Entry requirements
2:1 (UK Hons) degree or equivalent in Finance, Accounting, Economics or other business-related subject. Graduates in non-business areas with strong quantitative elements may also be considered.
We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.
If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.
Months of entry
October
Course content
Accounting today is increasingly complex and global in scope. The MSc Accounting and Finance programme provides academic training at the frontier of accounting and financial management knowledge. It’s an excellent foundation for building your career in accountancy, investment banking or financial analysis.
During this programme, if you meet minimum performance criteria during your first term, you will have the chance to train for and sit the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 professional exam during the programme. Upon successful completion of your master's, you will also automatically secure Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) exemptions from most of the Fundamental level papers depending on your module choices during the second term, and 11 exemptions from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) CGMA qualification.
The programme balances theory with applied learning, using practical working examples to enhance skills and understanding. You will learn about the principles of financial reporting and the foundation of finance, and have the chance to study modules such as financial statement analysis, advanced management accounting or advanced investment management. To help address the industry’s skills gap and give you a competitive edge in the jobs market, you will also have the opportunity to develop key transferable job market skills such as data analysis and computer programming (using Python, R, Stata, MATLAB, and SAS); and will receive training in industry-standard data platforms such as Bloomberg and FactSet.
You are encouraged to select your dissertation according to your future career path. Dissertations are managed in streams, and the stream leader will invite you to presentation sessions. You will then choose from empirical asset pricing, accounting, CFA level 1, or corporate finance. You will attend lectures and workshops designed to introduce you to the key literature and research methods on which your dissertation topic is based.
You will have access to the School’s career support throughout the course. Advisers will help shape a one-to-one plan to ensure you make the most of your time here.
We keep pace with the ever-changing standards in accountancy, ensuring absolute relevance. We’re proud to produce graduates who have thrived in large accountancy firms such as EY, PwC and other international firms.
Course outline
In the first term, from October to December, you will take four core modules (Quantitative Methods for Finance, Foundations of Finance, Principles of Financial Reporting, and Financial Markets). Each module is split into two parts. The first part takes place over the first three weeks of the term and provides a solid introduction to the topics covered in the second part. In addition, you will have a two-week module on Financial Databases and career sessions spread throughout the term.
You will take four assessed modules from January to March during your second term.
From May to July, you work on your Master's dissertation with guidance from your academic supervisor. During those months, you will attend lectures and computer lab sessions designed to introduce you to the key literature and research methods on which your dissertation topic is based. You will continue to work on your dissertation throughout the remainder of the summer, submitting it in September, at the end of the Master's programme.
Several dissertation streams are available, including:
Advanced Topics in Investment Strategies, Mutual Funds and Hedge Funds
Advanced Topics in Corporate Finance
Advanced Topics in Accounting
CFA Dissertation Stream
Information for international students
We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.
We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.
If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.
Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk
