Who is it for?
If you are an ambitious, curious and hard-working graduate, driven to excel and succeed in the area of finance or accounting, this is the right course for you.
The International Accounting and Finance MSc is a highly practical course so you’ll need to possess sound quantitative skills.
This is a master's course for graduates that are keen to acquire both the leading techniques in finance and analytical understanding of accounting in measuring economic activities in a business.
You will be able to tailor your course with elective modules to pursue selected fields in depth and address your individual career choice.
You can choose modules that will enable you to focus at greater depth on finance, or that will provide you with knowledge you will need to prepare for professional accounting qualifications.
"Along with the formal accounting and finance knowledge, the International Accounting and Finance course will give you insights into industry trends and current changes. As part of the curricula, you can study towards the IFRS Certificate which will enhance your career prospects and expertise. Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) offers many opportunities beyond the course from events and conferences to clubs and societies and careers advice."
- Lorraine Viala, MSc International Accounting and Finance alumnus
Objectives
This is a one-year, full-time, expertly structured programme that will provide you with the real-world finance and accounting expertise that leads to a wide range of rewarding international roles.
The emphasis of the International Accounting and Finance programme is to enable you to critically assess the implications of financial figures for a multitude of finance related topics.
During the course you will develop a deep understanding of the use of finance and accounting tools in the context of global capital markets.
The postgraduate programme is designed to equip you with skills for using both finance theory and analysis together with accounting numbers in investment decisions and corporate assessment.
For example, you will learn how to think in financial terms and develop the methods that will help you weigh financial risks when valuing underlying real assets, evaluating a strategy, and drawing conclusion about the business using financial figures, you will acquire analytical skills for making informed assessments on key financial decision, you will develop deep understanding of the fundamental issues behind international capital flows, their accounting treatment and bearings on business decisions.
This is a demanding and highly rewarding course and after leaving it you will be well-prepared for a broad range of financial careers.
MSc International Accounting and Finance graduates find careers in investment and corporate banks, accountancy and audit firms, ratings firms, private equity, financial data providers, venture capital, and finance departments in major corporations.
Structure
What will I learn
On the International Accounting and Finance master’s course, you will:
- Acquire a comprehensive grasp of the principles and applications of finance and accounting
- Develop your range of technical and conceptual skills
- Gain broad experience of quantitative techniques
- Develop your understanding of financial issues across all industry sectors
- Network with your peers and senior accounting and finance industry professionals in the City of London
- Gain a highly valuable international, multicultural perspective
- Acquire a flexible qualification suitable for a wide range of roles in accounting and global finance.
Induction weeks
All of our MSc courses start with two compulsory induction weeks which include relevant refresher courses, an introduction to the careers services and the annual careers fair.
Term 1
Core modules:
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Analytics for Accounting and Finance
The module teaches how to apply econometric techniques in the empirical analysis and modelling of equity and fixed income markets. You will learn key tools and methods in applying these techniques for analysis and development of quantitative strategies for forecasting, pricing and risk management.
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Corporate Finance and Valuation
The modules teaches core theoretical principles and equips students with practical finance tools. You will learn how to value companies using data from Bloomberg and popular valuation methods employed by investment banks and corporate finance departments.
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Financial Reporting
The module equips students with critical understanding of the principles and practices of accounting, characteristics and limitations of accounting data. You will learn how to prepare and interpret financial statements, to apply and comment on accounting policies and to use accounting information to assess financial performance of the business.
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Research Methods for Finance Professionals
Strong research is a key element of development strategy for companies and institutions, large and small.
This module aims to provide a grounding in financial research, particularly financial modelling and information gathering which you will be able to use to support your learning on the rest of your course.
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Strategic Management Accounting
The module teaches how to efficiently use the information on businesses’ products, services, processes, organizational units, suppliers, and customers. You will learn concepts, models, and systems that provide this data for the development, use and control of cost information for decision-making and performance measurement in competitive business environments.
Term 2
Core modules:
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Accounting Information and Capital Markets
The module teaches tools and techniques used by financial analysts, corporate managers, accountants and investment bankers to assess the fundamental value of traded securities in global markets. You will become experts in the theory and practice of equity valuation and will gain a critical perspective when valuing companies based on financial statements.
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Advanced Corporate Finance
The module provides an in-depth analysis of the theory and international practice of capital structure decisions, dividend and cash policy, valuation, and mergers and acquisitions. You will learn how to incorporate real factors in the valuation of companies. Tax reforms, bankruptcy laws, and employment protection regulation have an impact on both business valuation and capital structure decisions.
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Financial Statement Analysis
This module leverages many materials from bulge bracket and boutique investment banks to showcase how various techniques covered in the module are used by professionals from the Wall Street, providing you with hands-on experience in analysing and interpreting financial information disclosed by firms listed on major stock exchanges.
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International Financial Management
In this module students will learn about the risks that financial managers face when trading internationally in the global marketplace. You will acquire knowledge on dynamic tools that will allow them to manage and deal with these risks.
Term 3
You may choose from the five options in your final term.
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Option 1: Students can take five specialist elective modules (5 x 10 credits)
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Option 2: Students can opt to write a 10,000-word Business Research Project (40 credits) and take one specialist elective module (1 x 10 credits)
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Option 3: Students can opt to write a 3,000-5,000 word Applied Research Project (20 credits) and take three specialist elective modules (3 x 10 credits)
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Option 4: Students can opt to take
International Financial Reporting Standards
The module provides an applied professional qualification that complements the academic program in International Accounting and Finance. You will acquire knowledge and skills to apply complex international financial reporting standards in companies operating globally.
(30 credits) and two specialist electives (2 x 10 credits)
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Option 5: Students can opt to take
International Financial Reporting Standards
PrThe module provides an applied professional qualification that complements the academic program in International Accounting and Finance. You will acquire knowledge and skills to apply complex international financial reporting standards in companies operating globally.
(30 credits) and write 3,000-5,000 word Applied Research Project (20 credits).
Projects
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Business Research Project
It is important for aspiring professionals to demonstrate, on an individual basis, their ability to apply concepts and techniques they have learned in an in-depth study of a topic of their choice and to organise their findings in a report, all conducted within a given time limit.
Business Research Project will train you to undertake individual research and provide you with an opportunity to specialise in a contemporary business or finance topic related to your future career aspirations.
You are required to submit a project of approximately 10,000 words on any subject area covered in the rest of the programme.
Typical projects can involve any of the following: extracting data from electronic databases or by hand; statistical analysis of large or small populations; interviews; case studies of an industry or a sector or of a business / finance issue in a particular country setting.
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Applied Research Project
The aim of this module is to enable you to demonstrate how to integrate your learning in core and elective modules and then apply this to the formulation and completion of an applied research project. You will be required to demonstrate the skills and knowledge that you have acquired throughout your MSc study.
You will undertake a short piece of applied research on a question of academic and/or practical relevance.
Guidelines will be provided in order to help you identify the research question. Based on your chosen topic, you must write a report of around 3,000–5,000 words that summarises and critically evaluates your method and your findings.
Electives planned to run in 2022
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Advanced Company Valuation
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Mergers and Acquisitions
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Hedge Funds
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Corporate Restructuring
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Private Equity Investments
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Financial Statement Analysis for Banks
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Introduction to Python
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International Financial Reporting Standards
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Visual Basic in Finance
International electives
