Key information
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MA
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 4 years
- Location
- Dubai
- Start date
- September, January
Accountancy has often been described as the language of business, and it has long been recognised that an understanding of accounting and finance is an essential prerequisite for those who intend to pursue a career in commerce, industry or public administration. The increasingly complex environment within which both financial and international business is conducted and the development and spread of computerised techniques continue to reinforce the need for such an understanding.
The value of such studies is also recognised by professional accountancy and allied societies, which offer, to approved graduates, substantial examination exemptions and reduced periods of pre-qualifying service. Our Accountancy and Finance programme is a specialist degree particularly well suited to those seeking entry into the accountancy profession and careers in financial services or financial management.
It aims to encourage the development of cognitive skills so that students learn to apply their new knowledge and understanding as they progress, and become versed in the deeper approach to learning, using powers of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
Why study Accountancy and Finance at Heriot-Watt University in Dubai?
- High quality British degree programme
- Gain a relevant degree that is recognised by professional bodies and matches industry needs
- Develop and enhance your skills
- Further your career prospects.
Your student experience
This programme is accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE and the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in the United Kingdom.
All applicants seeking admission must secure equivalency for high school through the UAE Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs. The process for obtaining attestation varies depending on whether your high school qualification was completed within the UAE or abroad.
Ensuring that your degree is attested and recognised by the Ministry OF Education is a crucial step in the admissions process.
To learn more about the process of how to obtain the equivalency for your high school qualifications, please visit the MOE equivalency page
As our flagship accounting degree, this accountancy and finance programme is accredited by a number of institutions for exemptions from some professional examinations:
- Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations.
- Accredited by the Association of International Accountants (AIA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.
- Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations through the Accredited degree accelerated route.
- Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer: United Kingdom
Course content
September Intake - Dubai
Year 1
Students take up introductory subjects such as Introduction to Accounting and Finance, Introduction to Economics, Introduction to Marketing, and Management in a Global Context. Subjects like Academics Skills, Discovering a Business and Becoming a Professional will be offered to strengthen the foundation of the programme.
Mandatory September
- The Economy
- Critical Academic Skills
- Introduction to Accounting
- Management in a Global Context
Mandatory January
- Becoming a Professional
- Introduction to Economic and Financial Analysis
- Introductory Finance
- Sustainable Business
Year 2
Students will begin to broaden their study. Accountancy subjects include Financial Reporting and Management Accounting. Finance subjects include Finance Theory and Markets and Corporate Financial Theory. Commercial Law, Business Entities and Quantitative Methods are also available.
Mandatory September
- Principles of Accounting
- Fundamentals of Finance
Mandatory January
- Financial Accounting
- Financial Markets Theory
- Management Accounting in Organisations
- Quantitative Methods 1
Optional September
- Social and Environmental Accounting
- Personal Finance and Investment Ethics
Year 3
Students undertake accounting studies in Auditing and Advanced Management Accounting. Finance subjects include Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Security Markets and Advanced Financial Accounting. Research Methods is also taught.
Mandatory September
- Management Accounting Techniques and Decisions
- Corporate Financial Theory
- Intermediate Financial Accounting
Mandatory January
- Business Research Methods
- Business Law and the Law of Corporate Governance
Optional January
- Managing Corporate Value
- Auditing and Assurance
- Applied Financial Modelling in Python
- Financial Derivatives
- Taxation (Tax Law)
Optional September
- Introduction to Commercial Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Fundamentals of Financial Technology
Year 4
The final year provides an opportunity for specialisation, with studies in Accountancy Theory, International Accounting, Corporate Reporting and Corporate Governance. Students must also undertake a dissertation in an area of particular interest to them.
Students have the option to transfer to the Edinburgh Campus to study for their Honours year.
Mandatory September
- Accounting and Finance Dissertation 1
- Managerial Accounting: Decision Making
- Accounting Information Systems and Technology
Optional September
- Risk Management and Derivatives Applications
- Agency Theory and Corporate Governance
- International Bond and Currency Markets
Mandatory January
- Accounting and Finance Dissertation 2
- Advanced Financial Accounting
- Theory and reporting in Accounting
Optional January
- Contemporary Issues in Accounting
- Contemporary Issues in Finance
- Equity Markets and Fund Management
January Intake - Dubai
Year 1
Students take up introductory subjects such as Introduction to Accounting and Finance, Introduction to Economics, Introduction to Marketing, and Management in a Global Context. Subjects like Academics Skills, Discovering a Business and Becoming a Professional will be offered to strengthen the foundation of the programme.
