Heriot-Watt University

Go Global:

  • Inter-Campus Transfer

The course

UCAS code
NN23
Duration
4 years
Location
Edinburgh
Delivery type
Full-time

MA (Hons) Business and Finance explores the interface between business and finance and looks closely at the implications of financial decision-making on business performance and management. It achieved 94% Student Satisfaction in NSS 2019.

Find out how to apply More about this subject area

Contact

Overview

The Business and Finance course is a specialist joint degree with equal emphasis given to the subject areas of business and finance. The degree is particularly suited to students who wish to gain a firm grounding in business and management coupled with an insight into the finance and financial operations of businesses and organisations.

Students on this degree can study at our campuses in Dubai and Malysia for one semester or more through Heriot-Watt's Go Global project. 

You will have the opportunity to learn hands-on financial skills in our Bloomberg Trading Lab with 16 state-of-the-art industry standard Bloomberg Trading Terminals. 

 

Accreditation

Bloomberg Experiential Learning Partner

Heriot-Watt University is accredited as a Bloomberg Experiential Learning Partner, recognising us as a leader in experiential learning in the area of finance. 

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.

Course content

Detailed course guide

Year 1

Semester 1

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

Semester 2

  • Academic Skills
  • Becoming a Professional
  • Discovering Business

Year 2

Semester 1

  • Financial Markets Theory
  • Quantitative Methods
  • Elective (Year 2)
  • Elective (Year 1 or 2)

Semester 2

  • Corporate Financial Theory
  • Organisational Behaviour
  • Statistical Techniques
  • Elective (Year 1 or 2)

Year 3

Semester 1

  • International Bond & Currency Markets
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Option (Year 3)
  • Option (Year 3)

Semester 2

  • Financial Derivatives
  • Managing Corporate Value
  • Strategic Management
  • Option (Year 3)

Year 4

Semester 1

Choose at least one from each, and three in total from:

  • Approved Year 4 Business Management options
  • Approved Year 4 Finance options

Semester 2

Choose three from:

  • Approved Year 4 Business Management options
  • Approved Year 4 Finance options

Across both semesters

  • Dissertation

Employability

Work and study

This is what our MA (Hons) Business and Finance students are doing six months after graduating:

  • 77% are working
  • 8% are studying
  • 3% are working and studying.

Managerial/professional position

  • 76% of those working are in a professional/managerial position six months after graduating.

Salary

  • The average salary of students six months after graduating: £24000
  • The average UK salary of students six months after graduating from a similar course: £21000

Jobs

These are the most common jobs students go into six months after graduating:

  • Business and public service associate professionals
  • Business, research and administrative professionals
  • Managers, directors and senior officials

Entry requirements

Year 1

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

Minimum entry requirements*

  • Highers BBBC
  • A-Levels BCC

* 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

Year 2

Advanced Highers BB (including at least one: Accountancy, Business, Economics, Maths plus AAAB at Higher)
A-Levels ABB (including at least one of: Accountancy, Business, Economics, Maths)
Int. Baccalaureate 34 points (including at least one of: Accountancy, Business, Economics, Maths at Higher Level 5)
HNC A in graded unit (Accounting)
HND BBB in graded units (Accounting or Business)

Year 3

  • HND AAA in graded units (Accounting)

Additional information

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will have to show us that your English is good enough to succeed on your course. Please refer to our English language requirements.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2020 entry (by residency status)
Status* Scotland / EU** England / Northern Ireland / Wales*** International
Fee Paid by SAAS £9,250 £15,080

* 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. Find out more about tuition fees.

** European Union countries (not including England, Northern Ireland or Wales).

*** 'Rest of the UK' (RUK) students entering at Level 1 receive a fee waiver of one year's tuition fee. Normally this will be the final year, or a year during which students study abroad (either at a partnership institution, or at one of Heriot-Watt's overseas campuses).

4 years for the price of 3

If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, study with us and save £9,250 over your 4-year degree.

Additional costs

You may incur additional costs in the course of your studies at Heriot-Watt over and above tuition fees in an academic year. Depending on your programme of study, these may include: protective equipment, field trips, professional memberships, studio fees, required course texts or other study resources.

Scholarships and bursaries

Featured scholarships

Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales starting undergraduate degree courses in 2020

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 students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:

View our full range of undergraduate scholarships.