MSc in International Finance and Management - Learning Outcomes
« Back to MSc in International Finance and Management descriptionEducational aims
The MSc in International Finance and Management is a career-development specialist programme for those wishing to broaden and deepen their knowledge of international financial management issues. The programme will build on your bachelors degree and/or professional competencies to provide comprehensive coverage of the important issues in accounting and finance of relevance to people like you working in the area today. While the academic level is masters, there is a strong practical and professional orientation to the curriculum.
As an MSc in International Finance and Management graduate you will be able to ground your new knowledge within the base of your professional experience. You will be able to reflect on and learn from that prior experience and thus be able to integrate new knowledge with past experience and apply it to new situations. You will be able to challenge preconceptions and to remove some functional boundaries traditionally associated with accounting and finance, so as to handle complex situations holistically. You should also have particular strengths in analysing, synthesising and solving complex, unstructured business problems. In addition to being able to communicate your findings, you should have developed the skills to implement agreed solutions effectively and efficiently. You should therefore have strongly developed interpersonal skills and be able to interact effectively with a range of specialists.
The MSc is directed both at the acquisition and critical understanding of a body of knowledge and at the acquisition of a range of personal capabilities.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
As a master, you will be able to:
- compare and appraise theories that underlie current thinking in accounting, finance and investment; and describe and evaluate how these theories can be and are applied in practical situations
- analyse, synthesise and evaluate the impact of globalisation on financial reporting, investment and management and financial accounting
- critique and evaluate research in international accounting and finance; and apply that research
- analyse and synthesise management and strategic contexts in which accounting and financial decision making takes place
- discuss and evaluate the relevance of global economic, social, regulatory and political factors affect the accounting and finance context.
Cognitive skills
As a master, you will be able to:
- analyse and interpret sets of financial statements
- appraise investment proposals within organisations
- analyse the risk and return classification of alternative investments
- develop risk management frameworks.
Practical and/or professional skills
As a master, you will be able to:
- discuss the relevance of business strategy to managers and in particular to finance and accounting specialists
- discuss a broad range of research in accounting and finance; and critique particular research and apply it in a practical context
- explain the macro-factors affecting financial reporting and investment/finance to a range of types of organisation and stakeholder
- compare the different technical methods available to represent complex and uncertain economic positions and the scope for manipulation.
Key skills
As a master, you will be able to:
- describe and discuss the main management theories and techniques
- describe and illustrate the important elements of financial accounts
- apply the key finance, investment, accounting and management control theories
- describe and discuss the role of accounting information within the capital markets and the impact which financial statements have on investment decisions
- analyse financial statements and evaluate a company in the light of different measurement systems.
Teaching, learning and assessment methods
You will be guided through and gain a thorough grounding in practical management techniques and coverage of all the major management disciplines.
You will receive written material made up of study guides, textbooks, research articles, press cuttings and case studies based around financial accounts, using Web-based data sources; face-to-face teaching from expert tutors, lectures via the Web, two or three day schools. Up-to-date material will be delivered to you via tutors, FirstClass or the Web. You will receive support in specific topics via FirstClass from expert tutors.
You will be required to work in groups on case studies of practical and topical relevance in an international context. You will be provided with computer software to allow analysis and interpretation of financial information.
There will be written assignments (individual or group), often based on case studies, to assess the applications of principles to relatively complex and realistic situations; and examinations to demonstrate your understanding of principles and relevant theories and their application to problem-solving situations.