Accounting and Finance

Location:: Stoke-on-Trent campus
Location:: Stoke-on-Trent campus
Study option:: Full-time, September start
Study option:: Full-time, January start; Choose another study option
Duration:: 13 Months
Duration:: 17 Months
Start date:: 14 September 2020; 18 January 2021
School:: Staffordshire Business School

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Looking to get ahead in the financial sector? Our MSc will keep you up-to-date with contemporary accounting and finance skills, and firm up your understanding of traditional methods too – equipping you for the best chance of success in the competitive world of finance and accounting.

Our MSc has been designed to build and improve your knowledge in the field of accounting and finance. You'll cover both the core disciplines and traditional and contemporary theory, giving you a springboard of skills to launch yourself into the financial sector.

Including many distinctive modules, this course will teach you how to apply accounting and finance knowledge in a working environment. It will give you vital experience in how to communicate complex information and use advanced analytical skills in your future career.

What’s more, upon completion of the course, you’ll be eligible to take the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Master’s gateway route, which will allow you to progress straight to the strategic level of the CIMA Professional Qualification.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: MSc Accounting and Finance

Course content

Our Accounting and Finance MSc typically runs full-time over 12 months and includes three teaching blocks.

The first teaching block will give you a solid foundation in resource control, auditing and research methods. It covers four 15 credit modules: International Financial Analysis, Management Control and Internal Audit, Advanced Corporate Finance, and Business Management Research.

The second teaching block will focus on advanced theory and analytics in four more 15 credit modules: Accounting Theory, International Finance, Economic Analysis of the Firm and Business Analytics.

In the final teaching block, you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate your skills in a formal MSc Dissertation module, ending with a 15,000 word submission on a topic of your choice. In this module, we encourage you to further your knowledge in an area of interest which supports your career ambitions or explore an area in which you would like to extend your research further at PhD level.

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Standard route

Year 1 compulsory modules
Year 1 compulsory modules
Accounting Theory	15 credits
Advanced Corporate Finance	15 credits
Business Analytics	15 credits
Business Management Research	15 credits
Dissertation (Accounting And Finance)	60 credits
Economic Analysis Of The Firm 1	15 credits
International Finance	15 credits
International Financial Analysis	15 credits
Management Control And Internal Audit	15 credits

Entry requirements

UK qualifications

International qualifications

You will usually have achieved a 2:2 in an accounting or business related subject with evidence of successful attainment of financial and accounting modules. Alternatively you may have professional qualifications and/or experience, please enquire.

For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Check our entry and English language requirements for your country

Facilities

Business School

Home to dedicated business facilities including conference rooms and 'collaboratories' perfect for creative get-togethers.

Business Lounge

Serving Starbucks coffee, our brand new business lounge is the perfect space for hot desking and networking.

Careers

After completing the course, you’ll be equipped to take on a variety of positions in the field of Accounting and finance, including:

Financial and risk analysis
Business analysis
Budget control and analysis
Foreign exchange
Risk analysis
Financial Controller

Eager for more knowledge? Upon completion, you will be ideally placed for further academic study at PhD level.

Teaching and assessment

Overview

Study time

Teaching

We know that everyone learns differently. So not only do we use traditional ways of teaching like lectures, we also use problem-based learning to help you apply your skills. For this course, you'll:

Work with others on group work and group presentations
Delve deeper into subject areas in workshops
Be expected to study independently

Our teaching is supported through our Virtual Learning Environment called Blackboard. This means you can access a range of materials to support your lectures wherever you are. We’ll also assign you a supervisor to support you throughout your MSc dissertation.

Assessment

There are two types of assessments: practice (also called formative) or formal (also called summative).

Practice assessments do not count towards your final mark. These are your chance to test your understanding – and learn how to improve for the real thing. You’ll have formal assessments for each module. These include assignment/essays/reports, group presentation, exams/ class tests, or case study-based assessments.

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
Written English (including punctuation, grammar)
Academic writing (including how to reference)
Research skills
Critical thinking
Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our AccessAbility Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.

Feedback

We know that it’s important for you to be able to gauge your progress. So, your tutor will give you feedback on any practice assessments you do. We usually give you feedback on formal assessments within 20 working days, but the format will vary for each module.

Your study time will include scheduled classes, independent learning and assessments. It will vary depending on your module choices, but could look like:

For a 15 credit module: A total study time of 150 hours which include 36 hours of class based/ tutor led and 114 hours of independent study.

Independent learning

As well as timetabled sessions, we know it’s important for you to discover things on your own terms. This could involve:

Studying and researching business case studies
Reading journals, articles and books
Working on projects, alone or in a group
Researching in the library
Preparing coursework
Getting ready for exams

We’ve invested in state-of-the-art facilities to help you make the most of your private study time. Whether you need a library, a computer, or a lab, you’ll find it at Staffordshire University.

Fees

Overview

Additional costs

Financial support

For the course starting on 14 September 2020 the tuition fees are:

Tuition fees for MSc-Full-time, September start
Study option	UK / EU / Channel Islands	International (Non-EU)
Full time	£7,850 per course	£14,500 per course

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.

Alumni discount

If you've previously completed a Staffordshire University undergraduate degree (excluding HND and foundation degrees) you may be entitled to a discount of up to 25% off your course fees for any subsequent postgraduate taught course (terms apply, see the postgraduate fees page for details). If you have any questions about how this relates to you, please contact feesandbursaries@staffs.ac.uk.

Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs
Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

Providing you are studying towards a full Masters qualification you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £10,609 to help with tuition fees, maintenance and other associated costs. Student loans are available for many of our postgraduate degrees and are provided by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The loan can cover a wide range of postgraduate study options; part-time, full-time and distance learning.

For more information and how to apply visit masters loan.

Bursaries and scholarships

Our students

Student stories

Ainee Hussain
MSc Accounting and Finance

The best part of studying at Staffs would be I feel that I am not alone. There is a lot of support from tutors as well as the Student’s Union. I made great progress in the Accounting and Finance BA(Hons) and I am now doing a Postgraduate in Accounting and Finance. Staffordshire University has helped me boost my confidence a lot. I had great help from the careers team, which resulted in me working as purchase ledger after a few days of my graduation.

Jahangir Baig Moghal
MSc Accounting and Finance

I strongly recommend Staffordshire University for anyone looking for a professional degree in accounting and finance. Excellent academicians with in-depth subject knowledge and industry experience, will mould you to be 100% ready to flourish in finance field.

Howard Conor
MSc Accounting and Finance

The MSc in Accounting and Finance has excellent tutors who are passionate in their fields of study and deliver world class teaching. Also they offer a lot of advice and support even on their most busy days. In addition there are opportunities to network with businesses within the financial sector.

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Location:

Award:

Study option:

Start date:

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Location:

Stoke-on-Trent campus

Award:

MSc

Study option:

Full-time, September start

Start date:

14 September 2020

Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at Staffordshire University, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of Staffordshire University enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.

Part-time study