Idea Transcript
2016 SUBS FIRST YEAR GUIDE
Proudly Presented By THE SYDNEY UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SOCIETY
SUBS First Year Guide Major Events March Welcome Back
Drinks First Year Camp (18-20th March)
What is SUBS? SUBS (Sydney University Business Society) is considered the umbrella society that brings together the diversity found within each other individual society across the business school. We exist to enhance student experience in all aspects of university life. From career- oriented networking events to a range of large social events across the calendar, SUBS aids in forming meaningful connections between students, employers and the business school.
April
Cruise
May
End of Sem Party
June
Back to Sem Party
July
Ball
Nov
End of Year Party
CONTACT US: For our most frequently updated announcements, find us on FB at https://www.facebook.com/USYDBusiness/ or search “Sydney University Business” For our sick pics with even sicker filters, head to our Instagram @usydbusiness
For the ultimate live event updates happening at that very moment, add us on Snapchat @subsoc
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SUBS First Year Guide
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Contents President’s address
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Introducing the SUBS Exec
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Events:
....................................... 10 a. Social events and social events calendar b. Professional events
How to choose your major
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How to succeed in first year academics
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a. BUSS1001 b. BUSS1002 c. BUSS1020 d. BUSS1030 e. BUSS1040 Tips and tricks from a past first year
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a. Academics b. Social c. Jobs, Applications and Interviews d. Networking e. General Interfaculty Sport
....................................... 31
Credits
....................................... 32
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Monica Caruana PRESIDENT
President’s address Welcome to the University of Sydney and welcome to the Sydney University Business Society (SUBS). Firstly I would like to congratulate you on choosing a Commerce degree and to let you know that you are automatically enrolled to be a member of SUBS.
first event we hold for First Year’s is our First Year Camp which will be held this year on the 18th of March. I cannot recommend attending this enough, I met most of my university friends here and was introduced to the world that is uni.
I, myself was in your position two years ago and if I could offer any advice it would be to get involved and be proactive. Take every opportunity you can because time really does fly when you’re having fun. Join a society, come along to our social events, ask questions and mainly enjoy your time here. The
The 2016 Executive are proud to present you with a guide to help you get through one of the most exciting and daunting years of your life. From BUSS1001 to choosing a major, there is much more to studying at USYD then studying the formulas of accounting. This guide contains
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some of the events, programs, services, tips and activities that SUBS runs which can help you survive your first year. If you see me around Campus, make sure you stop and say hi! We want the Business School to be a place that is comfortable so it nurtures your growth professionally and personally. I can not wait to meet you all. Good luck this year! Monica Caruana President of SUBS
SUBS First Year Guide
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Meet the Team Name: Monica Caruana Role: President How a first year student will come across you? You will probably see me around uni and if you do please stop me and say hi! I can't wait to meet everyone and if you attend the first year camp we can meet there :) " Fun fact about you I went to a performing arts school!
Name: Chris Lam Role: Vice President How a first year student will come across you? At Merewether, Uni bros, First year Camp, Wednesday Sport, Class, Any Networking Events, EY
Fun fact about you I have an identical twin who goes to UTS (I know I definitely made the better decision)!
Name: Robyn Lu Role: Secretary How a first year student will come across you? Under a pile of paperwork in the C&S Office. You'll also find me during our meetings, hurriedly typing away as I'm writing the minutes. Otherwise, I'll be happily working with the SUBS team, chatting with Society members at our events and keeping the positive energy up! Fun fact about you I don't just sing in the shower, I perform.
Name: Claire Ho Role: Treasurer How a first year student will come across you? At the CEO office in Abercrombie or C&S office in Manning :) Fun fact about you I'm part Cuban.
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Name: Victor Li
Role: Events Director How a first year student will come across you? First Year Camp! Fun fact about you Hip-hop connoisseur and an avid Manchester City fan since ’09.
Name: Roy Neill Role: Events Director How a first year student will come across you? SUBS events or hanging around Merewether. Fun fact about you I've been learning Mandarin for the past 4 years.
Name: Anthony Makragelidis Role: Events Director How a first year student will come across you? At any USyd food vendor that offers Eggs Benedict on their menus.
Fun fact about you Candidate for worst parker at Sydney University.
