Skip to main content

Visit to apply

Vice-Chancellor's Postgraduate International Excellence Award: £6,000 scholarship towards your tuition

Finance and Accounting MSc

Key Information

Start date

January

September

Subject area

Economics, Finance and Accounting

Mode of study

1 year Sept full-time

16 months to 24 months Sept full-time with placement

16 months Jan full-time

up to 22 months with internship Jan full-time

up to 33 months with placement Jan full-time

Fees

2026/27

UK £14,435

International £24,795

Scroll to #fees

Entry requirements

2:2

Scroll to #entryRequirements

Overview

The Brunel Finance and Accounting MSc gives graduates interested in pursuing careers in financial management or accountancy the opportunity to develop their knowledge of accounting and finance to international levels.

Along with sharpening your quantitative and problem-solving skills, you’ll study the theory of finance, corporate governance, valuation, international accounting standards, risk assessment and financial statement analysis.

Importantly, you’ll develop your ability to interpret complex financial and numerical data and to critically evaluate and deliver midterm and long-term strategic solutions. 

Throughout the course you’ll have access to a variety of professional databases used in business and finance including Datastream, Bloomberg, Fitch Connect, Osiris and Refinitiv.

You can choose to study one year full-time, two years full-time with a year's work placement or 16 months full-time with a 6-12 week work placement.

This programme is also accredited by ACCA and CIMA offering exemptions to some of their professional papers depending on your module choices.

With growing globalisation and the convergence of international accounting practices, the demand for job candidates with the advanced, specialised skills needed to keep ahead of changing regulation is on the rise. Your Brunel MSc will pave the way for careers across the financial sector.

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.

Course content

Work for your finance and accounting postgraduate degree consists of compulsory and optional modules and a dissertation on a relevant topic of your choice.

Students should complete four modules per term, excluding the dissertation. All students take a one-week introductory course in mathematics and statistics.

Compulsory

  • Financial Reporting in Capital Markets

    This module aims to develop a framework for understanding and mapping between underlying economic events in the capital market and the information provided by financial statements, to develop knowledge and concept of how the mapping between financial statements and economic events affects the position and activities of firms in capital market, and to develop critical thinking of ongoing controversies and debates related to financial reporting.

  • International Accounting Standards and Policy

    The aim of the module is to illustrate the key aspects of international financial reporting standards which are important to investors. To introduce financial statement analysis and research on the accounting information in financial markets.

  • Foundations of Finance

    This module provides an understanding of various financial instruments, markets and concepts which are necessary when conducting the corporate investment decision. In particular the course looks at bond and equity markets and instruments, decision rules relating to the capital budgeting techniques, and their application, and the incorporation of risk/uncertainty into an investment decision (including portfolio theory and the Capital Asset Pricing Model).

  • Business Finance

    To provide students with an understanding of the financing decisions and policy of modern corporation. The students will be able to demonstrate a general appreciation of the choices of alternative sources of finance available to the firm (debt, equity or hybrid funding), evaluate the impact of financing investment projects under different funding sources, and understand the relationship between share price valuation and capital structure policy. 

  • Investment Valuation Models

    To analyse how financial market information (corporate-, country-specific and global information) can be used to estimate the value of different investments, cover a range of different models that are available to an analyst performing investment valuations, and provide a framework that can be used to pick the right model for different valuation scenarios.

  • Quantitative Methods for Business Finance

    This module provides an introduction to statistical techniques needed in the study of business and finance and assumes no previous knowledge of econometrics. In particular, students will learn how to (a) perform a statistical analysis and do hypothesis testing and (b) perform a simple and multiple regression analysis and (c) to interpret empirical results. 

  • Dissertation

    The objective of the dissertation is to bring to bear the techniques and perspectives covered in the taught part of the course upon a specific issue of interest. The dissertation should provide an independent and critical appraisal of an issue, normally (although not always) involving an empirical analysis of the topic being investigated.

Optional

  • Global Financial Markets

    The aim of this module is to provide an advanced theory of financial markets and banking with global and regulatory aspects. This module covers financial markets (e.g., bond markets, stock markets, derivative markets, foreign exchange markets) in more depth and relates with international financial system, regulation (e.g., Basel I, II, III, regulatory capital, economic capital), financial crisis, and banking (e.g., central banks, commercial banks, investment banks).

  • Security Analysis and Funds Management

    This module aims to provide an overview of securities traded in fixed income, stock and derivative markets and their characteristics along with the stylised facts of financial markets, and to introduce classical models used for portfolio selection and risk management.

  • Business Finance Workshop

    This module will allow students to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the operation of financial markets and the theory underpinning corporate finance policy, and to know how theory and applications are linked in practice and be able to relate this to the techniques used to model financial decisions and markets.

  • International Finance

    While a large part of Economics and Finance, in theory and practice, can be treated as a mainly domestic exercise, there exists an increasing number of areas that apply to a multi-country setting. This module aims to equip students with knowledge necessary to work in an international, multi-currency professional environment, and to provide students with knowledge on whose basis future academic research and doctoral studies in the area of international finance can be pursued.


This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.

This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.


Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Careers and your future

Our aim is to teach you ‘employable knowledge’, which can be applied to real-world situations giving you the skills you need to find the right role after you graduate. Therefore, you’ll be well prepared for work, especially if you undertake a work placement. Securing economics and finance degree jobs is highly competitive so we’ll support you to gain a strong foundation in the skills employers are looking for.  We offer opportunities within the Department of Economics and Finance as well as through the University’s Professional Development Centre (PDC) to help you build skills and experience. 

With the knowledge and expertise you'll gain on the course, you'll be well equipped to pursue a career in the financial services industry. You'll find our graduates working in prestigious accountancy and financial services firms across the world, including PwC, Deloitte, EY and BDO. 

UK entry requirements

2:2 (or above) UK Honours degree (or equivalent internationally recognised qualification) in Economics and Accountancy, Finance and Accountancy, Mathematical subjects. All applicants will be required to have a minimum background in mathematics or statistics, accountancy, and economics or finance.

Applicants with a 2:2 in a Business or Science subject should demonstrate some exposure to Accountancy and Mathematics/Statistics

EU and International entry requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
  • Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
  • BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
  • TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all) 

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

Fees and funding

2026/27 entry

UK

£14,435 full-time

£1,385 placement year

International

£24,795 full-time

£1,385 placement year

More information on any additional course-related costs.

Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase. 

See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.

Scholarships and bursaries

Teaching and learning

Assessment and feedback

Modules are assessed by combinations of coursework, contribution to seminars, oral presentations and examinations. Students who successfully complete the taught part of the course can proceed to the dissertation stage.

Students are expected to work on their dissertation in the summer and to submit the final draft in mid-September. Students who follow the Professional Practice pathway will complete their placement during the summer and work on their dissertation afterwards, submitting in January.

Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.