway because alot of the knowledge/skills you attain are very transferrable. I have no interest in actuarial and a minimum in economics. I actually like management accounting tbh, however I think the mgmt acct courses are very wishy washy so I've opted not to actually do them. I'll stick with my double majors accounting and finance anyway considering I'm doing only a single degree and I guess it is also the cookie cutter build for commerce.
Yeah, it's up to you and you are right that accounting will teach you a whole pile of useful shit that will be transferrable in other areas (especially the 'wishy-washy' management accounting courses, which sucks). But if you were looking at a career as an accountant as a back-up to finance then unfortuantely you will probably only get the leftovers from those who have CA/CPAs.
 

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