Name: Josh Ferris Role: External Relations Director
How a first year student will come across you? You will see the results of what I do whenever you have contact with a sponsor in SUBS related activities. Fun fact about you I had more beers in the hour before my BUSS1001 midsemester exam than I managed to get through at my 18th. "
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SUBS First Year Guide
2016 Name: Laurie Yutuc Role: External Relations Director How a first year student will come across you? At SUBS events, more specifically, company-sponsored events/workshops. " Fun fact about you When I'm not submitting assignments weeks before the deadline and getting HDs for every assessment (is what I wish I could say), you can usually find me at International Student Lounge spinning on my head, flipping and doing that kind of boring stuff. You know, the usual. Name: Sophie Masterton Role: Publications Director How a first year student will come across you? Most likely downing a pork belly baguette at Taste. Fun fact about you? I have a picture book published in France
Name: Kartik Shastri Role: Publications Director How a first year student will come across you? Probably at Courtyard demolishing 3 pizzas and any hope of a diet. Fun fact about you? Despite my love of pizza, over the past year and a half I’ve lost 35.1kg!
Name: David Hogan Role: Publications Director How a first year student will come across you? Sipping chai lattes (with marshmallows) on the lawns or at the Brennan Maccallum Learning Hub while working on publications such as the careers guide. Fun fact about you I once ran from the Quadrangle to Redfern Station in 7 minutes in the rain and was awarded the University medal for bravery.
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Name: Georgiana Ma Role: Marketing (Social Media) Director How a first year student will come across you? Bobby's Cafe (on the way from Redfern Station), Law Library, any SUBS event, and will be in the new Business building (Abercrombie Precinct)! Fun fact about you I do not eat steak that's cooked any less than medium well.
Name: Vanessa Au-Yeung Role: Marketing (Design) Director How a first year student will come across you? Facebook, Instagram, helping out at SUBS events. Fun fact about you I am a cheese fiend.
Name: Vishal Uppal Role: IT Director How a first year student will come across you? They’d be looking up to me... probably literally, but I'd like to think otherwise. Fun fact about you I once made a film for Tropfest Jr. Yeah, I don't even know how it got shortlisted... it was terrible, honestly.
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Name: Kevin Gatdula Role: IT Director How a first year student will come across you? Either standing in line at Unibros, or studying in Law Library. Fun fact about you Kanye West and I shared a brief moment looking at each other at one of his concerts.
Name: Uphaar Mehta Role: Sports Director How a first year student will come across you? Wednesday's for Interfaculty Sport. Fun fact about you Uppy is the name. Banter is the game.
Name: Haim Deitz Role: Sports Director How a first year student will come across you? Come to Interfaculty Sports every Wednesday from 10am! Fun fact about you I've broken both of my big toes, twice.
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Name: Dean Bartolotta Role: Alumni Relations Director How a first year student will come across you? Most likely at Cargo Bar. Fun fact about you I’m a farmer.
Name: Ada Yin Role: First Year Representative, Interim Events Director How a first year student will come across you? At any and all events with free food present, First Year Camp, and social touch football. Fun fact about you I’m lactose intolerant but I eat all things dairy anyway because I live life on the edge and have no sense of selfpreservation.
Name: Jennifer Ng Role: International Director How a first year student will come across you? Summer: Scitech to enjoy aircon; Winter: Merewether Computer lab. Both involving myself watching dramas through Uni Wifi. Fun fact about you I always end a line with an emoji to avoid awkwardness :$
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SUBS First Year Guide
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SUBS SOCIAL EVENTS
SOCIAL EVENTS CALENDAR
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Major Events SUBS First Year Camp – Start your time at University with a team bonding weekend away with all of your new peers!
SUBS Ball – Cap the year off in style.
SUBS Cruise – Take a break from assignments with a themed cruise party!
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SUBS Professional Events – a breakdown What i s a SUBS c areer e vent? The pur pose of t he S UBS c are er event s i s to br idge t he gap betwe en student s and e mpl oy er s before they t ak e t he le ap an d appl y for th eir inter n shi p, v ac ati oner or gr aduat e role . De pe ndi ng on t he event and th e spon sor, th ey are u su ally a mix of i nfor mati on sh arin g, per son al ex perien ce from current e mpl oyee s (an i n sight i nto th e culture of a wor kpl ac e, it s v alue s and e xpectat ions) an d a netw orkin g component s, whic h giv es stu dent s a ch ance t o build th eir profe ssional c ontact base .
