THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2026/2027

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.
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Degree Programme Table: Accounting and Business MA (Hons) (UTMAHACCBU1F)

Jump to: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4

Year 1 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: September

Notes:
Before selecting your option courses, please ensure you have spoken to your Student Adviser.

Students are recommended to balance the number of credits taken in each semester if possible.

Students can gain a number of exemptions from the professional Accounting bodies (ICAS, ICAEW, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA, AIA) but these exemptions differ according to each Accounting body. Further details are available on the Business School website: https://www.business-school.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/accounting-finance

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Accountancy 1A

Must be passed and taken during Semester 1

ACCN08007 20 credits
Accountancy 1B

Must be passed and taken during Semester 2

ACCN08008 20 credits
Global Challenges for Business

Must be taken during Semester 1

BUST08035 20 credits
The Business of Edinburgh

Must be taken during Semester 2

BUST08036 20 credits

Course options

Courses from School of Economics- Business Studies and Accounting (MA)-Level 8

Select exactly 40 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Only choose Economics 1A (ECNM08027) AND Economics 1B (ECNM08028) if you are considering continuing your studies in Economics in Year 2.

Economics 1A must be taken to be eligible for Economics 1B. You cannot take Economic Principles (ECNM08004) then Economics 1B or Economics 1A then Economic Applications (ECNM0800320) as both Semester 2 courses require the Semester 1 Equivalents.

Economic Principles is available to any student who does not have a high-school qualification in Economics. Only having taken Econ 1A without previous high school study would not meet the pre-requisites.
Economic Applications
ECNM08003 20 credits
Economic Principles
ECNM08004 20 credits
Economics 1A
ECNM08027 20 credits
Economics 1B
ECNM08028 20 credits

Year 2 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Before selecting your option courses, please ensure you have spoken to your Student Adviser.

Progression to Year 3 Honours normally requires a Pass in all courses (240 credits) in the first two years.

Students can gain a number of exemptions from the Professional Accounting bodies (ICAS, ICAEW, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA, AIA) but these exemptions differ according to the requirements of each respective Professional Accounting body. Please note that to gain exemptions, minimum marks of 50% or more would be required in certain courses if you are thinking of taking professional accountancy examinations. Further details are available on the Business School website: https://www.business-school.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/accounting-finance

Students are recommended to balance the number of credits taken in each semester if possible.

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Accountancy 2A

Must be passed and taken during Semester 1

ACCN08009 20 credits
Accountancy 2B

Must be passed and taken during Semester 2

ACCN08010 20 credits

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 80 credits in this group.

Business School Mixed Methods Stream

Select exactly 40 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Choose this stream if you are more interested in qualitative and mixed methods.
Business Research Methods 2: Quantitative Approaches
BUST08058 20 credits
Business Research Methods 1: Qualitative Inquiry
BUST08059 20 credits
OR

Business School Quantitative Methods Stream

Select exactly 40 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Choose this stream if you are more interested in data skills, statistics and analysis.
Data Analysis for Business 1
BUST08060 20 credits
Data Analysis for Business 2
BUST08061 20 credits
AND

Accounting and Business Year 2 level 8 options

Select between 20 and 40 credits of the following courses
Notes:
The following courses represent the option course selection for the 2026/27 programme. Not all option courses will run in a particular year and are subject to change and/or demand.
Principles of Finance
BUST08003 20 credits
Marketing
BUST08004 20 credits
Business Economics
BUST08005 20 credits
International Business: Globalisation and Trade 2A
BUST08008 20 credits
International Business and the Multinational Enterprise 2B
BUST08009 20 credits
Human Resource Management 2
BUST08027 20 credits
Organisational Behaviour 2
BUST08028 20 credits
Business Simulation
BUST08031 20 credits
Business Analytics and Information Systems
BUST08032 20 credits
Fundamentals of Programming for Business Applications
BUST08039 20 credits
Law for Business
BUST08043 20 credits
Innovation and Enterprise
BUST08053 20 credits
Business and Sustainability
BUST08055 20 credits
Strategic Marketing Insights
BUST08057 20 credits
AND

Level 7 and 8 courses in Schedules A-R, T, W and Y

Select between 0 and 20 credits from Level 7 and 8 courses in Schedules A-R, T, W and Y
AND

Challenge Courses: Engaging with complex problems through interdisciplinary collaboration

Select between 0 and 20 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Challenge Courses are designed to bring together students from different degree programmes to explore the complex issues facing the world today through interdisciplinary collaboration and creative thinking.

