Accounting and Finance MSc

This degree programme provides the opportunity to follow the prestigious CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) specialist pathway and acquire the skills to complete the CFA Level 1 examination (for both September-intake and January-intake students). Successful completion of all examinations on this course will see you receive 11 exemptions from the CIMA. For further information on the CIMA exemptions visit our Professional Recognition and Accreditations page.

Changes in the business environment create the need for individuals wishing to pursue a senior management role to be aware of contemporary accounting and finance developments. Understanding these theoretical and practical issues is critical for managers who often have to make rapid and far-reaching decisions about the short term financial operations and long term strategies of firms. The MSc in Accounting and Finance offers you a unique opportunity to develop an appreciation of the causes and significance of current developments in the financial and corporate sectors, and to study advanced theory and practice relating to accounting and finance.

The aim of the programme is to provide graduates and other individuals that have practical accounting and financial training with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a senior level professional career in accounting, financial services or related sectors of the economy. Issues you will tackle as part of your MSc Accounting and Finance degree programme include: How are the financial accounts of companies formulated, and how do they differ across jurisdictions? What agency issues are important in the creation of company accounts?

How does accounting theory inform financial and management accounting practice? How does regulation impact on the performance of firms, and how do accounting practices highlight profit and/or loss realisation? What empirical techniques can be used to evaluate company performance?

In what ways have financial accounting requirements and auditing been influenced by recent company failures? What are the relationships between risk and return governing investment in company shares and other derivative instruments? Which factors are most likely to influence the evaluation and implementation of international investment projects?

How can we calculate a suitable cost of capital to appraise the capital investment decision? How should institutional investors go about constructing a portfolio of assets to maximise returns on behalf of investors? How are futures, options, derivatives and swaps used to manage balance sheet and off-balance sheet risks?

What are the key principles of international portfolio management in a world of fast and unpredictable movements in exchange rates? How can financial forecasts be used in business valuation, and what techniques should be used to improve trend analysis and interfirm comparison? With these needs in mind, the MSc Accounting and Finance programme at Bangor is designed to develop participants’ existing skills through a scheme of specialist advanced study.

An important objective is to provide participants with relevant analytical training, so that they are familiar with the latest theoretical and practical developments relating to accounting and finance. The programme provides a coherent theoretical framework for the various subject areas, but the emphasis throughout is on advanced practical application of accounting and financial techniques in a real-world setting. Course Structure…