This taught postgraduate programme emphasises research and analytical skills that will be valuable in your future career. It will build on your existing knowledge of technical aspects of accounting and finance. You will develop your ability to critically analyse the nature and conditions of effectiveness for these techniques to contribute to accounting and finance practice and governance. In the first term you will explore contemporary issues in accounting and finance research literature. You will also build key skills in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. This will prepare you for the more specialist elective units taught in the second term. The final part of the MSc is a research-based dissertation, which involves identifying and analysing a research question in accounting and/or finance under the guidance of a member of staff. The dissertation gives you an opportunity to explore an original problem, source and process the relevant financial data, analyse that data and learn to draw appropriate conclusions. For those planning on undertaking a PhD (https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/search/?q=&length=15&sort=score&dir=desc&sort=PostgraduateCourse-programtype&dir=asc&sort=PostgraduateCourse-programname&dir=asc&filterFaculty=Social+Sciences+and+Law), this dissertation represents an important bridge between taught and advanced research studies. This programme develops skills for critical analysis of accounting and finance topics, which will be valuable in your future career. The strong conceptual foundation it offers will support students who want to pursue an academic or professional career in accounting or finance.