Accounting and Finance

MSc

  • Entry year 2025
  • Duration Full time 1 year

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • 13

    13th for Accounting and Finance in the UK

    QS World University Rankings (2024)

  • 75

    75th for Accounting and Finance

    QS World University Rankings by Subject (2024)

  • QS 5 Star rating for Accounting and Finance

Introduction

Accounting today is increasingly complex and global in scope. The MSc Accounting and Finance programme provides academic training at the frontier of accounting and financial management knowledge. It’s an excellent foundation for building your career in accountancy, investment banking or financial analysis.

During this programme, if you meet minimum performance criteria during your first term, you will have the chance to train for and sit the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 professional exam during the programme. Upon successful completion of your master's, you will also automatically secure Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) exemptions from most of the Fundamental level papers depending on your module choices during the second term, and 11 exemptions from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) CGMA qualification.

The programme balances theory with applied learning, using practical working examples to enhance skills and understanding. You will learn about the principles of financial reporting and the foundation of finance, and have the chance to study modules such as financial statement analysis, advanced management accounting or advanced investment management. To help address the industry’s skills gap and give you a competitive edge in the jobs market, you will also have the opportunity to develop key transferable job market skills such as data analysis and computer programming (using Python, R, Stata, MATLAB, and SAS); and will receive training in industry-standard data platforms such as Bloomberg and FactSet.

You are encouraged to select your dissertation according to your future career path. Dissertations are managed in streams, and the stream leader will invite you to presentation sessions. You will then choose from empirical asset pricing, accounting, CFA level 1, or corporate finance. You will attend lectures and workshops designed to introduce you to the key literature and research methods on which your dissertation topic is based.

You will have access to the School’s career support throughout the course. Advisers will help shape a one-to-one plan to ensure you make the most of your time here.

We keep pace with the ever-changing standards in accountancy, ensuring absolute relevance. We’re proud to produce graduates who have thrived in large accountancy firms such as EY, PwC and other international firms.

Course outline

In the first term, from October to December, you will take four core modules (Quantitative Methods for Finance, Foundations of Finance, Principles of Financial Reporting, and Financial Markets). Each module is split into two parts. The first part takes place over the first three weeks of the term and provides a solid introduction to the topics covered in the second part. In addition, you will have a two-week module on Financial Databases and career sessions spread throughout the term.

You will take four assessed modules from January to March during your second term.

From May to July, you work on your Master's dissertation with guidance from your academic supervisor. During those months, you will attend lectures and computer lab sessions designed to introduce you to the key literature and research methods on which your dissertation topic is based. You will continue to work on your dissertation throughout the remainder of the summer, submitting it in September, at the end of the Master's programme.

Several dissertation streams are available, including:

  • Advanced Topics in Investment Strategies, Mutual Funds and Hedge Funds
  • Advanced Topics in Corporate Finance
  • Advanced Topics in Accounting
  • CFA Dissertation Stream

Course accreditation

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants logo

This programme is accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Some modules also provide exemptions from ACCA examinations at Fundamentals level to fast-track your progression.

Learn more about the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants accreditation

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

2:1 (UK Hons) degree or equivalent in Finance, Accounting, Economics or other business-related subject. Graduates in non-business areas with strong quantitative elements may also be considered.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English language requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Optional

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Fees and funding

Location Full Time (per year) Part Time (per year)
Home £16,270 n/a
International £32,760 n/a

General fees and funding information

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Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.