MSc Accountancy

Year 1

Semester 1

• Financial Management
• Financial Accounting and Reporting
• Auditing, Assurance and Professional Ethics

Choose one of the following options

• Financial Analysis
• Ethics and Corporate Governance

Semester 2

• International Managerial Accounting
• Taxation
• Research Methods

Choose one of the following options

• Financial Information Systems
• Comparative Financial Reporting

Semester 3 (May-Aug)

• Accounting Banking and Finance Dissertation

Specialist mandatory courses

Semester 1

Financial Management

Financial Management will provide you with an understanding of different strategies companies follow to maximise shareholder wealth.  The course aims to provide an understanding of how finance theories are applied to a variety of practical situations and will enable you to gain practical experience of research and analysis in a financial strategy context.

Financial Accounting and Reporting

Financial Accounting and Reporting will enable you to prepare a set of financial statements in accordance with the relevant accounting standards and will also provide an understanding of issues, principles and theories underlying current developments in financial accounting and reporting.

Auditing Assurance and Professional Ethics

Auditing and Assurance will introduce you to the theory and practice of Auditing. You will examine the role and objectives of an audit. The context in which audits are carried out and the practical skills required for auditors.

Semester 2

Taxation

Taxation will help you develop a strong understanding of the theoretical framework of taxation. We will teach you the practical skills and knowledge of UK personal income and capital gain tax rules and calculations alongside UK Corporation tax rules and calculations.

International Managerial Accounting

International managerial accounting will enable you to assess and apply a range of accounting techniques that are used for performance evaluation and for decision-making and control in the management of companies and their organisations nationally and internationally.

Research Methods

The Research methods course will prepare you for your dissertation and for future research in the academic or non-academic sectors. You will be exposed to both dominant modes of research in accountancy and finance which are qualitative and quantitative and you will also be given practical help on the steps required for the successful completion of the MSc level dissertation.

Optional courses

Semester 1

Ethics and Governance

Ethics and governance aims to create awareness of ethical responsibilities in professional accountants to enable them to resolve ethical issues. It also aims to explore the role of accountants in achieving effective governance and to help them understand their role in measuring economic social and environmental performance of organisations and their implications on different stakeholders.

Financial Analysis

Financial analysis will provide a systematic understanding of how to analyse the financial performance of an organisation through the use of published financial information. It will provide you with a conceptual understanding of accounting process and insights into the critical areas of advanced professional practise.

Semester 2

Financial Information Systems

Financial Information Systems will enable you to develop an understanding of the concepts as well as the practical skills required by accounting and finance professionals not only as users but also as designers, evaluators and managers of computer based financial information systems.

Comparative financial reporting

Comparative Financial Reporting provides you with an international perspective to the study of accounting so that you can develop an understanding of the reasons for national differences the tendencies towards harmonisation and the problems of multinational companies. This course will also help you to develop skills of analysing and evaluating financial reports prepared in other countries not just within the UK.

Dissertation project

During the final semester and upon successful completion of your prior courses you will write a dissertation which will help you develop a range of research skills and demonstrate specialist accounting knowledge.