Skip to main content

Key information

Our MA (Hons) Accountancy programme at Heriot-Watt University will prepare you for a career in professional accountancy, business and beyond. 

UCAS code
NN40
Level
Undergraduate
Delivery type
Full Time
Degree qualification
MA
Mode of delivery
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Location
edinburgh
Start date
September

Our Accountancy programme has been designed to ensure you’ll have the knowledge and skills that most employers value. Whilst studying our accountancy degree, you’ll develop a broad understanding of the context in which modern accounting operates, as well as develop 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 

  • Conducting audit 

  • 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. Throughout this programme, you’ll also develop skills such as: 

  • Analysis 

  • Leadership 

  • Teamwork 

  • Communication 

  • Negotiation 

  • Conflict resolution 

  • Presentation delivery 

Each course included in the programme will equip you with highly employable expertise and skills in accountancy, from introduction to accounting and finance, the economy, discovering business, and principles of accounting. You’ll benefit from the industry relevance of the programme, which will set you up for life after graduation. Upon completion, you’ll have the relevant knowledge and skills to start a career in accountancy, business and beyond.  

Your student experience

Our MA Accountancy programme is taught with a clear industry focus by experienced professionals and respected academics. They are accredited by professional bodies and will introduce you to professional-standard software in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Trading Room

Go Global

There are currently no Go Global opportunities for this particular programme. However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact goglobal@hw.ac.uk for more information.

Course content

September Intake - Edinburgh

Mandatory September

  • Introduction to Accounting and Finance
  • Management in a Global Context
  • Introduction to Marketing
  • Academic Skills

Mandatory January

  • Discovering Business
  • The Economy
  • Becoming a Professional

Fees and funding

StatusFee
ScotlandPaid by SAAS
England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland£9,250
International£18,704
  • Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
  • International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).

Scholarships and bursaries

Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales

In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible undergraduate students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:

  • Heriot-Watt University Bursary (up to £3,100 per year)
View details

Entry requirements

We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.

Standard entry requirements

  • Highers AABB (over two sittings)
  • A-Levels BBC - ABB
  • Int. Baccalaureate 29 points
  • BTEC DDM (Business/Accountancy/Finance preferred)
  • HNC B in graded unit

Minimum entry requirements*

  • Highers BBBC
  • A-Levels BBC - ABB

* Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:

  • live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20), or
  • are care experienced.

We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements

Why Heriot-Watt

We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.

We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.

Employability

We’re delighted that Edinburgh Business School has the highest percentage of graduates in the UK who are appointed to a CEO or MD role (Novuna Business Cash Flow, 2023). We’re also first in Scotland for graduate employability (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023). Typical careers for Accountancy graduates include chartered accountants, finance professionals, and business, research and administrative professionals. 

Work and study

This is what our MA Accountancy students are doing 15 months after graduating:
70%
are working
2%
are studying
16%
are studying and working

Salary

£23000
The average salary of students 15 months after graduating
£24000
The average UK salary of students 15 months after graduating from a similar course

Potential career paths

  • Finance Professionals
  • Business, Research and Administrative Professionals

Student life

Explore facilities, and chat to staff and students

Discover Uni course data

Discover Uni provides data on each university's degree courses across a range of measures including student satisfaction, graduate jobs and salaries.

Contact our enquiries team

Contact us