• 2 years

Entrance to both the PhD by Management programme and the MSc by Research is competitive. Academic credentials are important for a successful application, however, we also pay great attention to the fit of students to our academic programme, and particularly to the research interests of our academic faculty.

Minimum academic requirements

For entry to the PhD programme applicants must meet the following minimum academic qualifications.

A postgraduate masters degree from an accredited institution in the UK or overseas showing evidence of above-average academic achievement. This includes:

• a degree classification with a mark of 65% or more overall (University of Edinburgh level or overseas equivalent)
• normally a masters dissertation at the distinction level (University of Edinburgh level or overseas equivalent). MBA or master's students without a dissertation are welcome to apply and should normally provide evidence of distinction level work.

Entry to the MSc by Research programme usually requires that applicants have a UK first-class undergraduate degree or an equivalent overseas qualification. Applicants with a 2:1 undergraduate degree may be considered.

Applications may be accepted to the PhD or MSc by Research programme from those still currently studying; however, any offer will be conditional on the successful completion of the degree at the required standard.

Minimum academic requirements

For entry to the Ph.D. program, applicants must meet the following minimum academic qualifications.

A postgraduate master's degree from an accredited institution in the UK or overseas showing evidence of above-average academic achievement. This includes:

a degree classification with a mark of 65% or more overall (University of Edinburgh level, or overseas equivalent)
normally a masters dissertation at the distinction level (University of Edinburgh level, or overseas equivalent) in accounting, finance, or related disciplines
Degrees in quantitative disciplines (e.g. economics or mathematics) or business studies will be considered if you can demonstrate a strong background in accounting and finance throughout your degree.

Applications may be accepted from those still currently studying for a master's degree; however, any offer will be conditional on the successful completion of the degree at the required standard.

Applicants with significant industry experience in the accounting sector, or with relevant professional qualifications will be given due consideration on a case-by-case basis. However, these applicants must also have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related discipline.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): total 7.0 (at least 6.0 in each module)
• TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 100 (at least 20 in each module). We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• CAE and CPE: total 185 (at least 169 in each module)
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with a pass in all four components

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.