About this course

Become an expert in auditing, corporate governance and tax through our MSc Accounting and Finance degree. You’ll also have a rare opportunity to study international accounting and taxation. This course will prepare you for a variety of careers in accountancy and other sectors.

This master's in accounting and finance is ideal if you have studied in accountancy, business, mathematics, or economics. It’s also suitable if you have relevant professional experience and want to improve your career opportunities.

You’ll evaluate and apply core technical accounting and finance methods to real-world situations, and gain a detailed understanding of global financial markets and accounting systems. You can use our Bloomberg terminals for live financial data as well as a range of key databases for research.

Throughout the course you’ll cover:

equity markets
investment decisions
management and financial accounting
mergers and acquisitions
internal and external auditing
behaviour

Unusually for a postgraduate in accounting and finance, you’ll have an opportunity to study international accounting and taxation. You’ll learn how a country’s social, economic, legal and political environment determines its tax regulations, and the impact of tax on company behaviours.

Other current study choices include the rapidly expanding area of corporate governance. This will give you an understanding of high profile corporate collapses and financial crisis. You can also choose from reporting and markets, or sustainability accounting.

Specialists also give regular guest lectures and will share insights with you from current research and industry issues. This will enhance your studies and career options, giving you real networking opportunities.

Course lead

Dr Oliver Marnet is the course lead for our MSc Accounting and Finance degree, and former Head of the Accounting Department. His research focus is on behavioural decision-making applied to audit and corporate governance. As well as continued interests in accounting, finance, audit, governance and judgement and decision-making.

He has won competitive research grant awards from, inter alia, the ICAEW and the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, UK. He has also conducted research for the European Commission, Big-4 accounting firms, the Pensions & Investment Research Consultants Ltd (PIRC), Research Fortnight HE, and contributed to The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators’ (ICSA) review of the Higgs Guidance for the Financial Reporting Council.

Accreditations

Association of International Accountants (AIA)

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

“"What I learnt in the Business School was not limited to the financial sheets or return on investment, but a logical mindset with can-do spirits. The Business School gave me great exposure to the real business world, such as career talks and networking events.””
Yi (Helena) Zhu, graduate

MSc Accounting and Finance Taster Lecture

Experience MSc Accounting and Finance with a taster lecture on: 'How Much Does it Cost to Make a Cake? A Short Introduction to Costing'.

Course location

This course is based at Highfield.

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Download the programme specification

The programme specification sets out the learning outcomes of this course and details how the course is taught and assessed.

PDF

Download 2021-22 programme specification

187845

Entry requirements

You’ll need a 2:1 degree or an accepted equivalent qualification, with at least 7 modules in either of these subject areas:

accounting
auditing

Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.

We'll consider the following professional qualifications if you have an unrelated degree subject:

Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA)
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)

Work experience in Accounting is not a requirement but can compensate for unrelated degree subject/grades.

We do not accept the following subjects:

Language Studies – degrees that focus on learning a language or how to translate, such as 'Business English', 'Applied English', or 'Translation', are not acceptable. However, this restriction does not apply to ‘English’ and ‘English literature’ degrees of the kind taught in the UK.
Art/Design/Vocational Studies – degrees that focus on learning a particular form of art, craft or vocation. These include degrees in art, graphic design, photography, television broadcasting, script writing, or performance/dance.

English language requirements

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:

IELTS score requirements

overall score: 6.5
reading: 6.5
writing: 6.5
speaking: 6.0
listening: 6.0

We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.

Recognition of professional experience

If you don't have the exact entry requirements, but you have significant work experience in this sector we’ll assess your relevant professional experience, your subject knowledge and your aptitude for learning.

Your application will be considered on individual merit and you may be asked to attend an interview.

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

Course structure

This is a full-time, 1-year course, running from September to the following September. Your studies will be divided into 3 semesters and you’ll have exams in January and May.

The content is covered in taught modules in semester 1 and 2.

The research methods module in semester 2 relates to the development of your research proposal. This will form the basis of your dissertation in semester 3.

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

Modules

For entry in Academic Year 2021-22

You must study the following modules:

Corporate Finance

This module provides a deep insight in some key theories and topics in Corporate Finance. The module looks at how firms and corporation manage financial investment and decisions in the long term and short term. The module will discuss topics ranging fro...

Dissertation in Accounting, Finance and Management

The dissertation stage of your Postgraduate programme involves an extended, independent investigation of a topic of your own choice within accounting, finance and management and the preparation of a 15,000 word dissertation describing your work. Essentia...

Equity Markets

This module aims to provide students with practical knowledge of the equity markets (primary and secondary markets, and mergers and acquisitions activities), as well as an overall understanding in the theoretical foundation and empirical evidence with reg...

Financial Accounting 1

Financial accounting relates to the measurement and recording of business transactions. It underlies the annual reports published by companies which shareholders and other stakeholder use to assess the past performance of the business and make decisions a...

Financial Accounting 2

The module builds on MANG6030 Financial Accounting 1 and exposes students to various accounting theories and approaches to further their understanding of accounting developments nationally (UK) and internationally. The module also exposes students to some...

Foundations of Research in Accounting and Finance

There are two broad objectives to the module: • The first objective is to introduce students to academic research concerned with social sciences in general and accounting, finance and management research, in particular. The course will therefore enha...

Management Accounting 1

The principal aim of this module is to introduce you to a range of management accounting decision-making techniques. Specifically, you will be encouraged to appreciate the situations within which management accounting techniques work and their limitations...

Management Accounting 2

The principal aim of this module is to introduce you to a range of strategic management accounting techniques and encourage you to further explore management accounting change phenomenon.