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High Achie ver s Bre ak fast :
Career s F air:
Is acade mic perfor man ce important t o y ou? SUB S, in c on juncti on w ith the C EO and other Sign u p for t he Bu si ne ss Sch ool’s Hi gh Bu sine ss S ocieti e s brin g togeth er vari ous Achi ever s Bre ak fast, by submittin g your employer s t o in for m student s on all th e applic ati on for m an d y our transcript . different summer int er nships av ail abl e. Th is Succe ssful applic ant s will h ave a very un iqu e event will be hel d in May and i s ope n t o an d per son al opportunity t o netw ork with any on e t o atten d. Th e Su mmer I nter n shi p Fair recruiter s from a v ariet y of di ffe rent is the one st op sh op for stu dent s t o netw ork profe ssi on al fi elds in clu din g; bankin g, with future empl oyer s an d t o fi nd out more manage ment c on sultin g, mar ketin g, gr adu ate infor mati on re gardi ng different summer opportuniti e s i n ret ail and profe ssi on al progr ams. servi ce s fir ms suc h as the big 4 . Thi s i s an unpar allel ed opportunity t o get some face t o fac e ti me wit h recruit ers, ask important que sti on s, netw ork an d get y our foot in the door ! Make sure t o put a l ot of ti me int o y our applic ati on an d t o t ake it very seri ou sly as spot s are hi ghl y c ompetitive an d stri ctly limited t o th e capac ity of t he ven ue .
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CA’s strive for excellence and are ready to challenge the status quo. CARMEN NG Head of Citigroup Global Markets Australia Financial Reporting, Citigroup Global Markets Australia
Why limit your career choice? Choose a graduate diploma in Chartered Accounting, and you’ll be on the path to unlimited career options. It’s the choice of trusted leaders in business and finance. That’s why 99 of the 100 best global brands employ a chartered accountant*. charteredaccountantsanz.com/program * Source: Interbrand – Best Global Brands, 2012 Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand ABN 50 084 642 571 (CA ANZ). 1115-66
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Choosing your majors ACCOUNTING BUSINESS ANALYTICS COMMERCIAL LAW FINANCE BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS MANAGEMENT MARKETING
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ACCOUNTING What is it? An accounting major deals with interpreting financial information. What is required? First, complete 3 compulsory junior units: BUSS1030, ACCT1006 and BUSS1020. Then, complete 2 compulsory senior units: ACCT2011 and ACCT2012. Lastly, choose a minimum of 4 units from a list of electives provided to complete your degree with an accounting major. Requirements differ if you are doing a combined or single degree. To be recognised by CPA Australia and CAANZ (Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand), you must complete an accredited degree. Then you can apply to be a Chartered Accountant through the programs provided by CAANZ or CPA Australia. A CPA differs from an accountant in that a CPA does an accountant’s work as a certified professional regulated by the state, opening you up to more fields and greater legitimacy in your work. For more information, download the free Chartered Accountants ANZ app.
What jobs can it lead to? Accountants are in high demand by businesses, either through tax (helping a firm navigate their tax obligations), insolvency (helping a company in financial distress), assurance (increasing the confidence users have in a company’s information), or auditing (a type of assurance about the legitimacy of a firm’s financial statements) to name a few. Management accountants provide forecasts and advice to a business while forensic accountants search for financial illegitimacies.
What skills are developed? Accounting involves a lot of communicating complicated information to stakeholders in a simple manner. You will also learn through an ethical mindset, gaining numerical and analytical skills as well as commercial awareness.
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What opportunities are available at university? You can become a CA Student Affiliate simply by signing up for access to career tips, employment events and online networks through LinkedIn. The CA Student Representative is an opportunity to earn money sodales. while you -study through being an ambassador on campus for CAANZ. You may also wish to join AAASoc or Beta Alpha Psi, the university’s accounting societies
+ “Accountants are in high demand by businesses, you will learn how to interpret financial information and communicate it to stakeholders. ”
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Chief Executive
BUSINESS ANALYTICS What opportunities are available at university?
What is it? Previously known as the Quantitative Business Analysis major, this major teaches statistical analysis and quantitative method which is highly desired in every area of the business world. If you are thinking about a major that will enhance your overall understanding of business and make you an attractive candidate for a future employer, you may want to consider this as a major.
What is required? Just one compulsory junior unit is required: either BUSS1020 or ECMT1010. Then, two compulsory senior units must be completed: QBUS2310 and QBUS2810. Lastly, you may choose 4 senior units from the list of electives provided.
What jobs can it lead to? Statistics is used in every business to evaluate performance, such as in budgeting, tax preparation, data analysis. You may be predicting product demand as a marketing manager or deciding how to use resources as a budget analyst, for instance. The possibilities with this major are truly endless.
What skills are developed? You will be able to analyse data in both a theoretical and practical context, whilst understanding the components of informed business decisions.