Working with each other and expert academics, students will gain new perspectives and develop important life skills highly valued by employers, such as teamwork, problem-solving and adaptability.
Our Changing World
BIME08006 20 credits
Sustainability and Social Responsibility (UG)
EDUA08116 20 credits
Wicked problems: Reason and Rhetoric
EDUA08126 20 credits
Understanding decolonisation in a globalised world
EDUA08127 20 credits
Sustainable Development Goals: History, Progress and Beyond 2030
EFIE08008 20 credits
Living in the Anthropocene
GESC08004 20 credits
Understanding Gender in the Contemporary World
SSPS08012 20 credits
Healthy Eating for People and Planet
VETS08016 20 credits

Year 3 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Before selecting your option courses, please ensure you have spoken to your Student Adviser.

Students in Year 3 must take a minimum of 40 credits per semester.

Students can gain a number of exemptions from the professional Accounting bodies (ICAS, ICAEW, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA, AIA) but these exemptions differ according to each Accounting body. Further details are available on the Business School website: https://www.business-school.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/accounting-finance

Students who spend their third year abroad at a partner university must complete and pass a full year's diet of courses (equivalent to 120 credits), as well as equivalent courses to the year 3 compulsory courses in Accounting and Business.

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Advanced Financial Accounting

Must be taken during Semester 1

ACCN10008 20 credits
Auditing

Must be taken during Semester 1

ACCN10009 20 credits
Management Accounting Applications

Must be taken during Semester 2

ACCN10010 20 credits
Preparing for your Dissertation

Must be taken during Semester 2

BUST09007 0 credits

Course options

Business Year 3 Level 10

Select exactly 60 credits of the following courses
Notes:
The following courses represent the option course selection for the 2026/27 programme. Not all option courses will run in a particular year and are subject to change and/or demand.
Behavioural Finance and Market Efficiency
ACCN10026 20 credits
Business Ethics
BUST10004 20 credits
Corporate Finance
BUST10012 20 credits
International Business in Emerging Markets
BUST10018 20 credits
The Economics of Corporate Strategy
BUST10021 20 credits
Futures and Options
BUST10023 20 credits
Quality Management
BUST10024 20 credits
Managing Employment Law
BUST10028 20 credits
Operations Strategy
BUST10092 20 credits
International Strategic Management in Practice
BUST10104 20 credits
Marketing and Society
BUST10108 20 credits
The Entrepreneurial Manager
BUST10115 20 credits
Economic Aspects of Competition Policy
BUST10124 20 credits
Applications of Human Resource Management
BUST10129 20 credits
Decision Analytics
BUST10133 20 credits
Mathematical Programming in Advanced Analytics
BUST10134 20 credits
Management Science and Operations Analytics
BUST10135 20 credits
Global Creative Industries: The art of business and the business of art
BUST10140 20 credits
Service Management in an International Context
BUST10142 20 credits
Digital Business
BUST10144 20 credits
Global Business and the Sustainable Development Goals
BUST10148 20 credits
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Restructuring
BUST10149 20 credits
Interactive Retailing
BUST10150 20 credits
Theories and Techniques of Persuasion
BUST10151 20 credits
Eco-Innovation for a Circular Economy
BUST10153 20 credits
Fixed Income Analysis
BUST10156 20 credits
Global Macro Investing
BUST10157 20 credits
The Strategy of Digital Transformation
BUST10159 20 credits
Marketing & Climate Change
BUST10160 20 credits
Crisis Management for Organisations
BUST10162 20 credits
Entrepreneurship and Business Growth
BUST10163 20 credits
Digital Economy and Policy
BUST10165 20 credits
Managing in the third sector
BUST10166 20 credits
Strategy, Power and Politics: The Art of Government
BUST10168 20 credits
Sustainable Finance
BUST10169 20 credits
Workplace Health & Well-being
BUST10171 20 credits
Organising for Sustainability and Equity
BUST10172 20 credits
People Analytics
BUST10173 20 credits
Global Marketing
BUST10174 20 credits
Marketing of Financial Services
BUST10176 20 credits
Strategic Management
CMSE10002 20 credits

Year 4 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Before selecting your option courses, please ensure you have spoken to your Student Adviser.