You must also choose from the following modules:

Critical Perspectives on Accounting and Finance

The central aim of this module is to offer critical and alternative views of accounting and finance, especially what the traditional forms of accounting and finance have failed to ‘account for’ or reflect and more importantly, what accounting and finance ...

Data Analysis with STATA

This module is designed for PG students who want to gain insights on how to do data analysis in STATA, who want to do quantitative studies in their dissertation; or who want to pursue a PhD degree in accounting or finance. This module will provide fundame...

Executive Compensation

The level and extent to which corporate executives, especially those of large multinational corporations pay themselves has, and continues to be, a hot and sometimes, controversial re-occurring issue of major interests to governments, regulators, media an...

Financial Reporting and Markets

Students will be introduced to the regulation of financial reporting; the information perspective to financial reporting; the valuation relevance of financial reporting; economic consequences and Positive Accounting Theory; Earnings management.

International Accounting and Taxation

The module will provide students with an understanding of the nature of accounting practices and taxation of international activities. With respect to accounting it emphasises the importance of a country’s cultural, social, economic, legal and political e...

International Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance is an area that has grown rapidly in the last few years fuelled by high profile corporate collapses and financial crisis. The module builds on sound theoretical base to encompass the latest developments in the field worldwide. It tak...

Sustainability Accounting and Reporting

Traditional accounting is mainly limited to the providing information for decision making by a range of major financial stakeholders, such as managers, investors and creditors. Given the increasing importance of sustainability issues such as climate chang...

Learning and assessment

Learning

You’ll learn technical skills in finance and accounting and will improve your transferable skills such as analytical thinking, team working and communication and writing.

You'll learn through a variety of methods including:

access to Bloomberg terminals for live financial data
interactive in-class technology
using financial databases for research
applying knowledge to media and business case studies
talks from The Institute of Chartered Accountants and top firms
numerical problem-solving tasks

Assessment

Assessment methods include:

exams
coursework
group essays
group presentations

Dissertation

To complete this master’s you’ll need to carry out an individual research project. You’ll write a 15,000 word dissertation as part of this.

Your research project will be supervised.

Academic Support

We have an open and friendly culture at Southampton Business School and will support you whenever you need it.

Your personal academic tutor is there to offer help and advice on academic issues, and the module leaders and course leader are also available for course-related questions.

In addition, the University provides a range of support services including language and writing skills support.

Careers

During your time as a postgraduate in accounting and finance, you’ll have opportunities to build a large network with international firms and industry experts.

You could develop a career in:

banking
financial institutions
accounting/consulting firms

Our graduates have gone on to work in the UK and internationally for organisations including:

KPMG
Mars Chocolate
Zurich
National Health Service (NHS)

Careers services at Southampton

We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020). Our Careers and Employability Service will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:

work experience schemes
CV/resume and interview skills workshops
networking events
careers fairs attended by top employers
a wealth of volunteering opportunities
study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:

our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for a year's study:

UK students pay £13,660.
EU and international students pay £26,500.

Check fees for other versions of this course.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.

Find out how to pay your tuition fees.

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:

10% alumni discount

If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton you get a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.

Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)

This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course. Find out if you're eligible.

Funding your postgraduate studies

A variety of additional scholarships, grants and bursaries may be available to help you fund your master’s study, both from the University and from other organisations.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

How to apply

Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
Search for the course you want to apply for.
Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
Submit your application.

Application deadlines

We receive a high volume of applications for this programme. So that we can guarantee a good quality of service and select the most able students, we operate admissions in stages.

If we offer you a place, you will need to accept the offer within 30 working days. If you accept, you must also pay a tuition fee deposit within 32 working days. If you do not meet these deadlines, we will offer your place to another applicant.

Application stages and deadlines
Stage:	Applications open:	Deadline for applications (midnight):	Decisions back to applicants by (5pm):
1	Monday 19 October 2020	Thursday 12 November 2020	Friday 18 December 2020
2	Friday 20 November 2020	Thursday 14 January 2021	Friday 19 February 2021
3	Friday 22 January 2021	Thursday 18 March 2021	Friday 23 April 2021
4	Friday 26 March 2021	International applicants: Thursday 20 May 2021 UK applicants: Thursday 26 August 2021	International applicants: Friday 25 June 2021* UK applicants: Friday 10 September 2021

* If you are an international applicant who requires a visa to study in the UK, you will need to allow enough time to apply for and receive your visa before our induction events from 27 September 2021. If we are able to make enough offers to fill all places on the programme in any stage, we may not open the programme in later stages.

Application assessment fee

We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for any postgraduate taught course that starts in or after September 2021.

This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.

If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you're applying for a Master of Research (MRes) degree, you will not need to pay the fee. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

If you're an international student you'll need approval from the UK's Academic Approval Scheme before you can study this course.

The ATAS certificate is required for certain sensitive postgraduate subjects.

Supporting information

When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course.

You’ll need to include information about:

your knowledge of the subject area
why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
how you intend to use your qualification

You'll also need to send 2 academic references.

Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.

Learn more about how to apply with our postgraduate application guide.

What happens after you apply

You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.

We'll assess your application on the strength of your:

academic achievements
relevant professional experience
personal statement
academic references

We'll usually make one of 4 decisions:

Offer you a place on this course
Offer you a place on a different course which we think suits you better
Tell you that we'll consider your application a second time in the next stage
Tell you that your application has been unsuccessful

If we decide to consider your application a second time in the next stage, this will only happen once.

If we offer you a place, you'll need to accept the offer within 30 working days. If you do not meet this deadline, we'll offer your place to another applicant.

We may invite you to an interview, which will take place by phone if you live abroad. You'll get an email from the admissions tutor if we'd like to talk to you before offering you a place.