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The units offered cover many methods in other disciplines e.g. Statistical Modelling relates to models in Finance, Marketing and Accounting. The clubs or programs you join at university are varied and depend on where you want to take this flexible major – look to- sodales. the Sydney University Statistics Society as a starting point for networking. Keep an eye out also for Big Data competitions.
+ “Statistics are used in every business, the possibilities with this major are truly endless.”
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COMMERCIAL LAW What is it? Commercial law is not a substitute for a law degree, and it does not grant you admission into legal practice. It does, however, provide a unique and in-depth analysis of business areas such as stock markets and finance through a legal lens, which in itself is an invaluable skill to have.
What is required? For this major you must first do junior compulsory unit CLAW1001. Then you can choose at least 6 electives from the list provided (which you can find on the USYD website).
What opportunities are available at university?
What jobs can it lead to? Law ties in very close to business, and it is often seen as very desirable that an individual has a knowledge of areas such as insolvency, taxation and consumer law. Opportunities lie in taxation, finance, banking, consumer law, property and more which can be tailored to depending on your elective choices. Examples include being a financial broker, financial planner, tax adviser, policy adviser or investment adviser.
What skills are developed? You will learn about dealing with clients especially in relation to dispute resolution. A highly desirable skill is business acumen, or commercial awareness, which you will gain through learning about business structures and operations in these units.
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As companies draw on graduates from a variety of degrees, you’ll be able to fit yourself into marketing and finance-related clubs and societies. Have a look also at consulting groups like 180 Degrees Consulting to get a feel for the business world - sodales. and dealing with real- world clients. The Business Information Systems Association brings BIS students together on campus.
+ “A highly desirable skill is commercial awareness, which you will gain through learning about business structures and operations in this unit.”
FINANCE What is it? Finance is a popular major perhaps for its prestige and perceived perks, but it can only pertain to those who are fascinated by financial markets and how money is managed, invested and raised. A finance major is highly valued for an individual’s ability to understand financial management products.
What is required? A finance major first requires completion of two junior units: BUSS1020 or ECMT1010 and BUSS1040 or ECON1001 + ECON1002. Then you must do three compulsory senior units: FINC2011, FINC2012 and FINC3017. After that, you just need a minimum of three units out of the list of electives provided by the university.
What opportunities are available at university?
What jobs can it lead to? A major finance can secure you a career in a consultancy, insurance company, retail bank or investment bank. You could be an investment fund manager, investment analyst or a stockbroker, to name a few career pathways. Look out for internships and programs offered by the firms in these industries.
What skills are developed? A person who will thrive with a finance major is one who has great interpersonal skills due to the large number of clients involved on a day-to-day basis in business. The finance industry is fast-paced and you must be continually willing to learn and adapt to changing demands. This major helps develop those crucial skills.
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Become a member of FMAA, the Financial Management Association of Australia, a long-running finance society at USYD, to receive newsletters about professional opportunities with the backing of a number of renowned sponsors. The University Network for Investing and Trading (UNIT) is a valuable source of information through - sodales.its blogs, workshops and events, while FINSoc gives a number of seminars for your assignments. Look out also for competitions that can test your financial knowledge.
+ “You could be an investment fund manager, investment analyst or stock broker, to name a few career pathways.”
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BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS What is it?
available at university?
This major should not be confused with ICT. While ICT revolves around technologies and their applications themselves, BIS integrates ICT into moder n business operations to help businesses reach their goals. It’s becoming more and more important in a world where technology continues to advance at alar ming rates and where businesses need individuals who understand moder n business communication.
As companies draw on graduates from a variety of degrees, you’ll be able to fit yourself into marketing and financerelated clubs and societies. Have a look also at consulting groups like 180 Degrees Consulting to get a feel for the business world and dealing- with realsodales. world clients. The Business Infor mation Systems Association brings BIS students together on campus.
What jobs can it lead to? BIS is closely related to helping businesses optimise ICT. With the growth of ecommerce, for instance, you may find yourself in retail. Potential career options may be an IT analyst, a systems analyst, a database administrator or a management consultant.
What skills are developed? What is required? You must first take INFS1000, a junior compulsory unit. Then you must complete two senior units INFS2001 and INFS2020 before choosing 4 senior electives from the list provided.
You will be developing your commercial awareness especially in relation to technology, as well as client management skills and communication of ICT-related ideas. You’ll lear n to adapt to a fast-paced sector as well as a range of soft skills like organisation and leadership.
What opportunities are
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“You’ll learn to adapt to a fast paced sector as well as a range of soft skills like organization and leadership.”
