Accountancy and Finance

Accountancy and finance is a degree that develops the technical knowledge and analytical skills at the heart of professional financial practice. Accountancy is concerned with the accurate recording, reporting, and interpretation of financial information, and with the assurance and audit processes that underpin trust in financial reporting. Finance extends that into the broader study of capital markets, investment, corporate finance, and the management of financial risk.

Together they provide a thorough grounding for careers in the financial and professional services sectors.

At Heriot-Watt University, this four-year, full-time MA programme equips you with accounting, financial, and analytical skills that are directly applicable to careers in auditing, tax, financial analysis, and corporate finance within an increasingly global business environment. You will develop your understanding of financial reporting, management accounting, taxation, investment, financial markets, and the quantitative methods that underpin professional financial analysis. A year abroad is available, giving you the opportunity to study at a partner university in another country and to encounter financial and accounting practice in an international context, which is particularly valuable for students interested in global careers.

Heriot-Watt's international orientation and its established links with the professional accounting and finance sectors enrich the programme with a genuinely global perspective. Graduates are well-placed for professional qualification routes with bodies such as ICAS, ICAEW, ACCA, or CIMA, and the degree provides the academic foundation on which professional training builds. Careers in audit, tax advisory, corporate finance, financial analysis, treasury, and financial management across a wide range of industries are all accessible.

Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in accounting, finance, or related fields before or alongside professional qualification.