Finance

Learning is delivered through lectures, some given by guest speakers, in seminars, practical sessions and in extracurricular activities. Seminars will see you working in a smaller group to discuss lecture topics and debate and solve issues raised. Practical work comprises medium-sized group sessions, in which you can practise computer software, applying topics from lectures and seminars.

You will undertake a combination of core and optional modules which will enable you to carry out in-depth study of particular topics. You will also complete an independent 12,000-word dissertation.

Typically, you will attend 10 hours per week of lectures in term 1, nine hours per week of lectures in term 2 and undertake a one-hour seminar per module every two weeks.

Pre-sessional modules in accounting, economics, and mathematics and statistics, are offered in September and October in the form of five lectures and five seminars per module.

Assessment

Assessment is rigorous and carried out through exams in January, May and June, assignments and a 12,000-word dissertation in which you carry out independent research and develop your analysis skills.

Outside of timetabled contact hours, you will be expected to undertake your own independent study in preparation for exams, seminars, assignments and other forms of assessment as well as general background reading in order to broaden your subject knowledge.

Application Deadlines

October 2025 start

Please note: The application process will open on 1 October 2024 for entry of the 2025 academic year.

We aim to have a diverse student body and recognise that we can only offer places to a finite number of applicants. To help achieve our aim, we look to ensure we offer places to applicants from all nationalities and close applications when we receive the allocated numbers.

The University is under no obligation to make any offer of a place on the programme to any applicant, nor is the University obligated to fill all spaces available on the programme.

What do I need first?

The Masters in Finance programme is designed for new or recent graduates. Certain routes within the Masters in Finance programme may also be of interest to those who already have practical experience in the field of finance. Prospective candidates must hold qualifications equivalent to a UK first or upper second-class honours degree in any discipline. Applicants are also expected to have strong quantitative skills for the programme, which includes fundamental concepts of calculus and statistics. Therefore, having studied a relevant mathematics/quantitative module at university level or a minimum of A level Mathematics (or its equivalent) is a prerequisite for prospective candidates.

Check the full list of equivalent qualifications.

If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

Applicants who have significant and relevant work experience in the Finance industry and who may narrowly miss the academic requirements may also be considered for a place.

NB Chinese Applicants: Applications will be accepted from students who have graduated from a prestigious university in China. Entry requirements may vary depending upon the reputation of the university you have graduated from and the academic programme you have applied for. As a guide, applicants are normally expected to have achieved an overall average of 85%.

How do I apply?

You will need to complete an online application form.

Please note you can only apply for one Masters Finance programme.

>>Fill out the online application form

To support your online application form, you will need to provide the following documents.

• Official transcript of marks
• Copy of degree certificate (if available)
• Copy of English test results (if available).

You can either upload your supporting documents with your online application or email or fax them to the Postgraduate Admissions Office using the contact details below.

Note
Only files of type .doc, .docx, .gif, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .rtf are permitted to be uploaded.
The maximum file size is 5MB.

Application fee

Once we receive your online application form, you’ll get an automatic email within 48 hours asking you to pay the £60 application fee* which is required to progress your application.

You’ll need to follow the link in the email to the webpage where you can confirm your details and make the payment using a debit or credit card. This is a secure website operated by Secpay, which will send you an automatic receipt of payment.

Once we receive confirmation that your application fee has been paid, we’ll be able to progress your application. If you do not pay the application fee your application will be automatically withdrawn.

*Please note you will only be able to make a payment for one programme in each suite i.e. one MSc Finance programme, one MSc Management programme, one MSc Economics programme.

College membership

All students of Durham University will become a member of one of our Colleges. Here is more information about what college membership means to our students. Once you have accepted your postgraduate offer, the Accommodation and Allocations Office will contact you with further information regarding how to express college preferences. You can also apply for college accommodation if you wish to.

Admissions process

Here are the steps in the admissions process:

1. We will let you know when we’ve received your application.
2. Once we’ve received all of your supporting documents, we will email you to let you know our decision.
3. If the decision is to make you an offer of a place on the programme we will let you know by email. Please note we do not issue hard copy offer letters as these are not required to obtain a student visa.
4. You should confirm acceptance of your offer as soon as possible. In order to secure your place, you are required to pay a deposit within six weeks of the date of your original offer (check your offer documents for details of payment methods).
5. International students requiring a student visa will receive a CAS (Certificate of Acceptance of Studies) via email once all offer conditions are met, acceptance and deposit have been received and you are within five months of the start date of your programme.

Alternative qualifications

• Other UK qualifications

• EU qualifications 

• International qualifications

International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.

English language requirements

Country specific information

Full Time Fees

Part Time Fees

The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase and are expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed above is for the first year of the course only.

Part-Time Study

The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of part-time study and are charged proportionately to the Full-Time fee. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

As a Business School Masters student, you'll have access to a dedicated postgraduate careers service offering a wide range of opportunities to help you develop the skills necessary for a global career.

We work in partnership with the University's careers team to connect you with events, organisations, or individuals to help kick-start your career. You will have access to one-to-one support on every aspect of the application process, from CV writing to interview techniques.

Our graduates are highly sought after by global employers. Some of our recent graduates now work in sectors including: financial services, healthcare, government and consultancy amongst many others.

Our MSc Accounting is an innovative programme designed to develop your critical thinking skills and provide an essential introduction to a career in accountancy and related fields. It is taught by an outstanding academic team from the Department of Accounting

The Department of Accounting is one of four departments at Durham University Business School. We offer a stimulating learning environment for our Masters students. As an accountancy student you will be joining an academic department with an international reputation for research and teaching excellence.

The one-year, full-time MSc Accounting programme will help you develop key analytical and practical skills and is an ideal programme if you're looking to pursue a career in accounting but have no prior subject knowledge. In addition, the programme carries exemptions from both the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants), which can fast track your journey to membership of these organisations, making it easier for you to practice as an accountant.

We are proud of be a part of Durham University Business School, one of the UK’s longest established business schools and one of an elite group of institutions to be accredited by all three major accrediting bodies: the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).

For more information see our department pages.

Facilities

The MSc Accounting programme is taught across the Durham University campus by world leading faculty. The University is situated in the historic centre of Durham, a city with UNESCO World Heritage Status.

Business School students have access to libraries and study spaces across the University. Many of our learning resources are accessible online, including up-to-date financial information, industry-standard databases and access to over 10,000 journals.

Start your application now.