Start dates: September 2024 / September 2025

Full time: 1 year or 2 years in sandwich mode which includes one year's full-time paid supervised work experience (a work placement). Sandwich mode is only available for September entry.

Part time: 24 months

Location: Headington

Department(s): Oxford Brookes Business School

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Overview

Do you aspire to be the brains behind the money management of major organisations? Our MSc Accounting and Finance can put you on the fast-track; you'll graduate with up to 7 exemptions from the 13 papers required to become a qualified accountant.

This course is designed for graduates of any non accounting and finance subject. Many of our students have studied business before, but we also have students from history, music and even Japanese studies.

You'll learn how accounting and finance teams fit into a small, medium or large organisation and utilise your soft skills in problem solving, teamwork, and communication to have a rigorous and professional approach to managing important financial data. Our teaching team have worked in industry and academia – they’ve written textbooks, but they’ve also worked for international companies like Unilever.

You can join us for guest lecturers from businesses like Harley-Davidson and get involved in Business Challenge Week where cross-faculty student teams work with local companies to address real-world business challenges.

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Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • Accredited course

    You’ll gain up to 7 exemptions from the papers required to become a qualified accountant with ACCA (this usually takes 2-3 years).

  • Inspiring guest lecturers

    Engage with our speakers such as the Deputy Chair of KPMG and managers from Grant Thornton and ICAEW. 

  • Digital know-how

    Apply theoretical knowledge in real-world applications, including our new Bloomberg Trading Suite which will offer you the opportunity to make mock transactions.

  • Expand your expertise

    Take advantage of student societies, including the Economics and Finance Society (EFS), which aims to bring together like-minded people, and share knowledge whilst discussing economic issues and events in the financial market.

  • Industry insight

    Pick optional modules from corporate social responsibility to Financial Markets and Institutions.

  • Accreditation(s)

    Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

    • Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Course details

Course structure

We’ve designed this course to cover the 3 key areas of accounting education: financial reporting, management accounting and finance. You’ll also build the digital skills you need to use Excel and other software used in industry.

You’ll master management techniques that help plan, control and analyze performance, and develop the technical abilities to evaluate business processes. Understanding how financial decisions contribute to organizations’ objectives will also be key.

We’ll cover financial accounting techniques, from basic transaction records to international financial reporting. You’ll learn to prepare and interpret financial statements and debate current issues in international financial accounting.

You get the chance to do a project that investigates a topic of particular interest to you or your future career. Some students investigate areas like the benefits and drawbacks of Environmental Social Governance reporting, while others examine the best ways to measure success at the organisation where they already work.

Student completing assignment

Learning and teaching

During the course you’ll strengthen your practical analysis and decision-making skills. Lectures, discussions, role-play exercises and seminars link with selected case studies and assessments.

Much of the teaching takes place in interactive workshops. Our teaching staff have in-depth knowledge of accounting practices and issues. We also invite visiting speakers from business and research bodies to share their insight and provide further input.

This is an intensive course. Many of your modules will include two taught classes each week.

You can also opt to take the Business in Practice study trip module.

Assessment

Assessment will include a range of activities including:

  • examinations 
  • case studies 
  • reports
  • presentations 
  • group projects.

Field Trips

The International Business in Practice Study Trip module allows you to experience ideas and practices of global business. During the trip you will have direct interaction with management executives and practices. You will: attend presentations from local management executives and experts go on site visits to major corporations and agencies. This study trip is voluntary and you will need to fund all costs associated with the trip. It is not linked to university assessments in any way.

We also run a study trip to Chengdu, China. If you choose the study trip (which runs in July), we will give you all the details by March so that you can make your decisions ahead of the trip in July.

If you successfully complete this non-credit bearing module, it will be recorded on your transcript as P58335 International Business in Practice: Study Trip.

Study modules

Be industry ready when you graduate

By undertaking an optional work placement you can gain valuable and relevant industry experience and develop transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, networking and problem solving. A work placement can help you decide on your long-term career objectives and may lead to a job offer after graduation (would require visa sponsorship for international students).

