Sustainable Accounting and Finance MSc

Compulsory

• Business and Environmental Economics

  This module provides in-depth understanding of the theories of business and environmental economics and their applications. Areas of particular focus include: the relationship between government and business; the macroeconomic environment of businesses; resource allocation and social welfare, economic efficiency; economics of sustainable investment; environmental degradation; and, economic sustainability and economic decisions. The aim is to provide students with knowledge and understanding of critical considerations relating to resource allocation, environmental degradation and economic sustainability in economic decisions.

• Carbon Accounting and Reporting

  This module provides an in-depth and advanced understanding of carbon accounting and reporting. It critically evaluates the challenges facing firms when measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions. The module also evaluates the challenges facing accounting standards setters and policy makers including the United Nations (UN), governments and regulators in establishing a framework for analysing and reporting greenhouse gas emissions and the extent to which established approaches are appropriate for meeting national and international objectives. Focus is placed on the economic importance of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The module also assesses the extent to which there is convergence in carbon accounting and reporting frameworks across countries.

• Corporate Governance and Sustainability

  This module explores the key roles of corporate governance strategies and board composition in influencing corporate social responsibility, sustainable investment decisions and climate change reporting. It explores the theoretical arguments surrounding the governance structure of firms, the roles of executive and non-executive boards, CEO power, board diversity, corporate strategy and risk management, and how they influence responsible investments. In addition, the module explores the effectiveness of corporate sustainable strategies in meeting climate action commitments and agreements by national governments, international institutions and activists.

• Quantitative Methods for Business Finance

  This module provides an introduction to statistical techniques needed in the study of business and finance and assumes no previous knowledge of econometrics. In particular, students will learn how to (a) perform a statistical analysis and do hypothesis testing and (b) perform a simple and multiple regression analysis and (c) to interpret empirical results. 

• Financial Reporting in Capital Markets

  This module aims to develop a framework for understanding and mapping between underlying economic events in the capital market and the information provided by financial statements, to develop knowledge and concept of how the mapping between financial statements and economic events affects the position and activities of firms in capital market, and to develop critical thinking of ongoing controversies and debates related to financial reporting.

• Sustainable Finance and Investments

  This module provides an in-depth financial analysis of sustainable investments and corporate investment strategies and policies. It focuses on the choice of financial strategies of companies when seeking to achieve sustainable economic outcomes and how sustainable development goals (SDG) can be incorporated into financial and investment decisions. Both theoretical and empirical perspectives are examined. Areas of focus include: environmental impacts of financial investment decisions; alternative investment choices; risk-sharing, portfolio choice and ethical investing; environmental pollution and investments; and; sustainable long-term growth.

• Theoretical Perspectives on Sustainable Accounting and Reporting

  This module explores the theoretical and conceptual issues relating to corporate sustainability reporting. It builds on previous modules by providing a critical overview of the theoretical frameworks commonly used to explain the rationale for sustainability reporting. Focus is placed on integrated reporting frameworks, European Sustainability Reporting Standards and the concepts underlying existing reporting paradigms, including environmental profit and loss reporting, accounting and reporting for natural capital depletion, stakeholder reporting and global reporting initiatives.

• Dissertation (Sustainable Accounting and Finance MSc)

Optional

• Corporate Finance

  This module is designed to provide the student with a thorough knowledge of corporate finance through the study of the interaction between firms and the capital markets. This involves option pricing theory and applications, the firm’s capital structure decision, the firm’s dividend policy, the firm’s mergers and acquisitions decision, and the firm’s decision to go public.

• Investment Valuation Models

  To analyse how financial market information (corporate-, country-specific and global information) can be used to estimate the value of different investments, cover a range of different models that are available to an analyst performing investment valuations, and provide a framework that can be used to pick the right model for different valuation scenarios.

• Financial and Economic Data Analytics

  This course is designed to provide students with fundamental knowledge and skills of how to handle and analyse big data with a focus on financial applications. Students will also gain knowledge on designing and applying machine learning predictive models in finance.