Strategic Professional Accounting and Finance
MSc
Find out more about our courses by joining a live master's webinar
Start dates: January 2025 / September 2025 / January 2026 / September 2026
Full time: 1 year or 2 years in sandwich mode which includes one year's full-time paid supervised work experience (a work placement). Sandwich mode is only available for September entry.
Part time: 24 months
Location: Headington
Department(s): Oxford Brookes Business School
Overview
Take your accounting career to the next level. Our specialist course is perfect if you’ve studied accounting before but want to move forward to qualify as a professional accountant in the UK, while developing your wider management skills and the attributes employers value.
If you have passed or have equivalent learning for ACCA Applied Knowledge and Skills papers, you can benefit from our 2 for 1 approach. By gaining a master’s degree while at the same time preparing you for the 4 ACCA Strategic Professional exams.
Our expert team will also encourage you to look at finance’s role in relation to world issues. Their research covers areas such as the relationship between finance and growth, stakeholder theory and corporate social responsibility.
Plus, you’ll strengthen your practical decision-making skills through interactive learning with discussions, role-play exercises and workshops.
After the course, you’ll be ready to take on new challenges in the sector, whether that’s becoming a member of the accountancy profession or working towards a chief financial officer role.
Why Oxford Brookes University?
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Unique link with ACCA
Our modules are aligned to the 4 Strategic Professional ACCA papers. By the end of the course you’ll be ready to take the external exams to qualify as a chartered accountant.
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Expert lecturers
Our specialist team provides up-to-date technical knowledge as well as practical experience from industry. We also have regular guest speakers from places like KPMG and Jaguar Land Rover.
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Bloomberg Trading Suite
Gain access to data in real time from companies, industries and markets with our brand-new Bloomberg Terminals.
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An international experience
See global business in practice by signing up for an international study trip to somewhere like Boston. Visit major companies and exchange ideas with local representatives.
Course details
Start this course in January or September
You can start this course in January if a September start doesn't suit you or is not currently offered for this course.
If you start in January you will study a range of modules between January and May. During the summer months of June, July and August you will study further modules and begin work on your dissertation. Between September and December you will complete your final modules and focus on your dissertation.
Study modules
Be industry ready when you graduate
By undertaking an optional work placement you can gain valuable and relevant industry experience and develop transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, networking and problem solving. A work placement can help you decide on your long-term career objectives and may lead to a job offer after graduation (would require visa sponsorship for international students).
The WAVES (Work and Voluntary Experience Service) or Careers Office will provide you with support and advice to get ahead in your career, and help you with your CV and applications. The team has access to a wide range of small, medium and large employers that offer postgraduate student work placements.
If you wish to pursue a placement at a particular company, our WAVES team can support you in making an approach to the company. Our Careers Office can also provide you with advice on how to use professional social media channels to pitch yourself to prospective employers.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Research
There are two main areas of research related to this subject:
- Critical Perspectives on Accounting, Social Responsibility and Governance
- Applied Economics, Finance and Development.
The Accounting cluster focuses on how accountability and responsibility is achieved, explored from a range of perspectives and methodological approaches.
The Economics cluster comprises applied macro- and microeconomics as well as finance, environmental sustainability and development.
Careers
Our course strengthens your accounting and finance expertise so you can pick from different routes. You are most likely to follow a professional accountancy path, whether with an accountancy firm, or in an accounting role in an industry such as an energy or software company. Alternatively your qualification can take you into a role in the finance or charity sector.
Roles you could consider include:
- accountant
- auditor
- tax official
- banking operations officer
- financial analyst.
Previous students from our accounting and finance courses have gone on to work with prestigious organisations both in the UK and abroad such as PwC, Deloitte, Oxfam, the Civil Service and Huawei.
By the end of the course, you’ll have developed much broader skills, such as quantitative analysis, digital literacy, communication, presentation and team working.
Related courses
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
A minimum of a second class honours degree (2:2) in any academic discipline, or equivalent overseas degree from a recognised institution or equivalent professional or other qualification.
Applicants must have passed or have exemptions from all Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills ACCA papers.
Applicants who possess a diploma rather than a good degree may be eligible for entry provided they have compensatory work experience and can demonstrate career development.
This course attracts students from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities. Applications are welcome from those in work and seeking continuing professional development
Entry will also be subject to one satisfactory academic reference.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you will need to have the following level of English language competency:
- minimum 6.0 (with a minimum of 6.0 in reading and writing and 5.5 in listening and speaking).
- if you have completed your undergraduate degree in the UK (at least one full year of study) you will automatically meet our English language requirements.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.
Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.
If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
International qualifications and equivalences
How to apply
Application process
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Optional costs
Additional costs | Amount (£) |
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The programme qualifies graduates for exemptions from professional body examinations - the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). To claim these exemptions, graduates will need to pay registration fees to ACCA then a fee per exemption granted (between 4 and 7 depending on options taken in the programme). |
Typically £135 |
International Business in Practice Study Trip module (inc. accommodation for seven nights, insurance, company visits and group transportation for all activities). This fee did not include international airfare, visa application fee (if relevant), dinners and activities during your free time. |
£350-1500 |
It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online. |
From £30 |
You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased secondhand. | £20-60 per book |
Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills) |
£94-265 per week |
Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs) |
£122-180 per week |
Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41. |
Typically £0-200 |
Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes. BrookesBus travel is subsidised for full-time undergraduate students that are on a course with a fee of £9,250 or more, or living in an Oxford Brookes hall of residence. There is an administration fee for the production of a BrookesKey. |
From £10 |
Funding your studies
Financial support and scholarships
Featured funding opportunities available for this course.
All financial support and scholarships
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.