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS What is it? Globalisation is making it more imperative that we take notice of the world around us, and a major in international business can allow you to do just that. The major focuses on international organisations and how they work amongst global competition.
What opportunities are available at university?
What jobs can it lead to? You’ll be learning about how culture bears on business operations at a global level. A student keen on the impact of companies in the AsiaPacific region, for instance, would find great value in this major.
What is required? First you must complete any one junior unit of study offered by either the Business School or part of the Bachelor of Economics/International & Global Studies/Economic and Social Sciences/International Studies. Next, there are 4 compulsory senior units: IBUS2101, IBUS2102, IBUS3101 and IBUS3102. Lastly, a range of senior elective units are available for you to select at least 2 from.
What skills are developed? The skills lear nt focus on how international corporations grow, develop and plan. In addition, culture is a primary focus and will develop your cultural awareness as well as ability to navigate cultural differences, effectively learning about consumer behaviour.
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The University offers a number of opportunities to go on exchange. Consider the Industry Placement Program (IPP) or Community Placement Program (CPP) to gain credit points while you work in organisations either in Australia or around the world. This - sodales. would be a great way to put into practice what you’ve learned about the world around you.
+ “This major focuses on international organisations and how they work amongst global competition.”
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INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS What is it? If you are a ‘people-person’, the IR&HRM major may be for you. It centres entirely around people and how they can best benefit an organisation, whether it be through recruitment, reward, training or performance monitoring. You will be learning about the labour markets, employment policies and trade unions.
What opportunities are available at university?
What jobs can it lead to? This major will set you up for a careers in human resources, recruitment, employee development, workplace relations, the list goes on.
What is required?
What skills are developed?
You must first complete the compulsory unit WORK1003, then two compulsory senior units WORK2203 and WORK2205. Lastly, choose 4 senior units from the list provided on the USYD website or any course handbook.
IR&HR provides unique opportunities to learn about the business world through employability and the way people function in a company. HR is always changing through company restructuring and changes in regulations so you must be quick-thinking and motivated so you can motivate others.
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There are work placement opportunities in IR and HR available throughout your degree such as in unions or employer organisations so keep your eyes peeled. Consider also graduate opportunities like the Master of HR Management and IR. If - sodales. you’re looking for a society to join, the Work and Organisational Studies Society will cater to your needs in HR&IR through information and fun events.
+ “This major will set you up in human resources, recruitment employee development, the list goes on.”
MANAGEMENT What opportunities are available at university?
What is it? A management major consists of just that; learning about management. This major comes into play particularly where managers and organisations are concerned from the top level. You’ll learn about strategies, leadership and how managers plan/organise/lead/control. This is yet another major that will provide a valuable insight into business operations.
What is required? First you must take a junior unit of study from the Business School. Then you must do three senior units: WORK2201, WORK2210 and WORK2218. Finally, pick 3 senior units from the list of electives provided by the University.
What jobs can it lead to? A major in management can take you into any organisation because every firm will need someone in control, be it a firstline manager, middle manager or top manager. The skills you learn will come in handy when you work in a team in any organisation.
You may want to consider the Master of Business Administration (MBA), a prestigious course granting you accreditation by international management organisations. Otherwise, consider consulting groups or business groups in general like SUBS and Beta Gamma Sigma, for students enrolled in accredited management - sodales. programs. If you are more innovative, the Young Entrepreneurs Society is worth a look.
What skills are developed? This major is versatile in teaching a number of administrative, decisionmaking and interpersonal skills which will feed into the huge range of job opportunities out there for you. For instance, some units will cover areas in psychology, communication and sociology.
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+ “This major will set you up in human resources, recruitment employee development, the list goes on.”
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MARKETING What is it? The focus of marketing lies in consumer behaviour and acts as the bridge between consumer needs and business products. This is a useful major to understand internal business systems, while drawing on consumer psychology and demographic and cultural influences as you progress through the course.
What is required? Start with the compulsory junior unit MKTG1001, then three compulsory senior units MKTG2112, MKTG2113 and MKTG3118. Finally, you can choose at least 3 senior units of study from electives assigned by the University.
What opportunities are available at university?
What jobs can it lead to? Marketing is vital so don’t be surprised when you find yourself working with big corporations. You may land yourself in product design or even finance and IT. If you’re more creative, you could be entering writing or design roles or adapting to online communications which have recently changed the face of marketing.
The Sydney Marketing Society is a great way to learn about the marketing sector through like-minded students. You’ll learn to network, meet other people through fun events like BBQs, and be able to enquire about potential careers in marketing. - sodales.
