Financial and Business Management MSc

Our Financial and Business Management MSc has been developed from two highly successful courses run by the Business School – the Accounting and Finance MSc and the Business Management MA. Both of these courses have established international reputations for excellence.

The new course is designed to provide the theory and practical skills essential for today's business managers. Successful completion of the programme will enhance your job prospects and increase your career options.

What will you study?

You will cover the theories, models and practice of management accounting and finance at an advanced level, together with an understanding of how they integrate in the wider business environment. You will be able to demonstrate the ability to critically analyse and use relevant information to offer interpretations and solutions to problems.

You also study key business disciplines, which will enable you to demonstrate:

• your strategic and analytical skills;
• your ability to apply your knowledge to solve business problems; and
• your competence as a manager.

Kingston Business School works closely with the business world's principal professional bodies in order to harmonise its education provision with the needs of today's business practitioners. You will learn how to turn theory into practice and gain a qualification that has real value in the real world. Find out more...

Research is an essential part of the day-to-day life of Kingston Business School and is embedded in its intellectual activities and development. In the most recent RAE (Research Assessment Exercise) undertaken in 2008, the research output of Kingston Business School was the highest rated of any new university. Ninety per cent of our research submitted was assessed as 'recognised internationally' or higher. Of this, 10% was classified as 'world leading' and 35% as 'internationally excellent'.

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Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.

Core modules

• Quantitative Methods in Accounting and Finance

• Quantitative Methods in Accounting and Finance

  This module provides an underpinning and understanding of numerical techniques used in the business and finance world to aid strategic decision making. It aims to provide students with the mathematical and statistical foundations that are necessary in the areas of accounting and finance. The module will provide candidates with the computer and research skills required by employers in this highly competitive sector.

  
   
• Corporate Finance

• Corporate Finance

  This module aims to develop a critical knowledge and understanding of the core theories and concepts in the field of corporate finance and of the issues related to the corporate decision-making process and the application of corporate finance theories in real life.

  
   
• Management Accounting

• Management Accounting

  This module will enable you to understand and prepare management information to support the decision making in an organisation. It covers:

  • how to calculate the costs associated with the production of products and provision of services, and determine their price;
  • budgeting approaches and how budgets are produced; and
  • effective performance management systems, including performance measures, to assist management decision making.
  
   
• Managing People and Organisations

• Managing People and Organisations

  This module provides a framework enabling you to critically reflect upon your performance and plan your professional development. You will also gain an understanding of human behaviour within organisations and look at how effective human resource management can enhance management performance.

  
   
• Financial Management

• Financial Management

  This module covers how organisations arrange their external financing and manage their internal resources. It looks at:

  • sources of capital and theories of how capital structures behave in response to changes in the choices of capital sources;
  • methods and costs of protecting the firm's capital and operational cash flows against currency, interest and maturity risk;
  • treasury and working capital management; and 
  • the firm's choice in of growth through acquisition or or reduction through spin-off, demerger or reconstruction will be studied.
  
   
• International Money and Finance

• International Money and Finance

  This module explores the theories and empirical evidence about international risk management with respect to foreign exchange and interest rates. It also looks at how firms utilise risk management techniques and source debt on the international financial markets.

  
   
• Project Management

• Project Management

  This module introduces the basic concepts of project management with the emphasis on business related tasks. The students are not expected to have any prior project management experience. The main focus is on planning, monitoring and control of project resources, using standard and popular project management techniques.

  
   
• Research Methods and Dissertation

• Research Methods and Dissertation

  Initially this module will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to successfully complete a research project.

  You will then investigate a specific business problem via a substantial piece of independent work, which demonstrates your proficiency in:

  • the design of a research project;
  • the application of appropriate methods;
  • the collection and analysis of data; and
  • the presentation of results.
  
   

Option modules (choose one)

• International Business Strategy

• International Business Strategy

  This module will develop your strategic thinking ability in relation to the issues surrounding managing international business. It will enable you to understand the underlying forces of globalisation and interpret the effects of these forces. You will:

  • look at how you can contribute effectively to areas such as competitiveness, growth and sustainability across different economies;
  • evaluate business strategy risks in a global context; and
  • explore working effectively in multi-cultural groups, and balancing intuitive and creative faculties with analytic skills.
  
   
• International Marketing

• International Marketing

  This module examines the marketing skills needed to exploit business opportunities beyond existing country and operating boundaries. You will:

  • understand the rationale for, and drivers of, the internationalisation or globalisation of business;
  • apply relevant models and methodologies to enable the task of foreign market opportunity selection and risk analysis;
  • critically evaluate the appropriateness of different market entry options for specific market conditions;
  • recognise the influence of cultural differences on marketing communications and issues of standardisation versus adaptation of products and services across international markets; and
  • appreciate the fundamental differences in approach and the competences required of marketing management across the evolution of foreign trading.
  
   
• Consultancy Practice

• Consultancy Practice

  The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of management consultancy from the perspective of both the client and the consultant.

  You will work with an external organisation and, through a real project, develop the personal, planning and problem-solving skills needed to perform the consultancy task. Using key consultancy tools and techniques you will look at how to plan, monitor and manage projects, evaluate briefs and assess consultancy proposals.

  
   

The Faculty of Business and Law runs a number of postgraduate and post-experience open days. Visit us to find out how we can help you achieve your career ambitions.

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This course is taught by staff from Kingston Business School.

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We want to make sure you get all the support you need while you are with us. Here you can see the range of support we can offer you while you're doing this course.

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