Year 1
Your studies will focus on key themes of understanding the nature of business including:

organisational forms
the impact of globalisation and global inequality
the shift to a low-carbon economy
the impact of technology and digital disruption
You will gain an insight into the practice of management by using examples of widely-used concepts and techniques in local businesses and the day-to-day role of managers. This will include guest lectures cases and recorded interviews developed in partnership with local organisations.

You will study Global Challenges for Business and The Business of Edinburgh which introduce key concepts of management and business including:

strategy
finance
marketing
management of people
Accounting
You will take two accounting courses where you will:

examine the basic principles and underlying concepts of accounting
explore the ways in which accounting statements and financial information can be used to improve the quality of decision-making
learn how accounting relates to the broader context of the strategic and operational aspects of business
You will also:

produce financial statements from the relevant transactions and events affecting organisations
analyse interpret and facilitate the use of accounting information
relate accounting to the broader context of the strategic and operational aspects of organisations
The study of internal management accounting systems places particular emphasis on cost calculation and control and the provision of information for managerial decision-making and performance evaluation.

Finance
In Introduction to Financial Markets you will be introduced to and supported to develop your understanding of the basic principles of finance. A practical course it is designed to give a theoretical introduction looking at the way assets are valued in financial markets. You will consider:

interest rates and the pricing of fixed-income bonds
stock market prices and returns
stock market risk and the influence of risk on the pricing of shares
the characteristics and pricing of financial futures and options
To complement your accounting and finance Economic Applications introduces you to the broad principles and applications of economics. Alternatively you may choose to study more business through The Business of Edinburgh course.

Year 2
You will broaden your knowledge of essential business subjects through the study of a compulsory course in statistical analysis and data interpretation.

You will continue your study of Accounting and have a choice of courses in:

marketing
innovation and entrepreneurship
decision analytics
organisation studies
international business
business analytics
understanding and delivering public services *HR management
business economics
business simulation
You will build on the Accounting knowledge gained in Year 1 providing a bridge for you to proceed to the study of Accounting at honours level and examine more advanced aspects of financial accounting/reporting. Topics will include:

tangible and intangible assets
liabilities
equity
group accounts
statement of cash flows
accounting for overseas involvement
You will also examine more advanced aspects of management accounting and how managers apply this information to assist them to reach better-informed decisions. You will focus on relevant aspects of cost accounting systems standard costing and budgeting as well as the control and performance evaluation of responsibility centres.

Introduction to Corporate Finance builds on the finance knowledge gained in Year 1. It is designed to give a theoretical introduction to corporate finance decisions and policies including key topics such as:

financial evaluation of investment decisions (capital budgeting)
the cost of capital
how firms raise finance and the sources of finance
the capital structure decision
the dividend policy
You should enrol on Law for Business in order to gain full accreditation from the professional Accounting organisations.

You may also choose one option course or continue with your studies in other subject areas from across the University (subject to availability and timetabling constraints).

Year 3
In this year you will undertake courses which will prepare you for undertaking your Dissertation in Year 4. For example Research Methods in Finance will equip you with the specific and specialist statistical tools and techniques to undertake quantitative research projects in Finance.

You will continue to specialise in your chosen area of accounting and finance by studying:

Advanced Financial Accounting
Auditing
Investments and Securities Markets
Management Accounting Applications
The three accounting courses build on financial and management accounting studied in Years 1 and 2.

You will be able to:

explore some of the more complex and controversial areas of financial reporting
develop a critical understanding of conceptual issues
enhance your technical and analytical skills
gain an understanding of the principles underlying the theory of auditing of the regulatory framework and of practical audit approaches and techniques
develop an appreciation of the benefits and limitations of management accounting systems in organisational contexts
critically interpret the use of management information control and performance measurement
Your studies in Finance will cover:

The Modern Portfolio Theory
The Single-Index Model
The Capital Asset Pricing Model
You will also study:

market efficiency
behavioural finance
international investing
one other Finance course from those available
Year 4
Your Management Honours Dissertation is central to Year 4. You will conduct an independent research project on a topic of your choosing that is closely linked to your degree programme.

Your Dissertation will give you the opportunity to develop skills such as:

advanced project management
critical-thinking skills
cognitive skills
analytical skills
creativity
evaluative and written communication skills
developing building and presenting arguments to a wider audience
You will be allocated a Dissertation advisor who will offer advice and guidance throughout your Management Honours Dissertation. You can also attend Dissertation support sessions and hangouts where you can:

share your experiences
learn from each other
get timely advice form the Dissertation team
You will also take two specialist courses in both Accounting and Finance including Corporate Finance with topics including:

audit practice
debt policy
dividend policy
corporate restructuring
taxation practices
behavioural biases in corporate decision making