Work with leading academics to develop your financial skills and kick-start your career
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
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Upcoming eventsThis course provides a foundation for building a career in accounting and finance.
Accounting and Finance (MSc) is part of our suite of uniquely multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary finance Masters programmes. They bring together expertise from the School for Business and Society, the Department of Mathematics, and the Department of Economics and Related Studies.
Discover our refocused syllabus introducing contemporary tools, methods and approaches to tackle applied, professional and academic challenges in accounting and finance.
We're committed to developing the knowledge and experience which make you attractive to employers. You'll develop advanced skills to begin or progress your career in finance. Our focus on the role of accounting and finance in management gives you the opportunity to develop your managerial skills too.
Accounting and Finance (MSc) is suitable for students aiming for a career as an equity or corporate bond analyst, as well as those wishing to develop an accounting career.
At the University of York we offer a number of different courses as part of our finance suite, including general, focused and specialised programmes. Learn more about our range of finance masters programmes offered at York.
This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Alongside your formal classes, we arrange an extensive programme of guest speakers. Visitors from large multinational companies, small businesses and public sector organisations lead discussions on issues linked to their own businesses or past experiences.
You'll study a range of core modules, consolidating your existing knowledge and introducing you to new concepts and techniques. You'll focus on the roles of accounting and finance, gaining the skills needed to address accounting and finance - and the interdependencies between them - in a grounded, real-word context.
You'll take a range of core and option modules that will develop your understanding of applied accounting and finance practices. You'll learn how to apply relevant mathematical and statistical methods in industry and academia, equipping you with the transferable skills for a career in finance and accounting.
You'll also study one option module. Examples from previous years have included:
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
You can choose to focus your research on a topic that interests you. It could be a chance to explore a previous topic in greater depth, or investigate an organisational challenge in an industry close to your heart.
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
Display a systematic and critical understanding of the behaviour and operations of the accounting and finance functions within a non-financial organisation, the environments in which they operate, and the role they play in the wider economic system
Describe a range of techniques used in practice in accounting, corporate finance and asset management and demonstrate critical awareness of the potential problems and limitations of those techniques
Appraise and evaluate the major theories underlying the study of accounting and finance, be able to describe the assumptions and mathematics methods behind these theories and communicate clearly to academic and managerial audiences the advantages and limitations of applying these theories to specific practical contexts
Analyse and interpret corporate financial statements for the purposes of equity, corporate bond, and overall corporate valuation
Solve complex problems in accounting and finance by locating, downloading and cleaning the most appropriate financial and related data, and applying the most relevant statistical and computational techniques to these data to address the problem at hand
Explain how sustainable and ethical corporate behaviour can co-exist with the accounting and finance requirements of non-financial organisations, and display a critical understanding of how such a balanced management approach can be implemented
Produce well-reasoned written and oral communications based on analytical reasoning and supported, where necessary, by data-based evidence, and display other personal transferable skills including: the ability to work positively within a group; act inclusively within a diverse academic community; reflect on personal strengths and weaknesses; identify areas for growth in their own knowledge and practice by engaging in continuing professional development
Formulate an accounting and/or finance project proposal; identify the relevant academic and practitioner literature that best inform the project; identify and obtain the most appropriate data and methodologies for undertaking the project; independently carry out the project efficiently and to deadline; and effectively communicate results in a way that will persuade both expert and non-expert audiences.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £16,810 | £33,700 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
We use a wide range of teaching methods to suit different learning styles, including:
We'll help you develop skills of research and investigation to support your independent learning.
You will be based in the School for Business & Society on Campus West. Most of your teaching will take place in the Church Lane Building, with additional contact hours elsewhere on Campus East and Campus West.
You'll gain access to our schools' and departments' shared resources and financial databases, including:
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Your modules are assessed with a mixture of exams, essays, project work, tests and presentations. You'll also complete formative assignments to assist in your learning and guide you in undertaking your assignments.
This course will help build your qualifications for a career in financial management or accountancy. Our graduates are developing careers in these roles worldwide. Many go on to work for one of the Big Four accounting firms: Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PwC, and KPMG.
The skills that you will develop are in demand far beyond the financial services industry. Our alumni can be found in diverse small and medium enterprises and in public sector roles in local government, education, policing and health.
Each year, some of our students choose to continue their studies, joining the School for Business and Society doctoral programme.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 in an undergraduate degree in any subject. We would expect applicants to have studied at least one Accounting module, and one or more modules containing some statistics/maths/economics/finance/physics/engineering content. |
| Other qualifications and experience | If you do not meet our advertised entry requirements, we may consider your application if you have a minimum of three years of relevant senior managerial-level working experience or a relevant professional qualification such as the CFA Level 1 or the ACCA |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87, minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.
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