What is Finance?
Finance is a discipline that is part of Management. At its basic level, finance is the acquisition and management of financial resources. Finance is an integral part of individual lives, households, businesses, government, and all forms of other organizations.
What Makes Finance at UTSC unique?
- Experiential learning. Students gain valuable experiences from working in leading financial institutions such as CPPIB, OTPP, and all the major banks.
- World-class Finance Lab that allows students to experience the real world in a classroom setting.
- Access to the Student Managed Fund.
- Small classes and easy access to professors.
- A rich menu of Finance courses covering such areas as investments, corporate finance, behavioural finance, international finance, derivatives, risk management, mergers and acquisition, and private equity.
Skills of Finance Grads
- Critically analyze and evaluate financial/accounting information
- Perform advanced statistical analysis of data and interpret the results
- Lead, implement and manage financial strategies
- Maintain risk control and business contingency
- Carry out financial modelling for achieving various business solutions
- Critical thinking and professional judgment to identify opportunities and influence change
- Identify innovative and creative solutions to financial problems
- Technical skills including advanced Excel functions/practices
- Communication skills for quality written reports and oral presentations
Entry-Level Jobs for Bachelor Grads
Common employment destinations include:
- Financial Analyst
- Business Analyst
- Junior Consultant
- Account Representative/Manager
- Investment Banking Analyst
- Project Coordinator/Manager
- Financial Auditor
- Budget Officer
- Financial Planner
- Portfolio Manager
- Profit/Risk Analyst
- Underwriter
- Research Associate
Graduate & Professional Studies
Popular further education opportunities include:
- Master of Finance (MFin)
- Master of Science in Finance (MSc in Finance)
- Master of Financial Economics (MFE)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)
- Canadian Securities Course (CSC)
Examples of Fields that "Fit" the Skills of Finance Grads
- Finance and Insurance
- Public Administration
- Health Care and Social Assistance
- Mining, Oil and Gas Extraction
- Manufacturing
- Management of Companies and Enterprises
- Construction
- Utilities
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Your 4-Year Career Exploration Plan
1. Do Your Research
The databases below provide you with details about job prospects, nature of work, educational requirements, working conditions, pay and related career paths:
Career Cruising: Log into CLN, click on Resources, and click on Career Cruising to be logged in automatically
O*Net: (U.S. site)
Attend our workshop Discover Your Skills and Career Options, meet with a Career Counsellor, and use our resources to get to know your skills, values, personality and interests.
Use the advice on our tip sheets for gathering information:
- Information Interviews
- Working On-Campus
- Internships
- Volunteering
2. Explore Career Options & Get Experience
Gain exposure to your options in the world of work and make connections while you’re a student via campus events and programs listed on cln.utoronto.ca and ccr.utoronto.ca:
- Extern Job Shadowing
- In the Field
- Explore It! (course-based)
- Partners in Leadership (4th year students)
- iLead, uLead, weLead (Department of Student Life)
- Employer Information Sessions
- Career & Volunteer Fairs
- Departmental Student Association Events
Apply for Work Study jobs in CLN in Fall and Spring! You might also find work via the SCSU.
Find networking opportunities, internship programs and entry-level jobs via websites like TalentEgg and Charity Village.
As an upper year student (14+ credits), attend UTSC’s Get Hired conference and participate in Jobs for Grads.
As a graduate, explore internships and other trainee programs like Career Edge.
3. Build Your Network
Explore Student Clubs and Professional Associations and get involved: volunteer for their events and conferences, and get to know people in your industry of interest. These are your future mentors, supervisors and colleagues!
- Management and Economics Student Association
- DECA UTSC
- LIVE Competition
- Management Consulting Club
- UTSC Student Managed Fund
- Talent and Growth Services
- University of Toronto Consulting Association
- Investment Society
- Chartered Financial Analyst Institute
- Canadian Securities Institute
Please note: This document is a starting point for your further research into career options in this field of study. For more information on this program and course requirements, please visit the departmental website.