International Accounting and Analytics—Pathway B (MSc)

Course Overview

For early–mid career accountants

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.‌

This is an ideal master’s programme if you are already a qualified associate member with an IFAC member professional accountancy body (e.g. ICAI, ACCA, CIMA, Institute of Chartered Accountants India (ICA India, CPA Australia (Certified Practising Accountants Australia, the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (ICMA Pakistan, CIPFA or other body deemed equivalent by the Programme Director and looking to build your professional qualifications. This unique programme offers, through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL, exemption from 50% (45 credits of the 90 credits for this taught master's course to fully exam-qualified accountants who have been admitted to full associate membership of the recognised professional accountancy bodies above.

J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics MSc International Accounting and Analytics Merit Scholarship

Pathway B: for early-mid career accountants

Applicants are required to have completed all of the professional accounting examinations and to have been admitted as full members by a recognised professional accountancy body including the following: ACCA, CIPFA, CIMA, ICAEW, ICAI, ICAS or other IFAC member body assessed as equivalent by the academic programme director. A notarised cert of membership must be submitted before an application can be considered. 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, the recent 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. This MSc is the first programme of its kind in UK and Irish Universities to offer practical hands-on modules in 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).