MSc Accounting and Finance with placement year

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Oxford Brookes University

Program Overview

The MSc Accounting and Finance with Placement Year at Oxford Brookes University is a practical, career-focused postgraduate degree designed to give you a strong grounding in accounting and finance while adding real industry experience to your CV. It’s well suited to graduates from any academic background who want to move into accounting, finance, or broader business roles with both professional knowledge and hands-on exposure.

Curriculum structure

Year 1 (Taught stage):
In the first year, you develop a solid foundation in accounting and finance through core modules such as Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, and Corporate Finance, helping you understand how organisations measure performance, manage resources, and make financial decisions. You’ll also have the chance to choose optional modules like International Finance or Sustainable Finance and Investment, allowing you to shape your learning around global markets, ethics, or investment analysis.

Year 2 (Placement and project):
The second year focuses on applying your knowledge in the real world through a supervised placement year, where you gain valuable workplace experience, build professional confidence, and strengthen your employability. Alongside the placement, you complete an Accounting and Finance Project, giving you the opportunity to explore a specialist topic through research or consultancy work and demonstrate advanced analytical and problem-solving skills.

Focus areas: financial accounting, management accounting, corporate finance, financial analysis, professional practice, applied research.

Learning outcomes: strong understanding of accounting and finance principles, ability to analyse and interpret financial data, confidence in strategic decision-making, enhanced employability through practical experience.

Professional alignment (accreditation): accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), with the potential to gain exemptions from selected ACCA papers.

Reputation (employability rankings): Oxford Brookes University is widely recognised for teaching quality and graduate employability and is consistently featured in major UK and global university rankings for business and accounting-related subjects.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Oxford Brookes University, the MSc Accounting and Finance with Placement Year is built around learning by doing. From the start, you’ll develop practical skills using real financial data, professional tools, and hands-on projects that mirror how accounting and finance work in practice. Teaching is closely connected to industry, and with a dedicated placement year and strong careers support, you’ll graduate with both academic knowledge and meaningful workplace experience — a combination employers genuinely value:

• Bloomberg Trading Suite access: You’ll work with live financial market data using Bloomberg terminals, gaining experience in investment analysis, market trends, and financial decision-making used by professionals worldwide
• Placement year: A full supervised placement year allows you to apply your learning in a real organisation, build professional confidence, and strengthen your CV with substantial industry experience
• Group projects and business challenges: You’ll collaborate with other students on practical business challenges and applied coursework, developing teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills
• Industry-focused teaching and guest speakers: Modules are supported by guest lectures and applied case studies, helping you understand how accounting and finance concepts are used in real organisations
• Digital and analytical tools: Practical workshops help you strengthen essential skills in financial modelling, data analysis, and spreadsheet-based decision-making
• Library and learning facilities: You’ll have access to modern libraries, specialist business resources, and collaborative study spaces to support research projects and independent learning

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the MSc Accounting and Finance with Placement Year at Oxford Brookes University progress into a wide range of finance and accounting roles where strong analytical skills and practical experience are highly valued. Many move into positions such as Management Accountant, Financial Analyst, Auditor, or Finance Officer, using their placement year experience as a springboard into permanent roles, and benefit from professional exemptions that accelerate career growth:

• Dedicated career support: Oxford Brookes offers tailored employability support through its careers and placement services, including one-to-one career guidance, CV and application workshops, interview preparation, and structured support to secure and succeed in the placement year
• Employment outcomes and salary prospects: Graduates from accounting and finance programmes at Oxford Brookes typically secure roles soon after graduation, with starting salaries in the mid-£20,000s and clear progression to higher earnings as they gain experience and professional qualifications
• Strong industry links: The Business School works closely with employers through placement opportunities, applied projects, and guest speakers, giving students exposure to real business challenges and valuable professional networks
• Long-term accreditation value: The programme is professionally accredited and offers exemptions from ACCA exams, helping graduates move more quickly toward chartered status and long-term career advancement
• Graduate outcomes: The inclusion of a full placement year significantly strengthens employability, with many students progressing directly into relevant finance and accounting roles or continuing with the same employer after graduation

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this MSc, students can continue their academic and professional journey by pursuing qualifications such as ACCA, CIMA, or CFA to deepen specialist expertise and access senior finance roles. The programme also provides a strong foundation for further postgraduate study, including doctoral research in accounting, finance, or related business disciplines.