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Our MSc Accounting and Finance (Top-Up) degree is a fast-track master’s course which helps fully qualified CCAB accountants further the professional and academic success they’ve achieved to date.
If you’ve attained qualified accountant status through prior study with the ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, or an equivalent professional body, you’ll be granted six module exemptions (totalling 120 credits) from our standard MSc Accounting and Finance course. This means you’ll need to complete just one module from the course, the final Financial Management Project module (60 credits), to graduate with a full Master of Science award. This provides you with a unique opportunity to gain a full postgraduate qualification at greatly reduced tuition fees and within a much shorter timeframe than studying a full 180-credit MSc course.
The Financial Management Project module will give you the opportunity to undertake an in-depth analysis of the latest technologies in accounting and finance, such as blockchain, fintech, cloud computing, and distributed ledgers. This will help you gain up-to-the-minute skills and knowledge that you can apply immediately to modern business environments – supporting your career development in a wide selection of accounting and finance roles.
You will study just one module, the Financial Management Project, which gives you the opportunity to perform in-depth analysis of innovative technologies in accounting and finance, such as blockchain, fintech, cloud computing, and distributed ledgers. Focusing on these latest technologies will help you gain skills and knowledge that are essential for furthering your career success in the accounting and finance sector.
"I was already in the working world and running two businesses. Not to mention I also have a young family, so the freedom online learning offered, and the cost effectiveness of the course, was a big draw for me."
Arden’s Accounting and Finance (Top-up) degree requires the completion of the independent study assessment module from our MSc Accounting and Finance course (the Financial Management Project). The project will give you the opportunity to bring together the skills, experience, and attributes you’ve acquired to date in your journey to fully qualified accountant status. Your assessment comprises two parts; a Performance and Development Plan (80%) and a Project Pitch (20%).
This course is currently available to students as a fully online programme, which gives you the convenience of being able to study from anywhere worldwide.
It’s a great way to study if you’re looking for flexibility. It was challenging to balance a full-time job with my degree but once I was in a routine, it was much easier to manage everything. Online learning has actually helped me become very good with time management and given me the ability to prioritise tasks.
Studying your MSc Accounting and Finance (Top-Up) with Arden gives you the ultimate in convenience. You can enrol with Arden from anywhere in the world and study your degree from the comfort of home, without the requirement to attend classes in a physical location.
Our online students study their degree through ilearn, Arden’s university campus in the cloud. ilearn provides everything you need to study at University. It offers an integrated virtual learning experience, including your virtual classroom, lecture theatre, and access to our Library Portal. The portal includes an extensive digital library including thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and academic and industry databases which you can use to research your assignments and projects. All of these materials are provided to you free of charge, and contain all the research information you’ll need to complete your degree with us.
ilearn is also integrated with Zoom, making it easier to chat with your course tutor during your scheduled seminar sessions. You can even integrate our study materials into your Kindle, making it possible to study wherever you have you Kindle handy.
Studying online with Arden University doesn’t mean studying alone. As well as receiving regular feedback and guidance from your course tutor, you’ll be studying with likeminded students who you can meet with through our Unitu community, and you’ll have access to community message boards to discuss your course and the topics being raised within it. We’ve even set up community boards embedded into each of the course modules so you can have discussions with your tutor and classmates on the topics you’re currently learning.
At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.
To be eligible for the MSc Accounting and Finance (Top-Up), we need to see that you have:
We also offer an internal English test for applicants who are unable to provide the above evidence of English proficiency. More information can be found here.
Whilst you can read your study materials on your smart phone or tablet, to make the most of your learning experience, you will need access to a laptop or computer (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good stable internet connection.
If you’re an international student, we have a number of Regional Offers that can help you save money on your tuition fees.
When you help a friend or family member to study with Arden through our Refer a Friend programme, both you and the person you refer will receive a £500 Amazon e-voucher or £500 tuition fee credit.
Hassaan studied accounting and finance at the University of Kent, followed by an MSc and PhD in Finance from Durham University. Prior to joining Arden, Hassaan was associate dean at Global Banking School, looking after the finance and business management degree courses. He was director of programmes at BPP University where he was responsible for degree programmes in finance and applied management as well as professional courses and degree apprenticeships in accountancy.
Our MSc Accounting and Finance (Top-Up) will help you apply a strategic focus to an area of innovation in accounting and finance that interests you most. Throughout your time spent studying with us, you’ll be encouraged to think creatively and consider contemporary debates around current trends in accounting and finance.
The MSc Accounting and Finance (Top-Up) course will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your existing skills and knowledge of the sector at postgraduate level, while encouraging you to develop new professional attributes through:
Your MSc Accounting and Finance (Top-Up) qualification will support you career development in a number of careers within finance and accounting. Here are just a few of the roles graduates may want to explore further:
Ultimately, your MSc qualification will help you to advance your career in the financial sector with evidence of continual professional development and in-depth knowledge of emerging technologies. It also serves as a springboard to further study, such as a PhD, or as a route into academia.
We have partnered with Bloomberg to provide our students access to the Bloomberg Financial Markets Platform, an industry leading and cutting-edge financial tool. Through this, you will be able to interact with financial markets in real-time, giving you insight into what it’s really like to work in finance and allowing you to gain valuable employability skills in a safe environment.
You will also have access to Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) – an industry leading course. BMC is a self-paced e-learning course that provides an interactive introduction to the financial markets. The course is available to you for free for the duration of your degree, and a year after graduation.
Once you’ve enrolled with Arden, our careers centre is easily accessible directly from inside our online platform, ilearn. The careers centre is here to help you discover the areas of your academic and professional life that you find most meaningful and rewarding, and then apply this to your career pathway.
Just a few of the career tools you’ll find in the careers centre include:
Arden University is a member of the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB International is a global association of leaders in education and business dedicated to supporting and advancing quality business education worldwide.
This membership reflects the fact that Arden University has successfully matched the high standards required by the AACSB, and enables the sharing of ideas and the exchange best practises between global business schools. Membership also gives our faculty members access to in-depth data and research to support the development of our courses and teaching methods, ensuring that we are able to provide you with the best possible university experience.
The BGA is a membership and quality assurance body. As a member, Arden University have signed up to the BGA Charter, committing their institution to responsible management practices and lifelong learning, positively impacting their students, communities, and the economy. This shows our students that we are demonstrating responsible management ourselves, as well as it being a central theme that runs through our own courses.
As Arden University is a member of the Business Graduates Association (BGA), students will receive complementary BGA student and graduate membership. Through this membership, current students will have access to the BGA Career Development Centre, packed with interactive tools, e-learning content, partner discounts and the latest job opportunities. This is a lifetime access, which means students will continue to have access to these services even after they graduate.
All Arden students will have free access to LinkedIn Learning through the Library Portal. LinkedIn Learning is a video-based online learning platform offering over 16,500 expert-led courses across a wide range of subjects including business, technology, and creative skills.
With LinkedIn Learning, you can:
