The MSc Accounting & Finance is designed to develop your theoretical and practical accounting and finance skills.

It aims to produce independent thinkers able to deal with the complexity of the accounting and finance challenges facing organisations, either domestically or internationally. This Masters in Accounting and Finance will provide you with the knowledge, skills and independent thinking abilities which are essential for a career to the most senior level roles in the financial accounting sector, within banking and financial institutions or in the field of corporate finance.

The course is studied full-time over one year and offers the potential for professional accreditation from CIMA and ACCA dependent upon the combination of previous undergraduate study and postgraduate subject choices.

The MSc Accounting and Finance is accredited by The Association of International Accountants (AIA).

The course is a "specialist" masters building on a relevant undergraduate experience. It involves one year of full-time study, over three semesters with study normally commencing in the third week of September. The MSc stage is completed the following September with the submission of a Masters dissertation.

The compulsory modules provide an important core content developing a range of advanced accounting, financial and quantitative theory and practical skills for application in the general corporate financial environment. These modules are followed by a structure of elective study which allows students to tailor their studies to their future career interest in sectors such as Treasury Management, Investment Management and Financial Modelling. Final specialisation of study is achieved through the research and submission of the masters' dissertation.

Semester 1

• Financial Reporting Issues and Applications
• Management Accounting Decision Making and Control
• Finance Theory
• Quantitative Methods for Finance

Exit award: Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) Accounting and Finance

Semester 2

• Research Methods
• Corporate Financial Management

Pick one from:

• Financial Accounting for Groups and Companies
• Management Accounting Issues and Applications

Pick one from:

• Applied Financial Modelling
• Investment Management
• Treasury Management

Exit award: Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) Accounting and Finance

Semester 3

Dissertation by Research

Award: Masters (MSc) Accounting and Finance

Teaching makes extensive use of our virtual learning environment, CampusMoodle. This provides access to discussion forums with fellow students and faculty, e-book resources, financial databases and investment simulations. Our teaching staff are drawn from a range of pure research and commercial business backgrounds. Several are members of the UK Accounting Institutes and nationally recognised for their participation at senior level in bodies such as the Expert Review Group of CIMA.

Research plays a vital role in underpinning all levels of teaching and the curriculum. Our students are made aware of the research being undertaken through access to published output and invitation to research seminars. Students have the opportunity to have their dissertation supervised by an active researcher.

Aberdeen Business School has excellent industry links and specialist speakers from industry* are a regular feature on the course delivering presentations in areas such Fund Management, Investment Banking and Treasury  Additionally, by undertaking a degree at Aberdeen Business School you will also be part of an active social group and the department plans frequent trips and events to enhance the student experience.

* Companies such as Exxon Mobil and Aberdeen Asset Management have provided guest speakers.

A good honours degree in either an accounting or accounting and finance degree. Applicants with qualifications from approved professional accountancy bodies such as ACCA and CIMA will also be considered. Exemptions may be available for several ACCA and CIMA papers dependent on the underpinning study of accounting prior to commencing the masters' programme.

All international students, for whom English is not their first language, must provide evidence of linguistic ability, by gaining either IELTS 6.5 or its equivalent in TOEFL.

English Language Requirements

Current Student Research Topics:

"Determinants of capital structure in a developing economy - evidence from Nigeria companies."

"An analysis of board of director experience on corporate performance in the UK."

The MSc Accounting and Finance is accredited by The Association of International Accountants (AIA).

Merit Scholarship
The Merit Scholarship applies solely to those intending to study for the full course (i.e. through to completion of MSc) and is not available if you plan to only complete the Certificate or the Diploma stage. The award can be up to £2000 for the duration of the course and instalment plans can be negotiated with the Student Finance team for the payment of fees. Find out more information on Merit Scholarships.

More information on funding for postgraduate students can be seen under Postgraduate Student Finance and also on the SAAS website.

All course fees are reviewed annually and subject to change.

Applications for admission to taught postgraduate courses should be directly made to the University's Admissions Office online at www.rgu.ac.uk/applyonline.

If you have any queries then please contact our Admissions Office on +44 (0) 1224 262132 or email PGOffice@rgu.ac.uk.

A degree from Robert Gordon University is confirmation to a future employer that a graduate will possess the blend of learning, skills and experience that they are looking for. The MSc Accounting & Finance will deliver graduates who can make an immediate valuable and effective contribution to their employer's business, allowing them to undertake careers in:

• International Financial Management
• Treasury Management
• Risk Management
• Investment Analysis
• Fund Management

Robert Gordon University has won awards as a top university for graduate employment with consistently high rankings. It is the top modern University in the UK for the third year in a row and the only modern university to appear in the top 50 of all UK universities. See The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2011. The university also saw its position in the UK university student satisfaction rankings rise - rated at 27 (out of 118 UK universities ranked) in the Guardian University Guide 2011.

The University supports career development and offers online and offline advice and services through GRAD LINK, the university Careers Advisory Service.