The WAVES (Work and Voluntary Experience Service) or Careers Office will provide you with support and advice to get ahead in your career, and help you with your CV and applications. The team has access to a wide range of small, medium and large employers that offer postgraduate student work placements.

If you wish to pursue a placement at a particular company, our WAVES team can support you in making an approach to the company. Our Careers Office can also provide you with advice on how to use professional social media channels to pitch yourself to prospective employers.

Taught modules

Compulsory modules

  • Managerial Accounting

    You will learn management accounting techniques for planning, controlling, decision-making and analysing organisational performance. You will develop technical abilities as well as critically evaluating business processes.

  • Financial Accounting

    You will gain an understanding of financial accounting techniques, from basic transaction records to international financial reporting. You will learn how to prepare and interpret financial statements and debate current issues in international financial accounting.

  • Corporate Finance Concepts

    You will acquire theoretical knowledge on the elements of company value, including how financial decisions contribute to meeting a corporation’s objectives. Through practical focus, this module contributes to your understanding of how financial decisions are taken by companies.

Optional modules

Financial Modelling

Corporate Governance

Audit and Assurance

Corporate Social Responsibility

Finance and Strategy

Financial Markets and Institutions

Financial Reporting

International Finance

Performance Management

International Business In Practice: Study Trip (non-credit)

Final project

Compulsory modules

  • Research Project

    You will incorporate research methods and a research project; key components of the master's degree. The project provides you with an opportunity to explore a specialist area in depth. You have a choice to undertake a traditional dissertation or follow a structured research project which incorporates both theoretical and applied research. You will be provided with guidance and advice throughout the process.

Work Placement

Optional modules

Enterprise Work Placement

You'll expand your enterprise skills in the context of the workplace. The focus will be on building your intrapreneurial mindsets during your placement, helping you to develop the curiosity, creativity, vision and resilience to be successful in a variety of organisations. You'll draw on the OBBS Golden Thread and Brookes attributes embedded within your degree, for you to be a change agent on your placement, so you drive innovation in one or more of the following areas: ethical business behaviour, inclusivity, responsible management, sustainability, digitalisation and internationalisation. Drawing on on your research skills you'll propose evidence based innovative solutions to your placement organisations’ challenges.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Research

There are two main areas of research related to this subject: Critical Perspectives on Accounting, Social Responsibility and Governance, and Applied Economics, Finance and Development.

The Accounting cluster focuses on how accountability and responsibility is achieved, explored from a range of perspectives and methodological approaches.

The Economics cluster comprises applied macro- and microeconomics as well as finance, environmental sustainability and development.

Careers

All businesses need accountants, it’s a global profession with opportunities from America to Australia to Africa opening up for qualified professionals. You'll be part of a new generation of accountants equipped with the latest skills and insight.

Once you’ve completed this course, you’ll be able to apply for ACCA exemptions. You’ll also have sought-after skills in quantitative analysis, communication and presenting which are valued in a range of areas from banking to consultancy.

Our students are attractive to employers in the UK and beyond. You’ll leave Oxford Brookes with global business links with students, teaching staff and professionals.

You’ll find our graduates at prestigious corporations such as:

  • BNP Paribas
  • Accenture
  • Deloitte
  • PwC
  • UK Civil Service
  • Huawei.

Our Staff

Asuka Wakatsuki

I have developed a new specialist course on personal and professional development, focusing on improving employability prospects for students.

Read more about Asuka

Entry requirements

International qualifications and equivalences

How to apply

Application process

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£11,350

Home (UK) part time
£5,675

International full time
£17,650

Home (UK) full time
£11,950

Home (UK) part time
£5,975

International full time
£18,950

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
£11,350

Home (UK) part time
£5,675

International full time
£17,650

2025 / 26
Home (UK) full time
£11,950

Home (UK) part time
£5,975

International full time
£18,950

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.