Mandatory January
- Introductory Finance
- Introduction to Economic and Financial Analysis
- Sustainable Business
- Becoming a Professional
Mandatory May
- Introduction to Accounting
- Critical Academic Skills
- The Economy
- Management in a Global Context
Year 2
Students will begin to broaden their study. Accountancy subjects include Financial Reporting and Management Accounting. Finance subjects include Finance Theory and Markets and Corporate Financial Theory. Commercial Law, Business Entities and Quantitative Methods are also available.
Mandatory September
- Fundamentals of Finance
- Principles of Accounting
Mandatory January
- Management Accounting in Organisations
- Financial Accounting
- Financial Markets Theory
- Quantitative Methods 1
Optional September
- Social and Environmental Accounting
- Personal Finance and Investment Ethics
Year 3
Students undertake accounting studies in Auditing and Advanced Management Accounting. Finance subjects include Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Security Markets and Advanced Financial Accounting. Research Methods is also taught.
Mandatory September
- Management Accounting Techniques and Decisions
- Corporate Financial Theory
- Intermediate Financial Accounting
Mandatory January
- Business Research Methods
- Business Law and the Law of Corporate Governance
Optional January
- Financial Derivatives
- Applied Financial Modelling in Python
- Auditing and Assurance
- Managing Corporate Value
- Taxation (Tax Law)
Optional September
- Introduction to Commercial Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Fundamentals of Financial Technology
Year 4
The final year provides an opportunity for specialisation, with studies in Accountancy Theory, International Accounting, Corporate Reporting and Corporate Governance. Students must also undertake a dissertation in an area of particular interest to them.
Students have the option to transfer to the Edinburgh Campus to study for their Honours year.
Mandatory September
- Accounting and Finance Dissertation 1
- Accounting Information Systems and Technology
- Managerial Accounting: Decision Making
Optional September
- Risk Management and Derivatives Applications
- International Bond and Currency Markets
- Agency Theory and Corporate Governance
Mandatory January
- Accounting and Finance Dissertation 2
- Advanced Financial Accounting
- Theory and reporting in Accounting
Optional January
- Equity Markets and Fund Management
- Contemporary Issues in Accounting
- Contemporary Issues in Finance
Fees and funding
AED 71,500 per year
- All tuition fees inclusive of VAT.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
Our normal entry criteria are listed below. However, please note that the final decision remains at the discretion of the course director after evaluating scores of individual relevant subjects.
- GCE A-Level - CCD (or BBBB at AS Level)
- CBSE/Other Indian Boards – 65%
- American High School Diploma/SABIS - 70% + SAT I – 1000 (500 English + 500 Math)
- Tawjihiyya - 80% or Elite/Advance - 75%
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 24 points (3 HL and 3 SL)
- BTEC Level 3 Ext Diploma - MMM
- African WAEC/NECO/WASSCE - B2
- FBISE or grade 12 equivalent - 70%
- Russian/Kazakhstan (Attestat) - Grades of 5 in every subject + IELTS 6.0
- French Baccalaureate - 13/20 + IELTS 6.0
- Lebanese Baccalaureate - 80% or 13/20 + IELTS 6.0
- Foundation year - Successful completion of HWU Entry Programme (Management) with CCCC
- Compulsory subjects to include English.
To find out more about the specific entry requirements for your country, please refer to our International Entry Requirements.
To find out about the entry requirements for this programme, please send an email to dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk
Year 2
September Intake Only - Our normal entry criteria are listed below. However, please note that the final decision remains at the discretion of the course director after evaluating scores of individual relevant subjects.
- GCE A-Level - CCC
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 27 points (3 HL – including Business and Accounts, and 3 SL)
- CBSE/Other Indian Boards - 75%
- American High School Diploma/SABIS - 70% + 3 AP at grade 4 or Minimum 3 SAT Subjects (SAT II) 500 each, in relevant subjects.
- BTEC Level 3 Ext Diploma - DDD
- FBISE or grade 12 equivalent – 85%
- Compulsory subjects to include English, Business Management, Accountancy.
To find out more about the specific entry requirements for your country, please refer to our International Entry Requirements.
To find out about the entry requirements for this programme, please send an email to dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk
English language requirements
As our degrees are taught and assessed in English, applicants must be able to prove their level of English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
As the first British university to set up a campus in Dubai in 2005, we have established ourselves as a pioneer in the higher education market in the UAE. The three consecutive five-star ratings by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a testament to our reputation for world-class teaching.
The futuristic Dubai campus is designed to offer interactive and collaborative learning experiences with innovative classroom styles fostering group work and engagement like Collaborative lecture theatres, Digitally Classrooms and Seminar rooms. The campus also has dedicated cutting-edge laboratories and workshops that span various engineering disciplines along with Psychology, IT, Photography, Design and Architecture.
Our practical, leading-edge research combined with strong links to business and industry, have made our graduates highly employable and sought after by the best organisations worldwide, with over 90% in graduate-level jobs or further study within six months of graduation. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education through our Go Global programme.
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