Master of Science inInternational Accounting and Finance

at University of Stirling United Kingdom

Fintech is taking over the banking and finance industry. The way we handle money is changing and the whole industry is taking note - from international banks to backroom start-ups. To do well in fintech, you need to understand technology, finance and business creation.

Our MSc Financial Technology (Fintech) provides a solid foundation in computing technology, financial theory, ethical and regulatory constraints, and business skills. It’s an innovative course designed for those looking to enter a career in the fintech industry.

Fintech includes the technology from big data and analytics, mobile computing and modern financial services. Some of the activity in the sector is being carried out by the large, existing financial institutions, but the majority comes from small companies who are developing disruptive technologies.

The course covers:

• Manipulating data and scripting in Python
• An introduction to blockchain
• Cybersecurity and data protection
• Bank Theory, Operations and Strategy
• An introduction to corporate finance
• Data analytics and machine learning
• Fintech app development
• Investment regulation and ethics
• Heuristics and bias in behavioural finance
• Innovation management and disruptive technology
• Business startup planning
• Professionalism, regulation and ethics in banking

An accounting degree empowers you to prepare, present and interpret financial information for a wide range of organisations, and the skills you learn will enable investors, lenders, management and others to make key decisions based on financial facts.

The ideal path to a career in accountancy combines a university degree with recognised professional qualifications. Our Accountancy programme has been created with this in mind, and successful completion of the course will ensure many professional bodies give you significant exemptions from their exams.

From a basic understanding of how to prepare financial statements, through to an in-depth knowledge of auditing, taxation and reporting, our Accountancy degree covers everything you’ll need to know to join the thousands of Stirling graduates who have successfully transitioned from this course into the professional world.

Heritage is a global phenomenon with diverse economic, social, and political roles. It encompasses the surviving tangible and intangible traces of the past, but also the processes and practices that frame heritage in the present and produce particular kinds of futures.

The aim of this degree programme is to provide a critically informed interdisciplinary education in heritage. You may choose to specialise to take the broad programme without specialisation, or opt to specialise in a Cultural Heritage Studies pathway.

Shared core modules provide a foundation in current conceptual and theoretical debates about the nature of heritage and its importance in society, as well as practical issues relating to its conservation and management. Case studies, fieldtrips and input from heritage professionals introduce students to specific kinds of heritage and ‘real-world’ challenges, demands and opportunities.

Cutting-edge research training provides students with an excellent foundation for conducting independent research in the Dissertation, whilst vocational skills are embedded throughout the programme to produce competitive, work-ready graduates.

Our Masters in Sustainable Aquaculture explores the principles of aquaculture and the key factors influencing the viability of aquatic animal farming and food production systems. You’ll develop an understanding of aquatic animal biology, environmental issues, nutrition, reproduction and genetics, disease and health management.

With practical application at the core of your studies, you can choose to focus on specific aspects of sustainable aquaculture, including:

• Advanced broodstock management
• Aquaculture policy and planning
• Livelihood analysis
• Environmental management and biodiversity
• Feed formulation and resources
• Aquatic animal health control
• Epidemiology
• Ecotoxicology

You can also explore the commercial business of sustainable aquaculture, with optional modules covering marketing, business studies and economics. You’ll learn the skills necessary to establish, manage and appraise aquaculture enterprises and development projects from within the industry or public sector.

Our Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) degree course was the first of its kind in Scotland, and combines three complementary subjects that give you a unique perspective on how the world works.  

If you’re intellectually curious and passionate about understanding the complex challenges facing modern societies and economies, our PPE course is made for you. As you study, you’ll gain a broad insight into what makes the world tick, and also explore the big ideas that have helped shape Western society.

The course brings together highly-regarded teaching staff from across our faculties. You’ll benefit from the industry insights of our multi-accredited Stirling Management School – which ranks among the top 25 in the UK for Business and Management (REF 2014). You’ll also learn from experts in Politics and Philosophy from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, who will help to ensure you graduate with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of intellectual ideas, politics and business.

Health psychology is the study of psychological and behavioural processes in health, illness, and healthcare. It is concerned with understanding how psychological, behavioural, and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness.

Health Psychologists promote healthier lifestyles. They try to find ways to encourage people to improve their health and also to improve the healthcare system as a whole. For example, helping people to lose weight or stop smoking, or advising doctors on better ways to communicate with their patients.

You’ll learn to use your knowledge of psychology to promote general wellbeing and understand physical illness. We will teach you the skills needed to help people deal with the psychological and emotional aspects of health and illness, and to support people who are chronically ill.

Our MSc Health Psychology has a strong experiential focus and emphasises the application of health psychology to real world settings. The course includes contributions from healthcare practitioners. You will carry out a brief placement in a healthcare setting, which can include the NHS, third sector (charities) or industry, and you’ll usually arrange this placement yourself with support from the course team. You are encouraged to carry out research in healthcare contexts where possible.

This course offers Spanish for all – from complete beginners to advanced speakers – and equips you to read, write and speak the language on an advanced level appropriate for the demands of today’s job market. You will also have the chance to acquire a critical awareness of the societies and cultures of Spain and Latin America, as well as transferrable skills that can be applied in a number of professional and academic settings.

In order to truly immerse yourself in Spanish and Latin American culture, you will spend an extended period studying abroad in Spain, Mexico, Chile or Argentina. This opportunity to refine your language skills will be enhanced by the research-led teaching you will enjoy in Stirling.

If you would like to explore multiple subjects, Spanish and Latin American Studies can be combined with a number of other courses. From Education or Business Studies to Law and Journalism, each combination is designed to help you work towards your vision for the future right from the outset of your studies.

BSc (Hons) Education (Secondary) degree and learn from world-leading academics and outstanding teachers who have strong partnerships with local schools. This gives you access to cutting-edge practice and research throughout your secondary teaching degree.

Our pioneering approach to professional education gives you time to develop as a secondary school teacher. With our four year teaching degree, you’ll be able to grow in confidence and critically reflect on your skills. The course gives you a more personalised learning experience than the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) route of only one year.

Choose our Criminology and Sociology degree and you’ll benefit from studying two closely related disciplines; with training both in criminology and the theory and methods of applied social science. Learn how to ‘think like a criminologist’ and apply criminology to the context of modern life, social diversity and inequalities in society. Criminologists are interested in how activities are defined as criminal, explanations for crime and social reactions to crime.

You’ll explore fascinating questions surrounding the criminal justice system, the social contexts of crime, and the relationship between behaviour and punishment. Why and how do people break the law? How can the criminal justice system define this, and how do we police, prosecute and punish people?

Our Criminology and Sociology course reflects the latest developments in social research and is taught by experts in their fields.

Our Investment Analysis students have successfully competed in the prestigious CFA Institute Research Challenge, winning a place in the UK Final in ten out of twelve years. The competition is considered the “investment Olympics” for university students, and requires participants to assume the role of investment analysts and produce a report on a publicly traded company with a buy, hold or sell recommendation. The opportunity to be a part of our CFA Institute Research Challenge team gives you a unique opportunity to test your knowledge in a 'real-world' scenario.

On this Masters course you’ll:

• Study the use of qualitative and quantitative techniques to value investments
• Develop and evaluate portfolio management strategies
• Cultivate the ability to extract essential information from financial reports
• Understand risk management tools
• Assess macroeconomic and market trends
• Analyse financial data relating to investments
• Tearn about the techniques used to value investments and investment portfolios
• Understand the importance of investment regulation and ethics