Master of Science in Economics, Banking and Finance

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

The Business and Finance course is a specialist joint degree with equal emphasis given to the subject areas of business and finance. The degree is particularly suited to students who wish to gain a firm grounding in business and management coupled with an insight into the finance and financial operations of businesses and organisations.

Students on this degree can study at our campuses in Dubai and Malysia for one semester or more through Heriot-Watt's Go Global project.

You will have the opportunity to learn hands-on financial skills in our Bloomberg Trading Lab with 16 state-of-the-art industry standard Bloomberg Trading Terminals.

This masters degree is designed to enhance your employment potential across international banking, accounting and finance functions of multinational organisations.

With a focus on the ever-changing global financial markets, this MSc in Accounting and Finance aims to equip graduates with highly employable expertise and a thorough understanding of current issues in global financial markets – both academically and professionally.

On this MSc you will take six main courses on the subject of international accounting and be offered a choice of one specialist per semester. These courses will give you an international perspective on accounting and help you understand things like national differences, harmonisation and the challenges and problems facing multinational companies.

You will have the opportunity to apply your newly acquired knowledge and expertise gained from courses in international banking, financial markets and accountancy to a subject of interest to you in your dissertation research project which is undertaken during the summer months.

This is one of the few dedicated Applied Mathematics MSc programmes in the UK. For over 40 years Heriot-Watt has been exceptionally strong in Applied Mathematics and we have world-leading researchers in many related areas and very good links with industry.

Our flexible programme is designed to equip students with the modern, transferrable mathematical and statistical skills to prepare them for careers in industry and research.

Students will gain a solid, theoretical and practical foundation through a diverse range of taught courses and applications oriented projects.

Edinburgh is the UK’s second biggest financial centre outside of London, and Heriot-Watt University enjoys a well-established reputation in the world of accountancy and financial services. As a reflection of this reputation, we were ranked as the second best university in Scotland for undergraduate accounting and finance degrees in the Guardian University League Tables 2019.

MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance at the Edinburgh Business School is designed and taught by practising professionals and respected academics. It offers you the chance to develop the skills and knowledge needed for a successful career in accountancy and financial services.

The industry focus of this degree, and its breadth of accreditations, make it possible for you to gain the maximum number of exemptions from professional accountancy exams, offering the strongest possible foundation from which to launch your career.

You can enhance your employability in the area of finance through use of our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Trading Room. This professional-standard facility provides access to live financial data from global markets and organisations. Integrating use of Bloomberg Terminals into our teaching develops professionally relevant skills in data analysis, financial reporting, financial risk management and financial modelling.

The majority of our MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance graduates go on to become chartered accountants in either professional practice, industry, or the public sector, but many go on to successful careers in banking and finance. A survey by Unistats 2019 found that 91% of recent graduates were in work or further study six months after graduating.

Heriot-Watt University ranked first in the UK for Physics in the National Student Survey 2020 (Overall Student Satisfaction). BSc Physics is accredited by the Institute of Physics and aims to bring this fascinating subject to life.

This physics degree covers subjects including dynamics, electromagnetism, photonics and optics and astrophysics. These areas lead onto the quantum world of subatomic particles, the fascinating nature of light and the challenging but wonderful fields of quantum physics and relativity. Mathematics and practical work play an important part throughout the course, and specialist courses provided a background in physical maths and lab skills for physics applications. In later years, the course offers more specialist topics, including laser physics, solid state physics, optoelectronic devices, nuclear physics and biophysics.

In Year 4, individual research projects in world leading research groups allow you to develop skills in advanced experimental design, modelling and computation. Throughout, the programme will also help with your practical abilities, initiative and teamwork. The Physics degree provides broad and comprehensive training in all aspects of physics and modern science, and is well suited to both non-academic careers and careers in research.

