Master of Science in Interpreting and Translating

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

Heriot-Watt's top ranking reputation leads to great career prospects in the construction industry. We are ranked 1st in the UK for Building in The Complete University Guide 2021.

Quantity surveying provides clients of the construction industry with financial, contractual and technical advice ensuring they get value for money from the buildings they construct. The modern quantity surveyor is a construction professional who may be involved at all stages of the design and construction process, from providing business strategy and advice, working with architects and design team consultants, through to overseeing the onsite construction phase.

Our Quantity Surveying course will give you all the skills and knowledge necessary to become a successful quantity surveyor. While studying quantity surveying (QS) at Heriot-Watt you will learn the fundamental elements of building before focusing on QS practice and learning how to manage the cost, legal and economic elements.

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.

Our four year BSc Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) Honours degree is oriented to constructing robust and useable systems. We aim to teach people not just how to deploy cutting edge tools and techniques, but how to build the next generation of software tools that other system constructors will use. This course aims to give a well integrated balance of theoretical underpinnings and practical experience, strongly informed by the research expertise of our academic staff.

All Year 3 students take part in a year-long group project, where they co-operate in tackling a large, realistic problem. Year 4 students conduct a major, year-long, individual dissertation project.

The Artificial Intelligence specialism is gained through taking prescribed courses from the final year options (two of the following: Biologically Inspired Computation, Data Mining and Machine Learning, Intelligent Robotics) and having an approved AI topic for the final year project.

This programme combines the core principles and techniques of international finance. It develops student knowledge and understanding of academic finance and of the financial sector, including theory, empirical research and practical issues. It is designed for those who wish to pursue a professional career which calls for familiarity with the financial world.

The programme is also designed to provide the knowledge base and the analytical and research skills necessary for doctoral study in finance. Many graduates pursue careers in the financial sector, some within Edinburgh, a major centre for fund management, and home to two of the world’s largest banks.

The programme enables students to understand core theories and concepts in finance; understand and use a range analytical techniques, for example the analysis of a company's financial statements or the application of models to value financial assets; evaluate methods of empirical research and empirical findings; develop practical knowledge of financial markets and institutions and financial decisions within companies; carry out original research via a dissertation; and develop transferable skills, particularly in analytical techniques, communication and teamwork, relevant to employment in the financial sector or in academic research.

Business Management at the Edinburgh Business School was ranked third in Scotland and top 10 in the UK in the Guardian University League Tables 2018. It also achieved the seventh highest level of student satisfaction in the UK in the National Student Survey 2018.

This degree, MA (Hons) International Business Management, puts specialist business theory through a real-world filter. It develops the specialist knowledge and interpersonal skills needed to thrive in the positions, organisations and industries of the future.

The theory taught at Edinburgh Business School is informed by the industry experience and research expertise of our staff. They bring their subjects to life with a dynamic mix of lectures, tutorials, interactive workshops and case study-informed learning.

In Year 1 you will study a common suite of mandatory courses to provide you with a solid, universal understanding of the key principles and practices of modern business. Maintaining a consistent programme of study across all seven International Business Management pathways in Year 1 means it is easy for students to switch their specialism as they move into their second year.

Year 2 introduces functional areas of business and management such as marketing, operations management and human resource management. Years 3 and 4 offer greater choice to allow you to tailor your degree to your career aspirations.

In addition to specialist business knowledge, you will develop important transferable skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and team working, as well as creativity, confidence and research abilities. These skills will help you succeed in your career and personal life.

Specific roles will depend on the nature of the organisation, including, but not limited to:

• Team Leader
• Team Manager
• Operations Manager
• Investment Operations Analyst

Key areas of the programme:

• The primary focus of the Business Management: Financial Services Graduate Apprenticeship programme is on developing the knowledge, understanding and skills outcomes sought by employers.

The Masters in Business Psychology at Heriot-Watt University is the most established MSc of its kind in Europe, enjoying a well-earned reputation for producing graduates who can improve the performance and behaviour of individuals and teams.

Business psychology is a discipline often referred to as occupational psychology and organisational psychology.

The MSc Business Psychology will give you an in-depth understanding of the psychological mechanisms that drive positive behaviours and performances in the workplace.

Whether you're coming from an industry position or directly from an undergraduate degree, this long-established programme of study will equip you with an effective blend of knowledge drawn from the specialist fields of psychology, management and leadership.

