Introducing MA Accounting and Business
Combine the study of accounting and business to prepare for the social, political and cultural challenges facing contemporary businesses, governments and not-for-profit organisations.
You will develop the personal and professional competences required to work across a range of roles in contemporary business including:
- accountancy and finance
- strategy
- marketing
- human resource management
- data analytics
- entrepreneurship and innovation
Taught by world-leading industry professionals and researchers, you can specialise in areas of business such as:
- Global Business
- Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation
- Eco Innovation
- Future of Work
- Theories and Techniques of Persuasion
Accounting
Accountancy is the fastest-growing area of business activity. The ability to measure financial information and make projections affects economic and organisational decision-making at all levels. Financial accountants report on the performance of an organisation, and management accountants provide financial information to help with planning and strategy.
Environment for learning
We offer a supportive and encouraging environment where you can grow and develop. Our student experience team offer an extensive range of pastoral and professional provision to support you on your undergraduate journey.
We provide many and varied opportunities for you to engage in co- and extra-curricular activities. Our dedicated Student Development Team can help you develop a range of essential business graduate competencies.
Further development opportunities
You may take undergraduate Edinburgh Awards supported by an alumni professional mentor and trained coaches:
- Personal and Professional Development (Year 2)
- Effective and Responsible Leadership (Year 3 or 4)
Edinburgh Award
You can also participate in a large number of business societies, business events and peer-support schemes.
How will I learn?
Teaching and learning employed within the Business School (and in other Schools where you may take courses outside the business area) embrace a variety of different methods including:
- lectures (led by a lecturer or guest speaker, with usually a large number of students attending at one time)
- computer laboratories (smaller groups of students attending to learn software packages and data interpretation and analysis)
- workshops (smaller groups of students working with a tutor on particular practical problem-based learning)
- tutorials (tutors engaging small groups of students in discussion and analysis, and where you might undertake peer-group projects and presentations)
- one-to-one meetings with course lecturers/tutors/academic advisors
- independent learning throughout your studies (in particular for your Honours dissertation research)
You will be taught by:
- experienced subject-specific lecturers
- industry professionals
- research-led academics
- internationally renowned guest speakers
We have a number of leading academics who have designed and developed courses specific to their research, particularly at Years 3 and 4.
Support for learning
We offer a motivating and encouraging environment where you can grow and develop as an independent learner.
You will be guided and supported throughout your studies by our dedicated student experience team who offer enhanced course and programme advice and guidance, wellbeing, professional and academic and study skills development.
We also have an excellent peer support service that can help you develop your study skills. The university offers a ‘one-stop shop - EdHelp - where you can get help and advice on everything from finance to counselling, accommodation, and accessing IT and library resources.
EdHelp
Teaching during Covid-19
We are delivering hybrid teaching for on-campus students during the 2021-2022 academic year. Our teaching model for 2022-2023 will depend on Covid-19 restrictions at the time. We will provide you with regular updates on what to expect throughout the application process.
How will I be assessed?
Courses are assessed by a diverse and innovative range of methods and often take the form of formative work, which provides you with on-going feedback, as well as summative assessment, on which your final course grade is achieved.
Some of the assessment methods you may experience are:
- blogs (written and/or video)
- business plan and/or feasibility analysis
- case study analysis
- computer-based timed assignments
- consultancy reports
- reflective diaries/journals
- essays
- exams - these might be closed book, multiple choice, oral (group or individual), short questions, seen case study/unseen exam question, open book, timed submission, etc.
- pitches
- portfolios (paper and/or online)
- posters
- presentations (face-to-face/video; group and individual)
- projects (group and individual)
- technical workshops
- workbooks
- the dissertation
Many of your assessments will involve industry engagement, real case examples, and practical solutions to contemporary business problems.
A very small number of courses are assessed using only a single, written examination or coursework assignment. Most courses employ two or more different forms of assessment, and a growing number combine both individual and group-based activities to develop both subject-specific knowledge and transferable skills.