What skills are developed? A major in marketing will allow you to understand how goods and services are communicated to the end consumer, and will simultaneously build on your ability to present, plan, and interact. If you take on work placements at uni, you’ll also learn about the pace of the industry and customer service skills. You should expect to learn IT skills, creativity and time management throughout your major.
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+“Marketing is vital, you will understand how products are communicated to consumers and you will build your abilities to present and interact.”
Tips and tricks from a past first year +
BUSS1001 • This subject is all about the internal environment of a business. • Always come to tutorials prepared to contribute. A lot of the course is based around current affairs, so knowledge of these events will give you content to discuss. • The case study requires you to make connections between what you have learnt and the stimulus at hand, so make sure you always refer to the case. • For the essay, and for most essays throughout uni, remember to research academic sources first. Flesh out the main ideas in your essay. • As another general rule for written assignments, write a rough draft early on, leave it for a few days and come back to it. • The exam is entirely based on the case study, it’s an application of concepts. • This is a good time and place to master ACAR – you’ll need it for BUSS1002. • You may find it useful putting the concepts from each lecture onto flash cards. That way, in the exam you can go through which lecture is which and use the concepts you think apply to the question at hand. • This is the class where you should focus on mastering the USYD Business School referencing guide as it is marked down heavily if you do it wrong.
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BUSS1002 • Think of this as the sequel to BUSS1001. Now you’ll be looking at the external environment of the business. • This unit focuses more so on current events than in BUSS1001 – you need to look for recent news articles to present in class, for your Media Summary Analyses (MSAs), for understanding of your weekly readings and for general participation in tutorials. • The MSAs test your understanding of each external factor. Make sure you focus on one firm, talk about its response to the external factor and what that means for its future. Remember to tie it in with the concepts you learn in lectures and use ACAR!!! • Make sure you reference well to avoid referencing errors which are easily penalised. • Participation marks are not earned by turning up to class, you must actively contribute to group work, presentations and concept reviews to get the marks. • Be fully aware of each concept in each external environment because there are a lot, and you should be able to draw from them and discuss them. For example, knowing the four political debates and their counter-arguments will allow you to slot in the case study from the question and evaluate that particular company in your exam. !
BUSS1020 • Make sure you snap up the 5% marks for the forecasting competition – you simply need to submit a sales forecast every week for 7 weeks to get it. • Quiz 1 is straightforward and eases you into statistics. Quiz 2, on the other hand, is notorious for being challenging. Do as many practice questions as you can and be comfortable with the concepts so that when the questions are phrased differently or extend your knowledge, you are able to apply that knowledge. It’s really not that intimidating once you familiarise yourself with the content. • Most people do well in the assignment as it is a simple application of the techniques and methods you’ve been practicing in tutorials. It’s better to miss something than put in something you’re unsure of. Keep formatting simple and stick to the statistical analysis – there’s only so much you can go into a deep discussion about. • Don’t neglect theory in the exam and the seemingly irrelevant concepts you may have glossed over.
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BUSS1030 • The weekly spreadsheet homework and MyAccountingLab are not hard, but can be time-consuming. Make sure you set aside time each week as they will end up giving you relatively easy marks which you’ll be thankful for. • The mid-semester exam is relatively straightforward but has been known to throw a couple of tricks here and there. Know the theory behind your entries and why you’re doing what you’re doing. • Remember, the multi-choice asks for the ‘best’ answer, not the correct one (as there may be more than one). • The final exam can be quite challenging. If your statements do not balance don’t fret as you could still grab marks from your layouts. Go through each element slowly and surely. Don’t write over the word limits given. Practice the written short-answer questions as they could re-test the ones they provide, or similar. Don’t neglect budgeting especially for multi-choice questions, and remember MAL is a great place to practice!
BUSS1040 • Don’t be reliant on assignment workshops and peer opinion for your assignment as you may fall into traps. Do the questions yourself and think over the economic theory to make sure you aren’t heavily influenced by others. • The online quizzes get more challenging over time, but they have no time limit so use your textbooks and notes for help if you need them. • The mid-semester exam contains multi-choice and short-answer questions. Make sure your knowledge is concrete for the short-answer questions as a change in your wording could affect the meaning of your answers. • The short-answer questions in the final exam are intended to throw you off, but they’re not hard. The multi-choice questions are similar to those from the mid-sem. Make sure you don’t forget the macro-economics you learnt in the last few weeks of semester too.