The content on this one-year masters degree programme has been tailored to meet the needs of those working towards a number of job roles, such as business psychology practitioner, human resources manager, organisational development manager, coaching consultant, management consultant or leadership consultant.

You will develop commercial awareness and an understanding of global organisations which will allow you to recognise the impact of the economy, politics, globalisation and the changing labour market on the psychology of a workplace and performance of individuals and teams.

Key skills for improving performance:

• During the MSc Business Psychology you will explore different aspects of the psychological mechanisms behind workplace behaviour and gain the managerial skills that will allow you to enhance and improve performance of teams and individuals. You will build expertise in:
• Coaching
• Leadership
• Diversity
• Employment legislation
• Organisational change
• Organisational culture
• Marketing and consumer behaviour.

You will study the areas of psychology that directly apply to business settings, and explore some of the key psychological research methods that can be practised in the workplace.

By viewing the workplace through a psychological perspective, and by developing your analytical, critical thinking, and reflection skills, you will learn to recognise and improve seemingly intangible aspects of the workplace which, when appropriately managed, can directly improve business performance in terms of:

• Job satisfaction
• Wellbeing
• Leadership
• Organisational commitment
• Organisational culture
• Performance and productivity.

Specifically-designed group tasks and presentations will allow you to develop your interpersonal and communication skills, giving you the platform to implement your expertise and directly improve the performance of diverse groups of individuals and teams at any level within an organisation. 

Throughout this programme you will learn from a unique blend of research-led academic teaching and industry-focused practical exercises. For example, on the Psychology of Coaching course you will develop knowledge in the theoretical frameworks of this area of psychology whilst gaining practical insights into the tools and techniques of lecturers who are experienced coaching practitioners and consultants.

Data science today is becoming increasingly important within the actuarial field, and Heriot-Watt has developed this unique new programme to meet this growing actuarial demand.

Taking our MSc in Actuarial Management with Data Science is a great way to speed your progress to this most prestigious of careers - it's designed to take you almost all of the way to qualification. Our MSc in Actuarial Management is an established and successful programme covering the more advanced actuarial subjects.The MSc in Actuarial Management with Data Science introduces exciting new opportunities for actuaries of the future.

Entry to the actuarial profession is by a demanding series of examinations, but the rewards after qualifying are great. The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in the UK has four levels of examinations to qualify. The first level, the Core Principles (CS, CM and CB) subjects, are taught in our BSc or MSc in Actuarial Science and lead to exemptions from subjects CS1, CS2, CM1, CM2, CB1 and CB2. Students will typically study CP1, CP2, CP3, two SP subjects (two SP subjects are needed to satisfy the profession's requirements) and two courses on data science applied to insurance.

Actuarial data science combines advanced statistical modelling and analysis with modern computational techniques in order to analyse potentially large datasets arising in insurance and finance. These analyses have the ability to improve forecasts and enhance decision making in an uncertain environment where rapid advancements in technology and data availability are transforming fields of actuarial work. Additionally, they are building synergies with new sectors such as medical and healthcare. This is an area of science and technology that is attracting significant interest and that will continue to grow for the foreseeable future, as more and more industries adopt data-driven and data-centric approaches.

Students graduating from the MSc will have excellent employment prospects that are not restricted to any one narrow sector of financial services. By their choice of IFoA subjects, they may target the life, pensions, asset management, investment and risk management sectors. They will be in demand in quantitative risk management roles in both banks and insurance companies, as well as fund management companies, hedge funds, consultancies, software vendors and regulatory authorities. The market for graduates with actuarial qualifications complemented with data science skills is growing fast and we expect that it will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.

This Physics degree covers subjects including dynamics, electromagnetic fields and optics. These areas lead onto the quantum world of subatomic particles, the unique nature of laser light, and the philosophically challenging ideas of quantum physics and astrophysics. Mathematics also plays an important part in understand physical concepts in more depth. In later years, the course will offer you various topics, including Laser Physics, Photonics, Semiconductor Physics, Instrumentation, Nuclear Physics and Elementary Particles.

Through research projects, you’ll be able to develop skills in experimental design or computational modelling. The course will also help with your practical abilities, initiative and teamwork. The Physics degree is mathematically rigorous and suitable if you’re interested in a career 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) Computer Science (Data Science) with a year of work placement in level 4. Good performance means 12 months experience of working in an organisation in the computing sector. The Diploma in Industrial Training is gained through successful completion of the 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’ve learned. This course aims to give a well-integrated balance of theoretical underpinnings and practical experience, strongly informed by the research expertise of our academic staff.