Students in Year 4 must take a minimum of 20 credits of taught courses per semester.

Students can gain a number of exemptions from the professional Accounting bodies (ICAS, ICAEW, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA, AIA) but these exemptions differ according to each Accounting body. Further details are available on the Business School website: https://www.business-school.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/accounting-finance

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Business Honours Dissertation

Must be taken during Full Year

BUST10158 40 credits

Course options

Accounting and Business (MA Hons) Year 4 Options - Accounting

Select exactly 40 credits of the following courses
Notes:
The following courses represent the option course selection for the 2026/27 programme. Not all option courses will run in a particular year and are subject to change and/or demand.
Accounting and Everyday Life
ACCN10014 20 credits
The Accounting Profession
ACCN10027 20 credits
Taxation Practices
ACCN10029 20 credits
Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation
ACCN10031 20 credits
AND

Business Year 4 level 10

Select exactly 40 credits of the following courses
Notes:
The following courses represent the option course selection for the 2026/27 programme. Not all option courses will run in a particular year and are subject to change and/or demand.
Behavioural Finance and Market Efficiency
ACCN10026 20 credits
Business Ethics
BUST10004 20 credits
Consumer Behaviour
BUST10007 20 credits
Corporate Finance
BUST10012 20 credits
International Business in Emerging Markets
BUST10018 20 credits
The Economics of Corporate Strategy
BUST10021 20 credits
Futures and Options
BUST10023 20 credits
Quality Management
BUST10024 20 credits
Managing Employment Law
BUST10028 20 credits
Negotiation
BUST10039 20 credits
Operations Strategy
BUST10092 20 credits
International Strategic Management in Practice
BUST10104 20 credits
Marketing and Society
BUST10108 20 credits
Managing Across Borders and Cultures
BUST10113 20 credits
The Entrepreneurial Manager
BUST10115 20 credits
Enterprise Consultancy Project
BUST10120 20 credits
Economic Aspects of Competition Policy
BUST10124 20 credits
Brand Culture
BUST10127 20 credits
Applications of Human Resource Management
BUST10129 20 credits
Digital Marketing
BUST10130 20 credits
Decision Analytics
BUST10133 20 credits
Mathematical Programming in Advanced Analytics
BUST10134 20 credits
Management Science and Operations Analytics
BUST10135 20 credits
Global Creative Industries: The art of business and the business of art
BUST10140 20 credits
Service Management in an International Context
BUST10142 20 credits
Digital Business
BUST10144 20 credits
Global Business and the Sustainable Development Goals
BUST10148 20 credits
Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Restructuring
BUST10149 20 credits
Interactive Retailing
BUST10150 20 credits
Theories and Techniques of Persuasion
BUST10151 20 credits
Eco-Innovation for a Circular Economy
BUST10153 20 credits
Fixed Income Analysis
BUST10156 20 credits
Global Macro Investing
BUST10157 20 credits
The Strategy of Digital Transformation
BUST10159 20 credits
Marketing & Climate Change
BUST10160 20 credits
Crisis Management for Organisations
BUST10162 20 credits
Entrepreneurship and Business Growth
BUST10163 20 credits
Digital Economy and Policy
BUST10165 20 credits
Managing in the third sector
BUST10166 20 credits
Strategy, Power and Politics: The Art of Government
BUST10168 20 credits
Sustainable Finance
BUST10169 20 credits
Organising for Sustainability and Equity
BUST10172 20 credits
People Analytics
BUST10173 20 credits
Global Marketing
BUST10174 20 credits
Marketing of Financial Services
BUST10176 20 credits
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