Optional modules
Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.
Financial Reporting
This module provides you with a structured understanding of financial reporting principles and practices, focusing on the preparation, presentation, and interpretation of financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). You will explore the conceptual framework of accounting, the regulatory environment, and the role of financial reporting in supporting transparency, accountability, and decision-making.
Taxation Practice
Through this module you will develop advanced practical tax planning skills. Focus will be on the interaction of the various taxes to provide tax planning solutions.
Finance and Investment
This module will introduce you to the function, principles, and techniques of financial management. In particular, it focuses on the relationship between companies seeking to raise finance, and the investors who provide that finance. You will apply your technical skills and knowledge to evaluate potential funding strategies for business.
Audit and Assurance
Auditors play a critical role in fostering trust in financial reporting and corporate accountability. This module equips you with the professional tools and ethical foundation to plan, perform, and report on audits with integrity and sound judgement. You will engage with real-world case studies and apply core auditing principles - such as risk assessment, evidence gathering, and professional scepticism - aligned with industry standards. A key feature of this module is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative tool in modern auditing.
Performance Management and Data Analytics
This module builds on foundational concepts introduced in your first and second year in performance and cost management, advancing your ability to apply strategic, analytical, and data-informed approaches to real-world operational challenges. You will explore how organisations manage resources efficiently, evaluate performance in dynamic and uncertain environments, and make decisions that support long-term value creation. A key feature of this module is the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools to enhance decision-making.
Cybercrime and Business Analytics
This module explores the growing threat of cybercrime and the role of business analytics in detecting, preventing, and responding to digital threats. You will learn about cybercrime typologies, data-driven investigative techniques, and how analytics tools can be used to support forensic investigations and strategic decision-making.
Financial Markets and Institutions
In this module, you will develop a critical understanding of how financial markets operate and the role institutions play in supporting the global financial system. You will explore the structure and function of capital markets, focusing on equity and debt instruments, and examine how these markets influence corporate finance and investment decisions. You will also learn how financial instruments are issued, priced, and traded, and how market forces and investor behaviour impact valuation and performance.
Advanced Economics and Econometrics
This module will equip you with a deep understanding of the economic forces and quantitative tools that influence financial decision-making in both corporate and policy contexts. It builds on foundational economic principles to explore how macroeconomic variables - such as interest rates, inflation, exchange rates, and economic growth - affect business strategy, investment decisions, and financial reporting. You will also be introduced to advanced econometric techniques for modelling economic relationships, interpreting empirical data, and evaluating the impact of economic policies.
Investment Banking and Risk Management
This module is essential if you want to work in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, or financial advisory roles. It gives you practical, career-focused insight into how investment banks help clients raise capital, structure complex transactions, and make high-level financial decisions. You will learn the tools, techniques, and strategic thinking used in real investment banking deals - skills that are highly valued by leading employers in the finance industry.