Career

 

Career Outlook


The Wonderful and Fascinating Realm of Finance


Corporate Finance:

The following three decision-makings are essential and inevitable for a capable and skillful financial manager: Investment Decision, Financing Decision and Dividend Decision. Therefore, in addition to the fundamental business core courses, such as economics, accounting, investment and financial management, other recommended elective courses are listed as follows:

1.     Financial decision-making information system.

2.     Investment Banking Management.

3.     Financial Regulations

4.     Securities Regulations

5.     Derivatives

6.     International Financial Market

7.     Fixed Income Analysis

8.     Financial Analysis

9.     International Financial Management

 

As for the career outlook, one can enter into the filed of corporate finance, investment banking, financial analysis, and financial institute management. There are full of challenges and plenty of opportunities.


Securities Analysis:

The benefits for students who engage into this concentration are two-fold: from personal perspective, one will gain the fundamental knowledge that are necessary for securities investment and further enhance one’s ability for securities analysis. As for the career outlook, there are plenty of employment opportunities; one will probably enter the securities sector. As far as salary is concern, the compensations are quite attractive in this sector.

It is recommended that students take the following courses: economics and statistics, investment and financial statement analysis, securities analysis, macroeconomics, fixed income analysis and derivative.

Analytical skill is a must; through the analysis of macroeconomics, sector and the financial status of individual corporations, and derivatives, one could understand the decision-making process of forming and managing of a sounded investment portfolio.

 

Financial Markets and Institutions:

Nowadays, essentially all transactions are conducted through financial markets or financial institutions, therefore, gaining a full understanding of the function, regulations, and future prospects of the financial markets and institutions are crucial to the future success of students. Students are required to take the course of “Money and Banking”, which financial markets and monetary policy are introduced, in the sophomore year and followed by “Financial Institution Management”, which the functions of various financial markets and the operations of banks are introduced, in junior year. In addition, ”Futures and Options”, “International Financial Market” and ”Fixed Income Analysis” are intended for the introduction of various financial markets; “Investment Banking” is designed for the introduction of financial institution; “Securities Regulations”, “Banking Regulations”, “Investment Banking Regulations” and “Trading Practices” are deliberated for the exploration to the jurisdiction sector; “Derivatives” introduces the new concepts and products that are both vital to regular and investment banking industries; “Project Financing” deals with the modern day financing mechanism. This concentration is quiet important, regardless which career path, academia or practice, banking industry, securities investment, corporate finance, or financial engineering, one is engaged into.

Insurance:

There are two jobs, which are suitable for graduates of our programs: the manager of investment department and actuator. A fact that is often over-looked by many of our graduates who are interested going to investment sector is that insurance firms are in need for investment talents to manage the vast amount of cash that, they possess and, is awaited for investment. As for the actuary, there are very few licensed actuary,, especially in the sector of properties insurance. Interested party should not miss this wonderful opportunity. Financial management and insurance are essential to the success of these careers. It is recommended that students pay extra attention while taking advanced statistics and insurance financial management. In addition, students should pay more attention to the areas that insurance firms are actively investing: securities, bonds and real estate.

Real Estate:

As the economic activities of Taiwan advanced, new investment mechanisms, such as pension fund and annuity, have emerged. Many institutional investors are eagerly seeking investment opportunities; inevitably, forming a balanced portfolio with real estate and related subjects are of their concerns. In addition, from the point of view of balance sheet, mortgage loan are considered the asset of financial institutes, gaining a understanding in the real estate investment, both in depth and broad, is vital to those who engage into financial sector. As the enactment of “renovation of urban” and commencement of asset securitization, “real estate” has outpaced its traditional scope and commingled with the practice of financial world. Our department offers the following series of real estate related courses: “ Introduction to Real Estate Investment”, “Asset Securitization”, “ Seminar on Real Estate Investment” and “Valuation on Asset Back Mortgage.”

Financial Engineering:

This concentration is evolved from the recent advancement of corporate financial management, banking asset and liability management and investment management. Due to its relatively short history, its definition has not yet clearly defined. In general, it includes, but not limit to, the followings: the process to solve a particular financial problem, the technique to solve a problem by designing financial products. Further, it includes the definition of the problem, synthesize and desynthesize, design, pricing, promotion and distribution of the product.

In addition to the following recommended courses: “Futures and options” and “Derivatives”, students are advised to hone their marketing skills and knowledge. If one is found attracted to the design and pricing of derivatives, the extensive training on computing and econometrics are vital; one is recommended to take the core courses for the option of financial engineering of the master program, such as “stochastic process”, “stochastic calculus”, “Financial theory on continuous time” and “Partial Deferential Equation”. Upon completion of these courses, one should be competent of performing the required jobs.


Econometrics:

This concentration is suited for those are interested in pursuing Ph.D. program, and engage into academia career. The combination of both theoretical works and empirical studies is essential for a sounded and rigorous academic project. Theoretical works are built upon the foundation of economics, which provides thorough logical trainings. Thus, it is recommended that students take one full year course of both micro, and macro-economics through the department of economics. Similarly, empirical studies are built upon the foundation of statistics, which provides the likelihood of what’s possible and what’s not; it is recommended that that students take one full year of “advanced statistics”. In general, both sections utilize mathematics extensively; rigorous training is vital. Therefore, it is recommended that students take “calculus B” and “advanced calculus.” However, these mathematics courses are just paving a way for Ph.D. program; these trainings do not provide direct and observable benefit to those who are in under-graduate and MBA. program.