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SUBS First Year Guide
2016
How to succeed in first year Academics • If PAS S i s av ail abl e for y our c ourse, si gn up as soon as y ou c an ! PAS S bui lds on wh at you’ve lear nt th at week an d all ow s y ou t o pr actic e you r un der st anding. • Work with frie nds, di sc u ss c our se t opic s, th ey’re y our be st an d most fu n av enue for l ear ni ng. • Try n ot t o get overly fix ate d on y our mar ks, n or y our fri ends’ mark s. • Don’t be afraid t o go t o le cturer an d t utor c on sultati on s, n ot on ly will y ou for m good relati onships th at may he lp y ou in future c ourses but t hey will additi on all y give y ou e xtra insi ght int o the c our se th at may n ot be so obv i ou s from the outlin e. • The markin g syst em at univ ersity may be v ery jarrin g an d y ou will lik ely rec eive mar ks far lower th an y ou are u se d t o gettin g. Ju st re me mber th at y ou are a part of a very stron g coh ort , get fee dback , pi ck y our sel f up and k ee pin g movin g forw ards. The w or st thin g y ou coul d do for y our sel f is l et y ourself get de fe ate d by moment ary di sappoi ntment over a mar k an d giv e up. • Skippin g t utor ial s an d l ecture s c an be inc redibl y te mpti ng but try t o re frain or li mit y our sel f. You may promi se y our sel f t o c atch u p on l ectures, but oft en whe n you do it’s too l ate and your l ate st assi gn ment w as du e t he day before . • Study groups c an be good t o c oll abor ate but reme mber, reli ance on y our peer s will be of n o help c ome ex am ti me . • Check out the Le ar ni ng C entre – it provi de s w orksh ops t o hel p y ou settle int o the ac ademi cs of u ni life . • Make th e most of t he w ork sh ops offered in O- Week su ch as re ferencin g w ork sh ops. You’ll get a hard c opy of t he Bu si ne ss Sch ool Referenc ing G uide w hich wil l be inv al uable for y our assign me nts.
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Social • Don’t be afraid t o be out going. The st art of un iversity is th e i de al an d most import ant time t o e st abl ish a net wor k of frien ds be fore thi ngs start t o settle down into a routine . • Do n ot close yourself off, tr y out n ew thin gs, si gn up for e verythi ng y ou c an e arly t o make sure y ou are n oti fie d of future event s. • Soci etie s are y our be st me an s of me etin g new pe opl e. • Say hi t o the people sittin g aroun d you in tut or ial s or le cture s. It can be difficu lt t o make frie nds in a le ar nin g environ me nt so if y ou lik e t he m, in vite the m for c offee , lunch , or t o st udy t ogether. • Proactivit y i s ke y. It ’s i mport ant t o foll ow u p on buddin g frie ndshi ps as it’s n ot every day y ou w ill be see ing th e se pe ople lik e y ou did in hi gh sch ool . • Try an d me et new people – don ’t stic k t o y our high sch ool fri en ds. Your be st frien ds are the on es out si de hi gh sch ool wh o y ou h ave n ot met y et. • Many frien dshi ps are al so made t hrou gh PAS S due t o t he small cl ass si ze s an d ti me spent e ach we ek over c our se materi al . • You may fin d your self c au ght u p in a l ot of acti vitie s an d w ork. Mak e ti me for the pe opl e t hat matt er.
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SUBS First Year Guide
2016
Jobs, Applications and Interviews •Adapt to the mood of the interview. Sometimes it will be conversational, sometimes professional and focused. • Keep an eye out for jobs on the USYD career website and familiarize yourself with the CEO, they know all of the best opportunities! • When preparing for an interview; practice, practice, practice. Go to the CEO and have a mock interview, they will streamline you to give the best possible interview. • Private tutoring can be a great source of income which also allows for reasonable flexibility. • Fit your resume to the subject of application and what kind of characteristics are demanded of candidates. Choose a few key achievements and delineate on them in a way that caters towards what is wanted from you. • Attending networking events are a great way to grasp potential career prospects available. • In the words of a Goldman Sachs employee regarding key recruitment requirements, ‘Don’t be a dick’. Employers differentiate potential candidates based largely on cultural fit and ability to adapt to new environments. • It’s okay to make the first move. You don’t need to wait around for companies to advertise; an email here and there never did any har m. • Always have questions when they ask for them. It follows that you should do your research about who you’re applying to, so you can adapt your questions/answers to what they’re looking for. • The key to a good application is plain, clear and concise English. • Research careers fairs, infor mation sessions, websites and others in your network.
