About the course
Course content
As well as advanced study of accounting and finance, MSc Accounting and Finance will enable you to explore related areas such as audit, corporate governance and taxation. This combination will prepare you for a wide range of roles in accountancy and beyond.
Introducing your degree
MSc Accounting and Finance is one of Southampton Business School's most popular degrees. It offers a blend of modules that will deepen your knowledge of finance and accounting but also enable you to explore related areas such as international corporate governance, audit and corporate social responsibility.
Unlike many other accounting and finance masters courses, MSc Accounting and Finance also includes a module on international taxation, adding an extra dimension to your studies. This combination will open the door to a wide range of roles when you graduate – you may choose to go into accounting but you’ll have plenty of other career options too.
Our modules are directly informed by our academics’ research expertise and professional experience, and guest speakers from leading accounting, insurance and finance firms will further enrich your learning.
Overview
In semester one you’ll take a number of compulsory modules, covering equity markets, management accounting and financial accounting. You’ll also choose one optional module that will allow you to look at an area of interest in more depth.
Unusually for a masters course of this type, the options include an International Accounting and Taxation module. This explores the importance of a country’s social, economic, legal and political environment in determining the nature of its tax regulations, the challenges of harmonising accounting practices, and the impact of tax issues on company behaviours. Other options cover topics such as financial reporting and markets, accounting and society and international corporate governance.
In semester two you’ll take your management accounting and financial accounting studies to a more advanced level. You’ll also study corporate finance and take a module on research in accounting and finance. This will prepare you to undertake independent study for your dissertation.
Career Opportunities
You’ll graduate from MSc Accounting and Finance with skills and knowledge that will be attractive to a wide range of employers. You may choose to work in accounting, audit, internal control, financial analysis, consultancy or insurance, or become a financial advisor or financial analyst. Or you could become a trainee chartered accountant and take further professional accounting qualifications. The course is also excellent preparation for research at PhD level in an accounting, finance or a related field.
Our graduates have gone on to work for the following organisations, in roles including auditor, trainee chartered accountant, financial analyst, management consultant, insurance underwriter and financial controller:
- BDO Stoy Hayward
- KPMG
- Mars Chocolate
- NHS
- Commerzbank
- Zurich