^#MSc in Professional Accountancy

The University of London (UoL) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) have developed a ground-breaking programme of study that allows you to complete the MSc in Professional Accountancy and your ACCA professional qualification at the same time.

This route to the ACCA qualification will be of value to accountants aspiring to senior roles and enable them to stand out from the crowd in terms of their qualifications. Compared with the cost of studying for an accountancy qualification and a master’s separately, this will save time and money for many ACCA students. The MSc modules are the first to be recognised by ACCA as counting towards the professional level of the ACCA qualification.

The MSc programme provides students with an opportunity to develop and apply master’s level knowledge, understanding and skills within accountancy and finance related content.

Who will benefit from this programme?

This prestigious master’s level qualification is open exclusively to ACCA students, affiliates and members.

ACCA full members can ‘top-up’ their professional qualification with this master’s degree by taking two modules. 

ACCA students who have passed the fundamentals level (F1 – F9)/ Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills papers of the ACCA qualification can opt to continue towards their ACCA qualification by using the master’s degree as an equivalent to two of their final ACCA papers (P4 and P5).

Lead College: University College London (UCL)

The School of Management at University College London is responsible for the academic direction.

The research performed in the School of Management over the last six years has been rated as “world-leading” in the Research Excellence Framework 2014, a system for assessing the quality of research in UK universities.

The School offers programmes in management, technology entrepreneurship, information management for business, management science and business analytics.

Preparatory Course for MSc in Professional Accountancy

Each preparatory course is of 60 hours with an aim to provide tuition support to students for studying the MSc in Professional Accountancy. Comprehensive online learning material is to be provided by UoL and this preparatory course will provide the essential face-to-face tuition teaching support.

Progression from the Postgraduate Certificate

On successful completion of the ACCA Professional level papers  SBL and SBR, the student will be eligible to transfer their registration to the MSc degree under Pathway 1. Accredited prior learning of 90 credits will be granted for ACCA papers SBL and SBR and the MSc will be awarded on satisfactory completion of two University of London option modules and the compulsory project.

ACCA CPD Units

One hour of learning equates to one CPD unit. Your studies could easily provide your full 40 units for one year. You can even carry forward 21 units to the next year.

Certificate for Module (Preparatory Course - Strategic Financial Management)

The programme will consider a range of major strategic financial issues of importance to the organisation. By doing so, it blends core principles of financial management with business strategies.

^# MSc in Professional Accountancy

Non-Local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance

This is an exempted course under the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance. It is a matter of discretion for individual employers to recognize any qualification to which this course may lead.

Application for this MSc programme with UoL

Applicants must submit an application in line with the procedures and deadlines set out on UoL's website. The ACCA Professional papers (P1 – P7) have been benchmarked at FHEQ level 7.

Key dates for application and registration with UoL (London time) 

Certificate for Module (Preparatory Course - Strategic Financial Management)

On completion of the programme, students should be able to

1. Formulate a financial strategy taking account of differed financing options;
2. Identify and critique a range of investment appraisal techniques, select as appropriate and apply within the investment appraisal process, and make a justifiable recommendation;
3. Explain the nature and significance of financial risk and uncertainty, and apply techniques to take account of these, including diversification, capital asset pricing model (capm) and the black-scholes option pricing model;
4. Assess the implication of differing types of capital structures and their implications for cost of capital and associated decisions;
5. Critique both the theoretical issues and influences on practical decisions associated with the development of dividend policy;
6. Identify and discuss the drivers for mergers and acquisitions, the calculation of share valuation, and identify and critique the main forms of purchase consideration used; and
7. Identify and describe the key financial risks facing a business, explain and demonstrate how financial instruments can be used to manage the financial risks within an appropriate risk strategy.

Syllabus

• The finance function, financial objectives and financial markets
• Measuring "value" in business
• Financial performance evaluation. The dividend decision
• Re-visiting investment appraisal techniques
• Investment appraisal – theory, practice and complications
• Risk in investment appraisal. "Real" options
• Portfolio theory and the capital asset pricing model
• Stock exchanges
• Financing
• Corporate bonds
• Cost of capital – theory and practice
• Capital structure
• Investment and financing interactions
• Business valuation
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Treasury risk management
• Financial derivatives
• Interest rate risk
• Foreign currency risk
• Foreign direct investment

Teaching and Learning Activities

Lecture: 60 hours

Assessment

Coursework: One 3000-word assignment

Attendance Requirements

At least 70%

Award

Students who are able to satisfy both the attendance requirement (minimum 70%) and pass the programme assessment will be conferred a "Certificate for Module (Preparatory Course - Strategic Financial Management)".

• 60 hours per programme
  20 meeting(s)
  3 hours per meeting

• Course Fee : HK$9900 per module (Fees are reviewed annually and subject to change without prior notice. Mounting of each course is subject to sufficient enrolment and solely at the discretion of the School.)
• (Additional Costs - You will also need to budget for: )
• (1. Course Fee for University of London: Details please visit https://london.ac.uk/courses/professional-accountancy#fees)
• (2. Exams (Pathway 1, MSc/PGCert): exam centres charge a fee for hosting your exams.)
• (3. Preparatory Costs: if your most recent ACCA pass was over five years ago, you’ll need to complete an online preparation course.)