MA (Hons) Finance and Business Bachelor's degree at the University of Edinburgh
MA (Hons) Finance and Business at University of Edinburgh is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the EFMD Quality Improvement System, ensuring professional recognition.
About this course
MA (Hons) Finance and Business is a Bachelor's degree (MA (Hons)) at the University of Edinburgh, based in Central. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Business studies graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £28,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Accounting & Finance, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 21 modules
- Accountancy 1ACompulsory
- Accountancy 1BCompulsory
- Introduction to Financial MarketsCompulsory
- Global Challenges for BusinessCompulsory
- The Business of EdinburghCompulsory
- Fundamentals of Programming for Business ApplicationsOptional
- Planning for a start-upOptional
- Thinking about BusinessOptional
- Psychological Well-being and BusinessOptional
- Mathematical Methods for BusinessOptional
- Our Changing WorldOptional
- Sustainability and Social Responsibility (UG)Optional
- Wicked problems: Reason and RhetoricOptional
- Understanding decolonisation in a globalised worldOptional
- Sustainable Development Goals: History, Progress and Beyond 2030Optional
- Living in the AnthropoceneOptional
- Understanding Society with Big Data: Computational Social ScienceOptional
- Health in a Changing ClimateOptional
- Understanding Gender in the Contemporary WorldOptional
- Navigating Energy TransitionsOptional
- Healthy Eating for People and PlanetOptional
Year 2 15 modules
- Applications of FinanceCompulsory
- Introduction to Corporate FinanceCompulsory
- Research Methods in Finance 1Compulsory
- Research Methods in Finance 2Compulsory
- MarketingOptional
- Business EconomicsOptional
- International Business: Globalisation and Trade 2AOptional
- International Business and the Multinational Enterprise 2BOptional
- Human Resource Management 2Optional
- Organisational Behaviour 2Optional
- Business SimulationOptional
- Business Analytics and Information SystemsOptional
- Innovation and EnterpriseOptional
- Business and SustainabilityOptional
- Strategic Marketing InsightsOptional
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This degree combines accounting and finance in depth across four years. You'll start with foundations in financial accounting, introductory finance and quantitative methods for business, covering double-entry bookkeeping, financial statements, time value of money and statistical modelling. In your second year, you'll progress to management accounting, corporate finance and financial reporting under international standards, building skills in costing, investment appraisal and account analysis. From year three onwards, a course like this normally moves towards specialist options such as audit and assurance, taxation, corporate finance, financial risk, fintech and professional-body exemptions, alongside advanced reporting and an independent dissertation or applied project. Throughout, you'll develop both practical and analytical capabilities for accounting and finance roles.
Who it's for
This course suits those seeking a rigorous grounding in finance and business with professional accreditation. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent; typical entrants had a UCAS tariff of 144–159 points. You'll study in Edinburgh's central location at a university with 26,138 students.
Careers & job market
Across Accounting and Finance courses nationally, 87% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 65% are in highly skilled roles or further study. Graduate earnings nationally show starting salaries of £25,000–£32,500 (15 months post-graduation), rising to £23,375–£33,000 after three years and £30,175–£42,600 after five years. These are national figures from Graduate Outcomes and LEO data, not university-specific guarantees.
University & format
The University of Edinburgh is a public university in the Russell Group, located in central Edinburgh. This MA (Hons) Finance and Business is a full-time four-year degree taught in English. The course is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the EFMD Quality Improvement System, and your degree will be nationally recognised.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 77%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 60% |
| Other | 20% |
| another higher-education qualification | 10% |
| a Baccalaureate | 5% |
| an Access course | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code NN13). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page. Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of Edinburgh →If you normally live in Scotland
For eligible Scottish-domiciled students at an eligible Scottish provider, SAAS can pay tuition directly. Living-cost support can combine bursary and loan and depends on household income and student circumstances. Students from elsewhere use their home funding body.
Check the current amounts with SAAS →Paying for it
- SAAS tuition payment: paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students, applied for through SAAS.
- Living-cost support: a mix of bursary and loan from SAAS, depending on household income.
- Repayment: only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Scotland runs its own system through SAAS; check saas.gov.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Accounting & Finance graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £28,000 | £25,000 – £32,000 | 530 |
| 3 years after | £31,000 | £24,500 – £38,500 | 145 |
| 5 years after | £44,000 | £33,500 – £59,000 | 145 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 530. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in accounting & finance · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Accounting & Finance nationally
National figures for Accounting & Finance graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 530. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Accounting & Finance courses at the same study level.
Compared with 957 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Accounting & Finance graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Accounting & Finance graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- The Big Four (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG)
- Banks & insurers
- Corporate finance teams
- HMRC & public sector
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Accounting & Finance graduates.
Accounting & FinanceLecturerGEDU Global EducationAccounting Engineer - Pre-Sales & Post SalesStacksAccounting Advisory Manager | Lead Client Projects HybridCFGIAccounting, Insight and Advisory ManagerRSM UKAccounting & FinanceLecturerGEDU ServicesAccounting Associate Apprentice Business Services (September 2026)Best ApprenticeshipsIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £28,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.9 out of 10: NSS 83.9% · continued 95%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Edinburgh
Business and management across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Accounting & Finance right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Edinburgh from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £18,552 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Edinburgh’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Edinburgh and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Edinburgh
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
Request information about MA (Hons) Finance and Business
Prospectus, key dates, entry and funding, free to your inbox.