Key information
The MA (Hons) Professional Accountancy programme at Edinburgh Business School, created in partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, will give you the best possible start in your career in professional accountancy.
Find out more about our 3 year honours degree option.
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MA
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 3-4 years
- Location
- Dubai
- Start date
- September
Our MA (Hons) Professional Accountancy – Chartered Ready programme at Heriot-Watt University will prepare you for a career in professional accountancy, business and beyond. This programme is a first, having been uniquely designed in partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) to offer the maximum 11 ICAS exemptions, providing one of the fastest routes to Chartered Accountant status upon graduation.
Whilst studying our MA (Hons) Professional Accountancy programme, you’ll develop a broad understanding of the context in which modern accounting operates, as well as developing accounting expertise in several areas including:
- Recording and summarising business transactions
- Preparing and analysing financial statements
- Analysing and making decisions on business operations
- Conducting financial analysis
- Producing and reporting projections
- Advanced auditing and assurance
- Accounting and sustainability
- Data analytics
- Tax law
- Analysing governance issues
- Gaining awareness of the importance of business ethics
In addition to these key accounting skills, you’ll expand your overall skillset through a combination of individual projects, group work, written reports, presentations, and examinations. Equip yourself not only with advanced technical knowledge but also the ethical grounding, strategic thinking, and leadership skills demanded by top employers worldwide.
Throughout this programme, you’ll develop skills such as:
- Analysis
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Conflict resolution
- Presentation delivery
This programme is specifically tailored to meet the evolving demands of the global financial industry. Each course included in the programme will equip you with highly employable expertise and skills in Accountancy. You’ll benefit from the programme’s clear industry focus, setting you up with the skills, insight, and professional readiness to excel after graduation. Upon completion, you will be eligible for up to 11 ICAS exam exemptions - one of the highest levels of accreditation available at undergraduate level - giving you an exceptional head start toward becoming a Chartered Accountant and accelerating your professional journey.
Your student experience
Our MA Professional Accountancy programme is taught with a clear industry focus by experienced professionals and respected academics. They are accredited by the professional bodies and will introduce you to professional-standard software in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Trading Room.
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
Mandatory September
- Management in a Global Context
- Introduction to Accounting
- The Economy
- Critical Academic Skills
Mandatory January
- Introduction to Economic and Financial Analysis
- Introductory Finance
- Becoming a Professional
- Sustainable Business
Year 2
Mandatory September
- Principles of Accounting
- Social and Environmental Accounting
- Fundamentals of Finance
- Introduction to Business Analytics
Mandatory January
- Management Accounting in Organisations
- Financial Accounting
- Financial Markets Theory
- Quantitative Methods 1
Year 3
Mandatory September
- Corporate Financial Theory
- Intermediate Financial Accounting
- Management Accounting Techniques and Decisions
- Accounting Information Systems and Technology
Mandatory January
- Business Law and the Law of Corporate Governance
- Taxation (Tax Law)
- Auditing and Assurance
- Business Research Methods
Year 4
Mandatory September
- Data, Risk and Technology
- Advanced Auditing and Assurance
- Corporate Finance and Modelling
- Accounting and Finance Dissertation 1
Mandatory January
- Advanced Financial Accounting
- Accounting and Finance Dissertation 2
- Accounting for Sustainability
- Data Analytics and Insights
Disclaimer
The courses mentioned above may change between now and the time that you study. For more information, please view our Terms and Conditions.
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time |
|---|---|
| Fee | AED 76,505 |
- 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 – BBC (or AABB at AS Level)
- CBSE/Other Indian Boards – 75%
- American High School Diploma/SABIS – 75% + SAT I – 1000 (500 English + 500 Math)
- Tawjihiyya – 80%
- Elite/Advance – 75% + EmSAT (English 1400 and Math 700)
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme – 28 points (3 HL and 3 SL)
- BTEC Level 3 Ext Diploma – MMD
- African WAEC/NECO/WASSCE – B2
- FBISE or grade 12 equivalent – 75%
- Russian/Kazakhstan (Attestat) – Grades of 5 in every subject + IELTS 6.0
- French Baccalaureate – 13/20 + IELTS 6.0
- Lebanese High School Diploma - 80% + SAT I – 1000 (500 English + 500 Math) or Lebanese Baccalauréat 13/20 + IELTS 6.0
- Foundation year – Successful completion of HWU Entry Programme (Management) with BBCC
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 – ABB in relevant subjects
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme – 34 points (including at least one of: Accountancy, Business, Economics, Maths at Higher Level 5)
- CBSE/Other Indian Boards – 85%
- BTEC Level 3 Ext Diploma – DDM
- FBISE or grade 12 equivalent – 90%
- Higher National Diploma (HND) – BBB in graded units (Accounting or Business)
- Scottish Highers/Advanced Highers – Equivalent to Advanced Highers BB + AAAB at Higher
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
Important note on professional exemptions:
To be eligible for the maximum (11) exemptions from Chartered Accountant (CA) examinations, entrants must evidence prior learning in both Microeconomics and Macroeconomics (e.g., completed A-level/IB/university-level modules or equivalent). Applicants who do not demonstrate prior learning in these areas may receive fewer exemptions.
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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