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Networking The aim of networking is to increase your connections in the relevant industry which will hopefully lead to a job as a reward for your efforts. However, networking is more than just meeting a potential employer and verbally recounting your CV. Networking involves meeting people who can help you to achieve your professional aims and impressing them with your professional capabilities. But how do you meet these people and how do you impress them?
• Make sure that you treat every conversation with an employer just like a job interview. This is because people tend to remember the first time they met you, and you want that to be for the right reasons. You might not be going for a job with a particular organisation at the time that you speak to their recruiters, but the conversation you are having could hold other benefits. • Recruiters often know each other and they may know someone from where you want to be. Or you may end up wanting to work for their organisation at a later point. If you impressed them when you first met them and they gave you their details, you can use those details to get in direct contact, and you can use the first time you met them as a conversation starter. First impressions count. • If possible, make sure that you do not limit your conversations at networking events to recruiters. Talk to other students. This allows you to get to know them, make a new connection or friend, and figure out what your competition looks like… This looks good to recruiters anyway, because it shows that you have soft skills (you can talk to people). And students know students, who know students, who may happen to know someone else who can help you with your career, especially if you are interested in the same profession already. • Ask questions. Asking questions shows that you care about the conversation and the person you are having it with and it allows you to lear n about the person you are talking to and what matters to them. If you are talking to a recruiter, you may find out what interests they have, or even that you have common interests, which will help you to guide the conversation. Nonetheless, when you unexpectedly get asked the all important elevator pitch question, “so tell me a bit about yourself?” it is important to have your elevator pitch prepared. I. e. talk in a non-arrogant manner about yourself for 1 minute or less and impress whoever asked you the question.
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SUBS First Year Guide
2016
General • Pack lunch and take a drink bottle. • ACCESS cards are something worth looking into. You need one to join clubs & societies, and you also get 15% off at most food retailers on campus. It’s not hard to ear n back what you pay for it many times over. • If you cannot afford to buy coffee everyday, instant coffee and instant hot water points are your best friend. These can be found, for instance, in the lower level kitchen of the Easter n Avenue Building and the Fisher Library entry level kitchen. • Try maintain a balance. Make time for yourself to do the little things that give you comfort such as listening to music, gym or reading. • Be proactive with EVERYTHING. The stalls at O-Week are not the be-all and end-all to extra-curricular life at USYD. Doing your research will open up many other doors. • If you want to snag a study space in a popular area, try coming either in the mor ning or 10 minutes before each hour, where most people are packing up for their next class. • There are a number of ways to get textbooks without paying full price. Try StudentVIP, the USYD Textbook Exchange on Facebook, second hand books at the Co-op, Zookal or the BONUS+ section of the USYD Library website which allows you to borrow books from other universities if not in stock at your own. • Familiarise yourself with student services such as the University Health Centre, Counselling And Psychological Services (CAPS), religious support, accommodation services, scholarship infor mation and the SRC. • You can borrow an approved calculator from the SRC or Business School Infor mation Office if you don’t have your own. • Make the most of your days at university, it doesn’t last forever and will be some of the best times of your life!
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INTERFACULTY SPORT
Interfaculty Sport is a competition run by Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness (SUSF) in which faculties compete against each other for the Emily Small Shield. It is a year long competition that runs every Wednesday starting in Week 3, with a different sport every week. This program has a high emphasis on participation, so the more people that wish to take part the better, as we focus on making it a social event. It is a great way to m eet new people, discover any hidden sporting talents you may have, and also try that sport you have long wanted to attempt but never got the chance. Last year saw us compete in events such as touch football, badminton, rock climbing, basketball, soccer, a 5km run and tennis to name a few. We came first in multiple events, including soccer, volleyball and the 5km run. We came 5 t h overall and we hope to improve on this next year by encouraging all students to come participate in the wide variety of sports available. To participate, make sure you keep your Wednesdays free as the competition runs from about 10am-4pm. Game times vary every week depending on the dra w, and each week the competition runs on a knockout for mat. For any queries, please contact sports@subsoc. com. au
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SUBS First Year Guide
2016
Credits We would like to thank our diligent and hard working team for all the effort they have put into SUBS. SUBS is a student run committee and the faculty society for the university of Sydney Business School. We would also like to thank our sponsors for their ongoing support throughout 2015 and into 2016 Sp ecial mention must also go to Vanessa AuYeung and Georgiana Ma (Marketing Directors), Uma Mishra and Emma Wiltshire (Marketing Sub-committee) and Ada Yin (First Year Representative) for design and layout. None of this would be possible without the commitment to this society.
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GOOD LUCK FOR THE YEAR AHEAD!
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