Why there’s more to studying accounting than you’d think

At its core, accounting is about more than just keeping the books; it’s the manner in which organisations communicate their performance, manage risks, and demonstrate accountability.  

This work is increasingly being done with assistance from advanced technology and data science techniques, which means employers are looking for accountancy graduates who are familiar and comfortable with the world of data analytics.  

The MSc Accounting and Data Analytics provides you with the theoretical knowledge and applied skills that are required to analyse, model and interpret complex financial data.  

Developed in response to a growth in demand within the investment industry for these skills, the programme explores how analytical tools are used in financial reporting, forecasting, corporate valuation and performance analysis.  

Electives within the programme will enable you to specialise in a particular area that interests you, whether that’s M&A analysis, machine learning, or management control. 

If you’re more interested in exploring the fundamentals of accounting, such as who decides what gets counted, how risk is assessed, and what transparency really means, then these are some of the critical questions that lie at the heart of LSE’s MSc Accounting, Organisations and Institutions programme. 

This programme draws on a rich array of social science perspectives to explore the dynamic interface between accounting practices and the broader institutional and organisational contexts in which they operate. 

It’s a course that not only asks how accounting works, but also why it works the way it does—and what the consequences of those choices are. 

By contrast, LSE’s more traditional MSc Accounting & Finance degree foregrounds technical knowledge and focuses more on the application of theory and concepts in real-world settings.  

If digging into wider contextual issues doesn’t appeal to you, this programme’s focus on the role accounting and finance concepts play in global financial markets provides the perfect foundation for a career in accounting, finance, management or consulting.  

What sets programmes like the MSc Accounting and Data Analysis or MSc Accounting, Organisations and Institutions apart from others is their broader, multidisciplinary focus. 

In the case of the former, data analytics training will ensure you’re confident working with and analysing financial data, developing your knowledge of computer programming and data visualisations. 

The MSc Accounting, Organisations and Institutions also will develop your technical skills while simultaneously encouraging you to critically analyse the systems that govern economic and social life. 

Whether you're looking at a multinational corporation, a nonprofit organisation, or a government department, the programme explores how accounting shapes – and is shaped by – broader institutional forces. 

This approach means this MSc is not just for those with a background in accounting or finance. In fact, the programme welcomes students from a wide range of academic disciplines, including the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.  

If you’re worried you haven’t got the necessary academic experience to study an accounting degree, then have no fear. Strong analytical thinking and essay-writing skills are more important to an LSE’s master’s programme than formal accounting training.  

Check the LSE website for full information on admissions criteria and how to apply. 

Popular sectors for LSE accounting graduates to work in include financial and professional services, consultancy, and retail.  

The MSc Accounting and Data Analytics is a particularly worthwhile degree option if you’re excited by a career in the technology and fintech sectors, although it will be the ideal background for any career that is operating at the intersection of finance, accounting and data science. 

In particular, employers that prioritise data-driven decision-making such as investment banks, hedge funds, consulting firms and asset managers will be an ideal fit. The programme is also a strong foundation for anyone interested in pursuing sustainability or regulatory work through positions in ESG strategy, risk analytics, or compliance. 

The programme’s emphasis on computer programming, statistical modelling, and applied machine learning also means a transition into a data science role is also feasible. 

Meanwhile, graduates from the MSc Accounting, Organisations and Institutions programme are well-prepared for a wide array of careers.  

The breadth of the course means that it provides a strong foundation for roles not only in accounting, auditing and assurance, but also in financial and risk management, consultancy, and regulation.  

This is particularly relevant in an era where accountability and governance are under increasing scrutiny across all sectors. 

Whatever your career ambitions, if you’re interested in how numbers narrate organisational stories and how financial information influences power, this might be the programme you’ve been looking for.