Accounting - Strategic

Do you want to become a professional accountant? With the ability to work anywhere in the world? And stand out to the best employers? This course will help you work towards membership of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the global body for professional accountants.

If you have passed or been exempted from the Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills ACCA exams through your degree, this course will allow you to graduate with a Masters qualification, plus everything you need to complete your ACCA professional exams.

You will cover topics such as strategic business leadership, strategic business reporting, advanced taxation, advanced performance management, advanced audit and assurance, advanced financial management, cyber security and/or data analytics.

Benefits of this route to professional accountancy include the flexibility to take the ACCA exams when you want, expert teaching by qualified staff with international industry experience, and the opportunity to collaborate and network with fellow students worldwide.

Work placement / study abroad
The Strategic Business Project module provides you with a chance to work on a specific project which will be structured so that you will meet a number of the learning outcomes on the module.

(Please note the course team cannot guarantee placement with an employer, but can offer you support in search for a sutiable project with an organisation)

For further course details please see "Course Web Page" below.

Year one
Strategic Business Leader
The module will develop students' appreciation of strategic management and leadership in the context of organisational strategy, corporate governance and ethical issues. Through case studies, practical examples and academic journal articles, the module will enable students to critically appraise and apply advanced practices and theories of the discipline.

Strategic Business Reporting
This module aims to discuss, apply and evaluate the concepts, principles and practices that underpin the preparation and interpretation of corporate reports in various contexts including the ethical assessment of management's stewardship and the information needs of a diverse group of stakeholders.

Introduction to Research
The module will provide students with an understanding of the research process when conducting applied research within the accounting and finance profession. It underlines the role that applied research can play in helping to define and ultimately resolve key strategic business issues. This will involve consideration of the development of appropriate research questions, undertaking a literature review, identification and justification of an appropriate research methodology, data collection and analysis, reporting findings in an effective manner.

The module also provides an opportunity for learners to reflect on their intellectual and professional development during their master's programme with the creation a portfolio of work-based evidence that in turn, forms the framework for development of a personal development plan.

Advanced Taxation
This module is optional
Advanced tax; income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, stamp duty; how tax law and ethics impact businesses today

Advanced Financial Management
This module is optional
The module examines the investment and financing decisions facing large multinational corporations, with the emphasis moving towards the strategic consequences of making such decisions in a domestic, as well as international, context. Connected to this, the module then focuses on developing advisory skills in planning strategic acquisitions and mergers and corporate re-organisations. Finally, the module examines the risks associated with international business and provides a broad analysis of the sophisticated strategies which are employed in order to manage such risks.

Cyber Security
This module is optional
This module aims to discuss, apply and evaluate the concepts, principles and practices that underpin the relationship between information governance and cyber security underpinning the management of organisation's information assets.

The module also covers cyber security risk assessment and management strategies.

Data Analytics
This module is optional
This module provides students with the knowledge and practical skills for applying business intelligence and data analytics principles to support management decision making in a business context. The module also help develop students' quantitative analysis and data visualisation skills to derive valuable insights from the data in a business context. The module will help students to design, develop and deploy a performance dashboard as part of their performance management system case organisation.

Year two
Advanced Performance Management
This module is optional
The module will develop students' appreciation of strategic management accounting in the context of organisational strategy, business planning and development. Through case studies, practical examples and academic journal articles, the module will enable students to critically appraise and apply advanced practices and theories of the discipline.

Advanced Audit and Assurance
This module is optional
This module provides students with an in-depth understanding of audit and assurance services. It combines audit and assurance concepts with their application to professional practice. It also highlights the responsibilities and ethical dilemmas faced by auditors and assurance providers.

Strategic Business Project
This module is optional
The module integrates and further develops the knowledge and skills acquired within the taught element of the programme. The module specifically allows the student to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to undertake a project relevant to the financial services sector and of interest to the student. The project topic will vary, depending on the requirements of the financial services organisation that instigates the project.

Dissertation
This module is optional
The dissertation module integrates and further develops the knowledge and skills acquired within the taught element of the programme.

The module specifically allows the student to apply the knowledge and skills acquired to undertake a research dissertation investigating a topic relevant to the financial services sector and of interest to the student.

The dissertation topic will vary, depending on the interests of the student and expertise of staff.

To apply to our postgraduate taught programmes, you must meet the University's General Entrance Requirements and any course-specific requirements.

These vary depending on the course and are detailed online.

Applicants must have completed the 9 ACCA papers which comprise the Essential Knowledge and Essential Skills modules of the ACCA qualification or to have been exempted from these papers by having gained:

(i) a second class honours degree in Accounting or better from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or

(ii) an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification in Accounting;

and

have completed enrolment as a student of ACCA;

and

provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent).The English language requirements for non-native English speakers is IELTS 6.0 with no contributing band below 5.5 or equivalent SELT (S).

If English is not your first language this course requires a minimum English level of IELTS (academic) 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5, or equivalent.

Visit ulster.ac.uk/englishrequirements for more details.

This course is open to international (non-EU) students.

For full entry requirements please see "Course Web Page" below.

Your Application
Application is through the University's online application system (see "Application Weblink" below).

18 months.

Career options
ACCA members are employed in a wide range of roles in all sectors globally.

Further information can be obtained at:

https://www.accaglobal.com/uk/en/qualifications/areas-of-accountancy.html