Which degrees do banks in Asia prefer?

Do investment banks still prefer to hire people with finance-related university degrees?

These qualifications can still help you get an interview, but most global firms in Asia are also looking for broader skills in the graduates they choose to hire.

"Most graduates who join Deutsche Bank have focused on a relevant degree - any combination of finance, business, accounting or commerce. This indicates a strong interest and will help prepare them for the various areas they will be exposed to in front and middle office positions," says Sally Whitman, head of Asia Pacific graduate resourcing at Deutsche.

UBS still targets finance-degree graduates for certain positions. "The choice of role will lead to some natural expectations of financial or technical knowledge," says Matthew Henderson, APAC head of campus recruitment for UBS.

The Swiss bank looks for "graduates who can make a difference to what we do - with a range of perspectives, experiences and skills. Financial or technical knowledge is only one component of what we look for and must be coupled with excellent communication skills, creativity and tenacity," adds Henderson.

Goldman Sachs says it wants top graduates - whether they are from finance, politics, arts or engineering. "What we want is not specific skills, but the capacity and interest and flexibility to acquire them," says a spokeswoman.

Citigroup is flexible too. "A degree in finance is clearly helpful, but just as important is the individual behind the CV. The ability to work in a team, offer creative ideas to clients and have passion and commitment are just as important as your degree. Our graduate intake in the last couple of years has included a range of degrees," says a spokesman for Citi in Asia Pacific.

Deutsche Bank also looks beyond finance: "We speak with a lot of engineering faculties. Their students are usually very strong on the analytical side. We have a broad technology platform, whose roles require some very technical capabilities. In other areas, like HR, while graduates will need good commercial awareness and an understanding of the industry, their degree backgrounds can be a little more diverse," adds Whitman.