What is a Master of Applied Finance (MAF)? Corporate balance sheets and investments, according to Dr Les Coleman. A sexier version is found in Melbourne Universities’ GSBE New Student Information Guide; practical and career-orientated program at cutting edge of theory and practice.

The Dean Award* for best presentation of the day goes to Dr Martin Davies. What follows are my notes from his energetic, informative and for me, re-awakening presentation. Martin awoke the professional within. Though I’m yet to have my figurative coffee, he stirred me from my slumber. It’s time to re-engage the Dean of five years past. The five day count down has started.

Dr Davies is from the Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU), their focus is helping students succeed. I’m planning on making them work extra hard for their keep this year!

First he reminded us of the 40 min concentration limit and set the expectation of 10-12 private hours study per subject per week. Slightly upping the ante from the 120 hour time commitment per subject suggested by the handbook.

14 Guaranteed Tips for Success

When someone with two doctorates, shares guaranteed tips for success in academic life, I’m all ears.

1. Treat it like a job.
2. Active learning. Graded in participation. Note to self: A Types and extroverts get a free pass on participation, they probably need to practice their listening.
3. Ask questions. Utilise consultation hours.
4. Make use if TLU Helpsheets and booklets. I look forward to collecting some.
5. TLU appointments for assignments are best at least a week before due date. Eight appointments per semester.
6. Graduate Enrichment Program (GEP) Friday 12-2. Get a schedule.
7. Express ideas in your own words. Check the How to Paraphrase help sheet.
8. Base ideas on solid evidence.
9. Move beyond the reading list. Treat list as the minimum not the target. Journals from Giblin Library in Econ and Finance Building.
10. Lectures care about what you can argue with evidence not about what you believe.
11. Plan you time. At this point I feel compelled to add that this was the orientation day for all Graduate School of Business and Economics. Students doing the MAF have at least two years professional experience and should already be masters of time planning.
12. Summarise books in own words using cards. The cards are portable, provide practice at paraphrasing, enhance learning and replace the book as a quickly digestible reference.
13. Aim to write 400 quality words per day. Make it a daily routine. This is over 500I’m counting it!

I know I missed some and repeated others, I’m counting on the TLU having a help sheet

A honorable mention goes to the careers advisor, Agnes Banyasz. Every situation is an opportunity to practice leaving an impression. Be strategic. Great advice, being strategic is rewarded much more than ability is the corporate world. Ability is a pre-requisite to success, but not a differentiating factor.

* The Dean Award is a prestigious award for outstanding input into my life and should not be confused with an academic Dean award. However, unlike an academic Dean, this award come with a cup of coffee.

Disclosure: You may have noticed the ad on the right tool bar. I was going to subscribe to Expiring Monthly, but instead exchanged advertising for a subscription. I’m happy to promote this new monthly publication for options traders as I respect Mark Wolfinger and enjoy reading VIX and More. $79 charter membership appears to be a bargain. ($99 after Feb 28) Most options newsletters cost 5 to 20 times that and I’m expecting this journal to be as good and hopefully better.

Related posts:

1. Behavioural Finance Part One