MSc Finance and Accounting

Course detail
The course will meet the needs of most accountancy graduates who wish to embark on postgraduate training in accounting and finance. Graduates with a good degree in accounting and finance seeking to improve their employability profile would find this course of particular interest.

Members of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) have a particular advantage in that they may claim for exemptions from certain modules on the MSc Finance and Accounting course, based on completion of the ACCA's professional-level papers. Exemption requests from members of other recognised accountancy professional bodies are welcome, and will be assessed based on individual merit and the comparability of syllabuses.
Modules
Corporate Financial Management
Capital Markets and Decisions Under Risk
Corporate Responsibility
Corporate Financial Reporting
Corporate Strategy
Research Methods
Research Dissertation.
Plus one option from:
Tax System and Policy*
Auditing in Practice*
Management Decision Making.*
Auditing in Practice*
This module will introduce candidates to the advanced issues in auditing and assurance. It aims to develop the learner's ability to analyse, evaluate and conclude on the assurance engagement. Learners will also encounter current development in audit and assurance relevant to industry and professional practice, and will develop an understanding of best practice.

Capital Markets and Decisions Under Risk
The module aims to develop the learner's financial decision-making skills under conditions of risk and uncertainty in the context of capital markets trading. With the aid of a simulator students will be given access to real-time price and volume variables and asked through observation and experimentation to develop an effective trading plan that accounts for pertinent risk factors. They will then test their trading plans using real-time data and hypothetical scenario building. The purpose being to give the learner confidence in applying methodical approaches to making financial decisions under conditions of risk and incomplete information. Students will also gain knowledge of the structure and operation of capital markets.
Corporate Financial Management
The module teaches students the key theories of corporate finance. It will focus on advance issues in finance including money market securities, bond market and the yield curve, share markets, foreign exchange, derivatives, portfolio theory, and efficient markets.
Corporate Financial Reporting
The module covers the financial reporting principles and practices as it applies to a variety of business contexts and situations. Students will learn to apply knowledge, skills, and exercise professional judgement in such context.
Corporate Responsibility
Corporate Responsibility is concerned with developing an understanding of the nature of business ethics, corporate governance and social responsibility. It deals with the issues raised for achieving effective corporate performance through an organisation's ability to manage values and beliefs, it will also help you to formulate and apply norms and codes of ethical behaviour to operations and conduct.
Corporate Strategy
Corporate Strategy examines the process and content of strategic decision-making for companies and organisations from both resource based and market led perspectives. The module critically appraises both traditional 'planning' based approaches to strategic development and also contemporary 'real-time' approaches to framing and resolving strategic dilemmas, looking at both logical and innovative approaches to strategy development and implementation.
Management Decision Making*
This module examines what organisations actually 'do', their contribution in terms of added value, and the issues which they face in managing their supply chain and their position in supply chains managed by others. The module takes a strategic and action oriented approach, analysing performance objectives and core competences to relate operational issues to customers and markets.
Research Methods
This module gives students of finance a comprehensive training on conducting research at postgraduate level. This is a compulsory module that students take in preparation for their Research Dissertation.
Research Dissertation
Writing the dissertation will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of a particular subject area by the completion of an extended piece of self-managed research.
Tax System and Policy*
Students will learn the implications of tax rules and policy on the strategic financial management of business organisations as well as implications for individual wealth. They will learn to apply relevant knowledge and skills to advise business organisations and individuals of the implications of decisions on tax obligations. Students will also learn to apply their professional judgement in such situations.
*Optional modules are subject to availability
Claiming Exemptions

Corporate Financial Management
Basis of exemption: ACCA Paper: P4 Advanced Financial Management
Capital Markets and Decisions Under Risk
No Exemption basis - all students must complete this module
Corporate Responsibility
Basis of exemption: ACCA Paper: P1 Governance, Risk and Ethics
Quantitative Methods for Research
No Exemption basis - all students must complete this module
Research Dissertation
No Exemption basis - all students must complete this module
International Financial Reporting
Basis of exemption: ACCA Paper: P2 Corporate Reporting
Corporate Strategy
Basis of exemption: ACCA Paper: P3 Business Analysis
Tax System and Policy
Basis of exemption: ACCA Paper: P6 Advanced Taxation
Auditing in Practice
Basis of exemption: ACCA Paper: P7 Advanced Audit and Assurance
Management Decision Making
Basis of exemption: ACCA Paper: P5 Advanced Performance Management