If you want to start your career with a year's work experience in hand, then you should consider this course. It combines the rigorous studies of the BSc (Hons) in Mathematical, Statistical and Actuarial Sciences with a year-long work placement in level 4. The work placement gives you experience of working in an organisation in the financial sector. The Diploma in Industrial Training is gained through successful completion of this work placement. The work placement helps you to develop specific work-related skills, giving you the opportunity to apply and build upon the theory you learn in your studies. It allows you to take on real responsibilities, enhance your interpersonal skills through teamwork and communication and experience workplace culture.

The Diploma is available to all students, including those from overseas, as it does not require a work visa. If you are planning to come to the UK using a student visa you should check the Tier 4 Student Visa Policy Guidance to confirm you are permitted to undertake a work placement as part of your studies. It is your responsibility to find a suitable work placement; acceptance onto the course does not guarantee you a placement. If you are registered on the course and are unable to find a suitable work placement before the end of level 3 then you can transfer to the standard BSc (Hons) in Mathematical, Statistical and Actuarial Sciences degree.

This programme prepares candidates for entry into the malting, brewing or distilling industries, or to conduct research. It covers a broad range of subjects, from brewing science and chemical engineering, to business studies and production management.

The quickly developing craft industry, both in brewing and distilling, requires graduates with knowledge of modern instrumentation and this programme will ensure you build the skills and know-how required to perform successfully in the industry.

Our series of ‘Fit for work’ events held on campus include seminars, talks, networking and recruitment exercises and involve a range of industry professionals from graduates with their own companies, to representatives from the major breweries and distilling companies.

Edinburgh Business School's MSc Strategic Project Management is designed and taught by experts in strategy, management and organisational performance. It will equip you with the skills to become a successful leader in a global project-based environment.

MSc in Strategic Project Management is designed with industry in mind. Our course aims to offer practitioners in project management with an advanced level set of courses culminated by a final research-based dissertation that combines strategy with project management.

Our unique combination should equip you with the necessary concepts, tools and techniques to enhance your project management skills based on up-to-date theory, best practice standards and methodologies.

The strategic management component of our the degree will help you to develop an additional skill which is essential for senior managers; the ability to to formulate strategy and then implement it through a strategic project management vehicle that comprises portfolios, programmes and projects.

Throughout our degree programme, the industry-relevant courses aim to stimulate your understanding, critical thinking and develop experience of enterprise-wide applications of strategic project management.

MSc Intercultural Business Communication develops skills that will allow you to communicate and work with people from all around the world. 

This degree develops intercultural business skills which are increasingly required by businesses and organisations with globalised workplaces and international stakeholders. 

Throughout this Masters degree, you will learn about key issues related to culture, society, and communication, and apply your understanding to authentic business contexts with a strong emphasis on practical intercultural business communication skills.

You will be taught and assessed entirely in English, which makes it suitable for those who would like to adapt their English language skills for a professional context and develop understanding of intercultural issues in international business.

Professional communication skills

MSc Intercultural Business Communication will give you the opportunity to study culture and communication in an academic setting and apply your learning directly to intercultural business contexts, relevant to international organisations and teams.

Embedded in Heriot-Watt University's highly respected Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies, this programme develops advanced corporate communications skills alongside a broad range of professional transferable skills, so you will be ready to thrive in dynamic workplaces where the ability to communicate, summarise and present information is extremely important

You will learn alongside students from all over the world and find yourself working in multicultural teams to apply your learning in real time. As a result, you will be uniquely prepared for a career in international business and global leadership by the time you graduate.

Large global changes, and climate change in particular, are having significant impacts on the environment. The study of impacts and mitigation/adaptation measures in the marine environment requires a truly interdisciplinary approach. It is essential that scientists, engineers and environmental decision-makers understand the fundamentals of the causes, impacts and management measures involved in dealing with such important issues. The programme specialises in the challenges facing the marine environment and is part of the University's programme of teaching and research in climate change related issues. There are a variety of optional courses available but the core courses are listed below.