Accounting and Finance – BA (Honours)

At a glance

Gain a sound understanding of finance as you prepare for a career in accountancy. The course design enables you to gain specific professional accountancy body exemptions or to study topics which interest you. A paid one-year placement builds on the professional focus of the course, offering you additional experience and skills in real-world context.

Key points
• Course designed in consultation with leading employers and professional bodies. • Learn using case studies that apply what you’ve learnt in the real world.
• Gain industry-recognised certifications from SAGE and other bodies.
• Get a head start with exemptions from some CIMA, ACCA and ICAW exams.

What is accounting and finance?
Accounting is the collection and recording of information on all financial transactions of an entity, reporting the results of those transactions, and interpreting those results. Finance is the process by which the financial operations of an entity are managed, including decisions on the ways of obtaining more capital and considering whether to buy additional assets.

Organisations place particular emphasis on managing their finances and financial risks, and as such, financial and accounting professionals need to be able to understand and communicate financial information to help organisations make key decisions. Financial managers play an important role in organisations and this is reflected in the number of senior executives of large multinational organisations with a financial background and qualifications.

This course

Train for a career in the broad field of accountancy and finance, typically as a company accountant, a financial manager or in practice with an accountancy firm. You will learn about the links between accounting and financial management essential in these roles.

You develop an understanding of company finances and the importance of communicating information both internally within an organisation and externally to other users of financial information. As well as developing technical accounting and finance skills, you also enhance the numerical, decision making and communication skills needed to succeed in your career.

In the first year, you learn the main principles of accounting and finance and we familiarise you with the business environment that companies work in through the use of business games. We also provide you with opportunities to develop vital IT and numerical skills as part of the course.

The second year deepens your understanding of the role and scope of accounting and financial management, while allowing you to study other related areas. You also have the opportunity to specialise in areas that reflect your career aims and objectives with modules that give you accountancy body exemptions.

You then get the chance to put what you’ve learnt into practice with a paid work placement in your third year. This is an excellent opportunity to gain an insight into the workings of a business, and employers really value this experience. You may even find it leads to the offer of a permanent job after you graduate.

All students returning from placement will study professional development modules to reflect and build on what they’ve learnt. Those students not going on placement will study financial decision making which aims to recreate some of the skills students would have developed on placement whilst also covering career planning and reflection.

After graduation you may be exempt from some of the examinations of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Key areas of study
This course gives you an in depth knowledge of accounting and finance and covers key areas such as • financial accounting • management accounting • corporate law • corporate finance • taxation • managing financial risks • ethics, social responsibility and corporate governance.

Enhanced study experience
We embed a wide range of extras into your course to enhance your study experience and to give you greater employability and technical skills after graduating. Visit the enhanced study media box to view examples of our many initiatives.