COURSE CURRICULUM

The MSc in Accounting, Finance and Sustainability at Essex Business School is designed to prepare students for the growing importance of sustainability in global financial markets. Over the past decade, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing has reshaped the financial industry, with rapid growth in ESG funds and a shift of capital from traditional investments to sustainable alternatives. This program responds to these changes by equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to operate effectively at the intersection of accounting, finance, and sustainability. Core topics include sustainability accounting, accountability and management, corporate finance, principles of finance, sustainability reporting, and sustainable and green finance. Students engage critically with real-world sustainability debates, learning how corporations, regulators, banks, and other stakeholders adapt to the challenges of sustainable development. The course also introduces the principles of ESG and the use of green investment products, strengthening students’ commercial awareness and financial decision-making within the context of sustainability. Students can tailor their studies by choosing between two specialist pathways. The Green Finance Qualifier includes a dissertation in finance and research methods in finance, while the Accounting and Governance Qualifier covers a dissertation in accounting, research methods in accounting, and corporate governance and sustainability.