To help you best prepare for your MSc, your Programme Director has identified some pre-reading materials which will give you a head start on your programme.

In today’s rapidly evolving global economy, organisations need financial leaders who have the ability to interpret numbers and financial information with analytical and critical thinking skills. For this programme, we select students with experience in differing disciplines, primarily accounting and/or finance, or economics. As such, you will need to strengthen your knowledge in certain fields before the programme starts; in other fields you would derive some real benefits from engaging in some background reading before the programme starts.

With this in mind, we have created a useful reading list. Experience teaches us that successful students generally have familiarity with the specialist language of accounting and finance before the programme starts, as well as confidence with undertaking financial calculations. We strongly recommend that you work through this reading list prior to starting the programme.

The following are some of the books and other materials that are suggested for you to read ahead of the start of the related course.

Please note: You are not required to purchase any of the listed books. If you do wish to purchase any, please check with the Business School beforehand.

Semester One

Quantitative Techniques for Finance I (CMSE11674)

  • Wooldridge, J.M. 'Appendix A: Basic mathematical tools', in Introductory Econometrics: A Modern Approach. [Any edition]. Boston: Cengage/Thomson.

Students will be allocated specific (and compulsory) research papers per IFRS issue to be discussed. These papers form the basis of the group presentations and discussion, and have to be read by all students. Students will, where appropriate, be provided with YouTube Links to IFRSbox videos, which need to be watched during the semester. These videos illustrate the technical aspects of the IFRS issues to be discussed. These videos represent an easily accessible, didactically well-presented, and technically state-of-the-art resource for flipped learning purposes.

Helpful but not mandatory textbooks are:

  • Alexander, D., Jorissen, A., Hoogendoorn,M., van Mourik, C. and Kirwan, C. (2023) International Financial Reporting and Analysis. 9th Edition. Cengage.
  • Melville, A. (2025)International Financial Reporting: A Practical Guide. 9th Edition. Pearson.

International Financial Reporting & Financial Markets (CMSE11672)

Ahead to the start of the course, you are encouraged to revise the financial and management accounting concepts. You can use the following or any other relevant book(s):

  • Weetman, P. (2013) Financial & management accounting: and introduction. 6th Edition. Pearson.

Semester Two

Current Issues in Accounting (CMSE11324)

There is no one prescribed text for this course, rather readings are drawn from a range of academic accounting journals available through the University Library’s online resource service. Readings for each weekly session of the course are indicated at the start of the course and it is expected that students will consult these specified readings in advance of each session.

General works on accounting research methods which may be useful include:

  • Humphrey, C. and Lee, B. (2004). The Real Life Guide to Accounting Research. Elsevier.
  • Smith, M. (2022). Research Methods in Accounting. Sage.

Qualitative Research Methods in Accounting (CMSE11679)

  • De Villiers, C., Dumay, J. and Maroun, W. (2019) Qualitative accounting research: dispelling myths and developing a new research agenda. Accounting & Finance, 59(3), pp.1459-1487.

Quantitative Techniques for Finance II (CMSE11675)

  • Wooldridge, J.M. 'Appendix B: Fundamentals of probability', in Introductory econometrics: a modern approach. [Any edition]. Boston: Cengage/Thomson.
  • Wooldridge, J.M. 'Appendix C: Fundamentals of mathematical statistics', in Introductory econometrics: a modern approach. [Any edition]. Boston: Cengage/Thomson.

International Climate Finance (CMSE11498)

Prescribed readings for individual sessions will be indicated at the start of the course. It is expected that students will read specified in advance of each session. Students are required to be familiar with the foundation of climate, green and sustainable finance through the following materials:

Blockchain, Governance and Policy (CMSE11440)

Responsible Investing (CMSE11583)

Investment Management (CMSE11665)

  • Bodie, Z., Kane, A. and Marcus, A.J. (2023) Investments. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Accounting for Sustainability (CMSE11676)

  • Laine, M., Tregidga, H. and Unerman, J. (2021) Sustainability accounting and accountability. Routledge. Chapters 2 and 3.