MSc Accounting, Organisations and Institutions

The MSc Accounting, Organisations and Institutions is a unique programme which gives you the opportunity to study the interface between accounting, organisations and institutions drawing on a variety of social science perspectives.

The core course will introduce you to fundamental issues at stake in the interrelationships between accounting, risk management, organisational performance, and institutional frameworks for accountability. The programme also addresses key design issues for accounting, risk and management control systems, and their operation and regulation in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.

This programme is distinctive in its approach and different from a traditional accounting and finance master’s programme. Indeed, it does not require a background in accounting, and students with a good initial training in the humanities or the social or natural sciences, and with good essay writing skills, are strongly encouraged to apply. Yet, the programme is also suitable for those students with an accounting background who wish to develop a deeper knowledge of the organisational and institutional context of accounting.

Because of its breadth, this master’s programme is very flexible and prepares students for a wide range of potential careers in accounting, auditing and assurance, financial management, risk management, management consultancy, and regulation, in a variety of for-profit and non-profit organisations globally. The degree also provides solid intellectual preparation for those aspiring to embark on academic research in the field of accounting.

The programme is housed within the Department of Accounting, which is widely recognised throughout Europe for its excellence in accounting and financial management research and education, as well as for its leading role in public policy issues. The interface between accounting and managers, organisations, institutions, public policy and regulatory bodies is a particular teaching and research strength of the Department.

Assessment

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It is designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course.

Careers

Students who successfully complete the MSc Accounting, Organisations and Institutions programme pursue careers across a wide range of sectors, in financial institutions, accounting firms, management consulting, industry, government and academia.

Companies who have employed recent graduates from this programme include Bain & Company, Bank of New York Mellon, Barclays Capital, BlackRock, Crédit Agricole, Crowe Horwath, General Electric, JP Morgan, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PwC, KPMG, Proctor & Gamble, Merrill Lynch, Mondelez, EMI Music, Nordea Bank, Royal Dutch Shell, Schroders and Strategic Asset Partners LLP.