Accounting

Entry requirements

The equivalent of a UK first or upper second-class honours degree.

Our MSc Accounting programme is intended for graduates in any subject or discipline; no previous study in accounting is necessary. Accounting undergraduate students or students who have completed a professional accounting qualification may find some content of this programme overlaps with their prior learning.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Our MSc in Accounting is designed to provide an essential introduction to accountancy as a career choice for graduates with no prior learning in the discipline. The programme covers key areas of accounting, and it will stimulate your interest in the broader aspects of finance and business across the globe.

You will develop an in-depth understanding of the theory and practice of accounting and it will also sharpen your critical thinking skills, such as decision-making and problem-solving.

You will be taught at Durham University Business School, one of the longest established business schools in the UK, offering state-of-the-art facilities and, as an accounting student, you will be part of an academic department with an international reputation for research and teaching excellence.

Professional Exemptions - ACCA and CIMA

The programme also carries professional exemptions from both the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants CIMA.

Summary of study programme

Your programme consists of a set of core modules and an optional module. Topics covered in the programme include, financial statements and their preparation and analysis, the practical limitations of financial reporting, contemporary and evolving practice in financial and non-financial accounting and reporting, management information for decision-making, and the practice and concepts of auditing. The MSc Accounting dissertation forms the concluding part of your programme and is an opportunity for you to develop your business insight and present your analysis and ideas in a scholarly and professional manner.

Course structure

Year 1 modules

Core modules:

Auditing and Accountability

examines the practice of auditing and underlying concepts including the development of the role of the audit function in modern business society, the governance roles and responsibilities of external audit functions, the concepts of audit quality and assurance and the contribution of audit research in understanding practice and informing policy and regulatory debates.

Modern Accounting Research

introduces a range of topics in contemporary and evolving practice in accounting and associated subjects such as reporting and taxation. The module also explores ethical issues in accounting and associated subjects and considers contemporary research agendas in accounting and associated subjects.

Financial Accounting and Reporting

enables you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of financial accounting and reporting concepts and ethical issues as well as the application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to specific cases involving single entities or groups. You will also prepare single entity and consolidated financial statements that meet IFRS requirements and show an understanding of accounting-based techniques of financial statement analysis.

Financial Planning and Control

develops your knowledge of the financial planning and control processes of organisations and understanding of key aspects of management accounting related to financial planning, control and decision-making in organisations. It builds skills that are relevant to management accounting practice such as preparing, interpreting, and presenting essential financial information for management control and decision-making. The module will also enhance your knowledge of current development relating to financial planning and control of organisations.

Research Methods in Accounting

explores the main research assumptions used in accounting to build your understanding of the range of methods and techniques employed to achieve different research aims and objectives. You will also use technology used in accounting research (e.g. STATA, Nvivo).

Dissertation

is an in-depth investigation of a specific subject you've already studied as part of your programme, theoretically underpinned and normally supported by undertaking empirical research, but may also be a critical essay that draws upon academic literature. Supervised by a faculty member, this is an opportunity for you to develop your business insight and present your analysis and ideas in a scholarly and professional manner. There is also the opportunity to undertake your dissertation abroad at a partner university.

Optional modules:

You will choose one module from the list below:

• Accounting: An Information Content Perspective
• Accounting Theory
• Corporate Governance
• Financial Statement Analysis

You will then choose a further two modules from the list below:

• Introduction to Data Analytics and Visualisation
• Introduction to Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
• Islamic Banking and Finance
• Islamic Law and Financial Transactions
• Sustainability and Ethics
• Sustainability and Integrated Reporting
• Language module offered by the Centre for Foreign Language Studies

Note: the list of optional modules is indicative and may change in the academic year 2026/2027

Information for international students

If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

Fees and funding

For further information see the course listing.