International Accounting and Analytics—Pathway A (MSc)

Course Overview

‌‌

Our programme responds to the recent 22^nd Annual Global CEO Survey compiled by PwC which notes that ‘A lack of analytical talent is impeding data adequacy.’ The ICAS and FRC report on Auditor Skills in a Changing Business World (in 2016 also notes the importance of analytics skills for accountants and calls for educators to include practical courses on data interrogation and analytics. Our MSc in International Accounting and Analytics is the first programme of its kind in UK and Irish Universities to offer practical hands-on modules in audit analytics tools for accountants.

Advance your accounting career with the MSc in International Accounting and Analytics. Develop insights, and technical knowledge of tools and techniques for driving organisational performance, and understanding of corporate finance theory and practice. Gain an understanding of and expertise in accounting and business analytics through taught modules and our practitioner led Summer School.

‌For General Business Graduates who now wish to specialise in Accounting & Analytics

Pathway A Full-Time

This is an intensive 10 –11 month degree programme for high calibre business related/commerce graduates who have not specialised in accounting and who now wish to pursue a professional career in Accounting.

Our team of academics and practitioners provide in-depth practical, technical and research grounded knowledge of key business areas required for success in today’s business environment. This post-graduate programme is taught over two semesters and is followed by two summer schools in May/June. This final element of the programme provides an important capstone to the technical skills you will have developed over the course of the first two semesters.

Students taking the year-long programme starting in September secure substantial exemption from the examinations of the ACCA. As a graduate of this MSc in International Accounting and Analytics you will be exempt from papers F1, F2, F3, F5, F7, F8 and F9 of the ACCA. Click here for CPA Exemptions*.

*Please note: exemptions from the examinations of the professional accounting bodies are subject to change of syllabus/content.

‌Pathway A: For General Business Graduates who now wish to specialise in Accounting & Analytics

A First or Second Class Honours Grade 1 in a commerce/ business degree (or equivalent qualification) will be required. IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent, if applicable.

Academic entry requirements standardised per country here.

English language requirements here.

Recognising the importance of analytics skills for accountants, a ICAS and FRC report on Auditor skills in a changing business world (2016) called for educators to include practical courses on data interrogation and analytics. Our new MSc was the first programme of its kind in UK and Irish Universities to offer practical hands-on audit analytics tools for accountants.

Our professional development programme which runs throughout the programme is designed to provide support for career development and offers a suite of career events, one-to-one career support and guest lectures from practice.

As a graduate of the MSc. in International Accounting and Analytics, you will have access to a wide range of employment opportunities in Accounting Practice, Industry, Management Consultancy and Financial Services.

You will have developed an understanding of cutting edge design and use of systems and processes to leverage best use of organisational data to facilitate performance management of business organisations. Coupled with your technical accounting skills you will be well positioned to work within the accounting function and management team to lead and manage organisations to achieve their strategic objectives.

Key Features of the Programme

The design and structure of this programme was motivated following consultation and advice from industry, professional bodies, accounting practitioners and regulators. This programme enables early to mid-career accountants advance their accounting careers, develop insights, and technical knowledge of tools and techniques for driving organisational performance. In addition to the core academic modules, students are exposed to a variety of learning technologies to develop their skills for practice and the global business environment, including:

• Internationally recognised
• KPMG-led Summer School on Audit and Accounting Analytics
• Disruptive Technologies in Accounting and Finance Summer School, via partnership with UI Path
• Guest lectures from expert practitioners
• Exposure to a range of data analytic tools
• The development of professional skills for the workplace

Professional Development Programme:

In collaboration with our industry advisory group, we developed a new module Analytical and Communication Skills Development to enhance students’ skill set. This includes an even greater focus on analytics skills development through Excel for Analytics and Tableau for Analytics. Both of these focus on manipulation of data sets to extract greater value from existing organizational data. Quality data visualisation is critical to enhancing visual communication which facilitates improved organizational strategy formulation leading to competitive advantage. This new module teaches students how to create various visualisations of data allowing trends and patterns to be revealed thus allowing organizations to extract greater value from their data. Recognising the importance of good oral communication skills, this new module affords students additional opportunities to make individual and group presentations and prepares you to take your place as a professional in the corporate world.

Industry Collaboration

Our team of academics and practitioners provide in-depth practical and research grounded knowledge of key areas in today’s business environment. This final element of the programme provides an important capstone to the technical skills you will have developed.

The MSc (International Accounting & Analytics) class are pictured with Laurence May (KPMG Director) and Professor Breda Sweeney (University of Galway).

In November 2019, University of Galway announced a new partnership with leading enterprise Robotic Process Automation (RPA) software firm UiPath, making the University the first in Ireland to offer robotic process automation content to accounting and finance students.

The partnership features as part of an innovative 'Disruptive Technologies in Accounting and Finance' Summer School offered to students on the MSc in International Accounting & Analytics programme. Students will develop practical skills in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), mapping of workflow processes, Data preparation and Data Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

‌