Course summary

Overview During this master's degree, you’ll gain in-depth knowledge of theoretical and practical accounting and be able to combine this knowledge with analytical techniques, to advise and act as consultants in key decision-making. The MSc will provide you with the skills to identify the risks in a business management context and recommend ways to mitigate such risks. The programme offers specialised modules in areas such as accounting, auditing, and tax. You’ll learn about, and evaluate, a comprehensive range of research techniques, and understand how they are put into practice to create and interpret knowledge. You’ll also carry out your own research as part of your independent research project. You’ll focus on real-world problems and explore ways accounting can help to address them. You’ll explore a range of organisational contexts and practices which will set you up for a professional accountancy career. Accredited and approved by several accountancy bodies and taught by professionally qualified staff you’ll gain professional qualifications in any accounting-related field with a focus on grant exemptions in the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Qualification or Foundations in Accountancy awards. Expertise The MSc Accountancy programme is taught with a clear industry focus by experienced professionals and respected academics. They are accredited by professional bodies and will introduce you to professional-standard software in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Trading Room. Your learning environment Taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials, you’ll get to know and build relationships with the teaching staff and academics. You’ll be assessed by coursework, exams, and your dissertation, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme. During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our state-of-the-art facilities, including our professional-standard Bloomberg Trading Room with 12 Bloomberg Terminals to enhance your employability with data skills. These Terminals are equipped with industry-standard software that provides live financial data and trading tools to the world’s leading banks and corporations. Outside of the classroom, you can join Heriot-Watt’s Accounting and Finance Society which holds regular social events and provides networking opportunities and insights into career prospects in accountancy and other relevant industries. Customise your learning You’ll have the opportunity to focus on the areas of accountancy that interest you the most. You can customise your degree to match your specific interests or career pathway by selecting two specialist course options. In semester three, you’ll ‘deep dive’ into your chosen area of accounting in your dissertation. You will be required to demonstrate your mastery of the subject area by developing new insight from the analysis of valuable primary research. You can choose whether to study the programme full-time, part-time, or by course. This flexibility allows you to fit your postgraduate studies around your lifestyle. If you decide to study part-time, you’ll register for two courses per semester and progress to the dissertation at the end of your second year. You may have the opportunity to Go Global on our Inter-Campus Transfer. Opportunities for postgraduate study abroad are assessed on a case-by-case basis and if you are interested in studying at our Dubai campus or Malaysia campus for a semester or longer, you should contact the Go Global Team. Industry We work closely with the industry to ensure our course content is up-to-date and reflects the current and emerging needs of the industry and employers. You’ll gain the right blend of knowledge, practical skills, and soft skills to set you up for life after graduation.