FNCE10002 Principles of Finance
University of Melbourne · Level 1 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Summer, Semester 1, Semester 2.
- Final exam 60%: exam-heavy
Is FNCE10002 hard?
FNCE10002: About average. Makes it easier: First-year subject. Makes it harder: Final exam 60%. The easier and harder points roughly balance out.
What you learn
Key ideas of finance: time value of money, risk and return, investing in projects and raising funds.
After it you can
- Solve basic financial maths problems
- Evaluate projects with budgeting methods
- Compare debt and equity as funding sources
What you need first
None
What it leads to
- ACCT30001 Analysis of Firms & Financial Statements
- ACCT30006 Financial Analysis and Valuation
- ECOM30001 Basic Econometrics
- ECOM30002 Econometrics 2
- FNCE20002 Management of Financial Institutions
- FNCE20003 Introductory Personal Finance
- FNCE20005 Corporate Financial Decision Making
- FNCE20006 Financial Markets and Institutions
- FNCE30008 Street Finance
- FNCE30014 Machine Learning in Finance
- FNCE30015 Behavioural Finance
Can’t be taken together with
- FNCE20001
How it’s assessed
Assignments 15%, Tests 25%, Final exam 60%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 10 students on StudentVIP (2021–2025)
- Opinions are split on difficulty: some found it easy, others said it ramps up quickly after the first weeks.
- The maths is simple, but understanding finance terms and question wording is the real challenge; some formulas are not on the sheet.
- Long two-hour lectures can be hard to focus on; do readings beforehand and practise tutorial questions and sample exams.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate FNCE10002
Quick answers
- When is FNCE10002 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Summer, Semester 1, Semester 2.
- What do I need before taking FNCE10002?
- Needs None.
- Does FNCE10002 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 60% of the mark. Assessment: Assignments 15%, Tests 25%, Final exam 60%.
- Is FNCE10002 hard?
- From 10 student reviews on StudentVIP: Opinions are split on difficulty: some found it easy, others said it ramps up quickly after the first weeks.
- What do students say about FNCE10002?
- Opinions are split on difficulty: some found it easy, others said it ramps up quickly after the first weeks. The maths is simple, but understanding finance terms and question wording is the real challenge; some formulas are not on the sheet. Long two-hour lectures can be hard to focus on; do readings beforehand and practise tutorial questions and sample exams.
- Can I take FNCE10002 as breadth?
- Yes, for: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science.
- What can I take after FNCE10002?
- 11 subjects need it first, for example ACCT30001, ACCT30006, ECOM30001, ECOM30002.
- Can I rate FNCE10002?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
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