Accounting & Financial Management

This programme is designed to equip future accounting and finance professionals with the knowledge and skills to succeed. Accounting and finance are changing rapidly, with innovations and practice evolving to deal with the major challenges the world is facing. To excel in these industries, graduates should have strong technical knowledge, creativity and integrity. This programme develops your ability to contribute to business and society by using best practice methods in reporting, performance management, finance, sustainability, artificial intelligence and analytics.



This Master's programme is delivered at our dedicated Graduate Business School campus, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, located in Blackrock, 4km from the main UCD Belfield Campus.



The design of the programme features a strong core of modules on financial and ESG reporting, performance management and control, and finance.



Students can also develop their expertise in the following areas:



Accounting practice: Modules on taxation and auditing are available for those students who wish to pursue a career in professional accountancy.



Sustainable business and reporting: The core modules will develop student skills in sustainable reporting and business. In addition to that, students can build on that knowledge with a more advanced module on sustainable reporting and analysis.



Finance: A module on financial data technology is available in the summer trimester to develop student’s advanced finance skills.



Analytics and AI: The core modules will develop your business analytics skills. In addition to that, students can build on that knowledge with modules on AI and machine learning and financial data technology. This will enable students to contribute cutting-edge skills to their future employers.



How will I benefit?

Students will be taught at the beautiful UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School located in a bespoke campus in Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Students will join a dynamic international environment with more than 60 nationalities represented at the School.



Successful completion of the course corresponds to an extensive knowledge base in the areas of accounting and finance management, backed by a vital set of technical, analytical and personal skills.



Graduates will demonstrate a firm grasp of the tools and techniques for measuring and managing business performance, financial reporting and analysis, and financial management.



Scholarships and Awards

The Professor Eamonn J. Walsh Memorial Scholarship is open to students applying to the full-time MSc in Accounting and Financial Management with the opportunity to be awarded a scholarship to cover 50% tuition fees for this programme.

Stage 1 Core Modules

ACC40640 Financial & ESG Reporting Autumn 7.5

ACC40680 Management & Environmental Accounting Autumn 7.5

ACC40700 Strategic Corporate Finance Autumn 7.5

BMGT43790 Strategic Management & the Com Autumn 7.5

ACC40670 Accounting for Performance and Control Spring 7.5

ACC40690 Financial Risk Management Spring 7.5

ACC40710 Law & Governance Spring 7.5

ACC41280 Accounting & BusinessAnalytics Spring 7.5



Stage 1 Options - A)4 of:

Students choose four modules from the list below. Places on summer modules will become available for registration in March.

ACC40970 Advanced Financial Reporting Summer 7.5

ACC41020 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Accounting Summer 7.5

ACC41240 Sustainability Reporting & Analysis Summer 7.5

ACC41250 Financial Data Technology Summer 7.5

ACC41260 Taxation Summer 7.5

ACC41270 Auditing & Assurance Summer 7.5

BMGT46260 Managing Performance Summer 7.5

Please review the entry requirements below. The UCD Smurfit Admissions Office staff have expertise in reviewing international qualifications from around the world and will be able to assess your application's comparability to the Irish entry requirement.



An honours bachelor business degree with a minimum 2.1 award at NFQ Level 8 (or international equivalent) AND have demonstrated strong academic ability (a 1.1 or 2.1) in their accounting and finance modules at undergraduate level.



Exceptional applicants with strong academic results (a 1.1 or high 2.1) in a degree (NFQ Level 8 or international equivalent) in Engineering, Mathematics, Science, Economics, or another quantitative discipline may be considered.



Note: Candidates may be asked to sit the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) subject to individual application.



If English is not your first language, an English language qualification is required for admission to all of our programmes. The exception to this rule is if you have completed your primary degree or an entire third level qualification through English, in an English speaking country.



You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

https://tinyurl.com/2ae2ffax

12 months full-time.

Delivery: On Campus

Full-Time EU:

€14,460 (academic year 2020/2021)


Full-Time Non-EU:

€19,900 (academic year 2020/2021)


Important Note: Tuition fees and other charges are subject to change each year.

B714 Accounting & Financial Management Master of Science Full-Time

Commencing September 2025

Graduate Taught (UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School)

Career Opportunities

The programme positions its graduates to compete for careers in the finance teams of leading global companies and equips students for employment in these key areas:



(1) Finance Teams

Large Irish and multinational companies have many opportunities in their finance teams. Students who have completed a UCD Smurfit Graduate Business School degree are considered by many employers to have developed their accounting and financial management knowledge and skills to a level that means they can make an immediate contribution. The analytics, sustainability and technology expertise that can be developed on the programme gives graduates a significant advantage with organisations that need those skills combined with accounting and finance skills.



(2) Accounting Practice

Many roles are open in accounting practice to graduates of this programme. Leading accounting services firms will recognise the knowledge and skills developed in this programme, especially the analytics, AI and sustainability skills.



(3) Funds Accounting/Administration

There are many opportunities in the Dublin International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) for graduates of this programme in fund administration and accounting roles.



93% of our graduates from this programme were employed after 6 months across a range of industry sectors. (Source: Latest Graduate Outcomes Survey, published in Sept 2024.) Many of the graduates go on to join the accounting profession as professionally qualified accountants due to the exemptions available.*



* Subject to module choice and approval from awarding professional bodies.



Note: This programme is designed to prepare students for a career in professional accountancy or financial services. Applicants should note that it is not a suitable preparatory programme for PhD studies.