Accounting And Finance (MSc)

The MSc Accounting and Finance programme will provide you with the opportunity to undertake an in-depth analysis of contemporary issues in accounting and finance. This will enable you to shape innovation in all areas of business activity while appreciating the significance of accounting and finance for creating a more responsible and sustainable society.

The programme recognises that you will work in an internationally interconnected diverse and ever-changing environment. We will enable you to succeed in this environment by exposing you to current thinking and real-world experiences. We will also keep you grounded in modern ethical and wider-societal issues to allow you to become an inspired professional.

MSc Accounting and Finance is structured around four core module blocks which will allow you to develop specialised knowledge in accounting and finance. Two additional modules offer the opportunity to undertake specialised study in areas that may be of interest for your future career.

We recognise that you may be making a transition from studying accounting and finance at undergraduate level in a national context. The introductory module addresses this by integrating professional and academic perspectives in a broader international and social context.

The modules that follow will help you consider the latest research and practice in accounting and finance including core areas such as corporate reporting, management accounting, corporate finance and investment.

There is the opportunity for specialisation through modules that explore innovative and contemporary ideas such as behavioural finance, financial technology, social and environmental accounting, capital markets and their use of accounting information.

You will develop and apply the key technical and soft skills required to be an effective accounting or finance professional, as you reflect on your engagement in a variety of contemporary business and social issues.

The programme concludes with the completion of either an individual piece of in-depth research or a collaborative live business problem.

Learning And Assessment:

An active learning approach is embedded in the MSc Accounting and Finance.  We believe that effective learning is founded on two things – your involvement in diverse experiences, and the way you make sense of those experiences, both individually and with others.

Consequently, each block of learning includes a variety of activities which can include case studies, videos, company visits, and industry speakers, all designed to introduce new ideas and develop your understanding.

We will help you to enhance the technical and critical skills that you were introduced to during your first degree, to develop your profile as a leading professional. We will also support you to work with other students to reflect on your existing knowledge and skills.  

Sharing your understanding with others is also important and the collaborative learning will enable you to build new insights into the nature of accounting and finance in a variety of contexts. You will be encouraged to work collaboratively in diverse teams to consider a range of alternative understandings and practices.

Trying out new learning is important too. You will integrate and apply new understandings, together with new technical and critical skills, in practical tasks embedded in each learning block, and in formal coursework and examination activities. 

What Skills Will I Practise And Develop? 

• Knowledge & Understanding:    
  • On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:
  • Draw on discipline-based knowledge to analyse contemporary challenges in accounting and finance.
  • Postulate the linkages between principles, theory, techniques and practice of accounting and finance.
  • Critically evaluate the relevance of modern theoretical concepts in the context of the ever-changing business environment.
  • Critically evaluate accounting and finance research and professional practice for addressing real-world business scenarios
• Intellectual Skills:    
  • On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:
  • Find and discriminate between competing sources of research and professional practice.
  • Evaluate alternative sources of data and evidence.
  • Analyse methods for generating management information.
  • Critically analyse and synthesise contrasting perspectives and their supporting evidence.
  • Generate and communicate well-evidenced conclusions and recommendations for effective decision-making.
• Professional Practical Skills:    
  • On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:
  • Apply relevant knowledge of the financial reporting and management accounting functions within a range of organisational contexts.
  • Propose evidence-based financial solutions.
  • Apply technical accounting and finance skills in an organisational context through personal research and practical work.
  • Manage personal development within a range of professional landscapes.
  • Develop effective working relationships with peers, clients and other professionals.
  • Reflect on your role within and impact on society.
• Transferable/Key Skills:    
  • On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:
  • Communicate to diverse audiences through a range of media.
  • Challenge assumptions based on robust evidence.
  • Appreciate diversity and different views.
  • Work independently.
  • Engage others to work collaboratively.
  • Use technology to solve problems.

Accreditations:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)