Accounting and Finance BSc

Summary

Accounting and finance are woven into the fabric of our everyday lives and form an essential ingredient in any effective modern organisation. This popular undergraduate accounting and finance degree course gives students a critical insight into familiar, though often poorly understood, concepts such as profit and loss, cost and value for money.

Key facts

UCAS code: N400

Duration: 3 years

Start date: September 2013 (Check to see if this course is receiving applications for September 2012)

Places available: 110

Applications in 2011: 861

Professional accreditation:

Depending on the options you choose, you may be able to gain partial exemption from the examinations of professional bodies such as ICAEW, CIMA and ACCA. This will depend on the options chosen in your second and final years.

Entry requirements

Number of A levels required: 3

Typical offer: AAB

Required subjects and grades: All Business courses require GCSE Mathematics at grade B and GCSE English at grade C if not offered at AS or A2 level

General Studies: not accepted as one of three A2s, but a good performance may be taken into account if you fail to meet the conditions of the offer and have General Studies as a fourth A2.

Additional information:

Other qualifications are considered – learn more about entry requirements

International students:

International Baccalaureate Diploma: 35–36 points

Standard English language requirements apply
Learn more about international entry requirements

Contact details

Admissions Tutor: Dr Paul Cox
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 2929
Email: bscacc-finadmissions@bham.ac.uk

How to apply

Apply through UCAS at www.ucas.com 
Learn more about applying

Fees and funding

Standard fees apply
Learn more about fees and funding 

Scholarships 
Learn more about our scholarships and awards

Programme overview

Accounting and finance are woven into the fabric of our everyday lives and form an essential ingredient in any effective modern organisation. This popular accounting and finance degree programme gives students a critical insight into familiar, though often poorly understood, concepts such as profit and loss, cost and value for money.

These terms are the ways in which business and public policy decisions are often explained and justified. Being trained to provide and advise on the use of such concepts, and how they relate to the real world, forms the substance of this accounting and finance programme.

First year 

This year provides a basic knowledge of the general business context in which accounting and finance take place, ranging widely over topics such as accounting, finance, economics, law, management, quantitative methods and information technology.

A feature of the accounting and finance degree in the first year is our Professional Skills course. This aims to develop good information retrieval skills, incisive writing ability and confident oral presentation skills through projects that focus on the role of accounting and finance information in the business world. The programme also includes a compulsory three-day teambuilding session at the University’s outdoor pursuits centre in the Lake District.

Second year

Work in this year builds on the basic accounting and finance knowledge gained in the first year. It also explores auditing, taxation and accounting information systems, and completes your essential business studies with courses in Personnel Management, Marketing, and Business Law.

Third year

Your compulsory Accounting and Finance courses bring your technical competence to a high level and also reach into the areas of policy-making and management. Alongside these courses are options including Marketing, International Corporate Governance, Strategic Management, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Studies, Risk Management and Insurance, and Financial Statement Analysis. You also write an extended essay on a topic of your choice.

Career opportunities

As well as giving exemption from several examinations of professional accountancy bodies (for example, ICAEW, ACCA and CIMA), your degree equips you to pursue a career as an accountant in business, professional practice or the public sector. Our graduates also work successfully in finance institutions and many prefer to follow a career in general business management. Strong links with the major accountancy and financial services firms have helped our students in shaping their future careers.

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Course Structure

This degree is a solid foundation if you want to develop a career in accounting, auditing, financial services or to pursue more general commercial interests.

The Business School has strong links with professional accountancy firms andlocal businesses such as Deloitte, KPMG, PwC and Ernst & Young. As a result,this degree programme in Accounting and Finance has a strong practical focus aswell as exploring theoretical aspects.

First Year

Core modules

  • Business Organisation and Management
  • International Macroeconomics and Financial Markets
  • Introduction to Economics
  • General Principles of English law
  • Introduction to Finance and Management Accounting
  • Basic Accounting
  • Professional Skills

Optional modules

Choose one from

  • Analytical Techniques for Business and IT A
  • Analytical Techniques for Business and IT B
  • Analytical Techniques for Business and IT C

Second Year

Core modules

  • Company Accounting and Accounting Theory
  • Corporate Financial Management (LI)
  • Human Resource Management
  • Information Systems for Accounting
  • Introduction to Marketing Principles
  • Auditing
  • Business Law A & B
  • Taxation
  • Management Accounting

Third Year

Core modules

  • Advanced Accounting Theory and Policy
  • Advanced Financial Accounting
  • Advanced Management Accounting
  • Advanced Finance
  • LH Extended Essay

Optional modules - choose from:



  • Advanced Financial Statement Analysis for Undergraduates
  • Public Sector Accounting
  • Business to Business Marketing
  • Comparative and International Taxation
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Information Communication Technology and Accounting
  • International Corporate Governance
  • International Human Resource Management
  • Marketing Ethics
  • eMarketing
  • Strategic Management
  • Marketing Communications

Why study Accounting and Finance BSc at Birmingham?

The courses in the degree are continually being revised and updated to meet contemporary professional and business needs. This means that you will be studying for a degree that incorporates current local and international accounting standards, corporate governance requirements and key developments in finance and information technology. Depending on the options you choose, exemptions from professional exams for bodies such as ICAEW, CIMA, ACCA, ACT, CII and ICAS are available.

Employability

Add value to your degree with the Careers and Employability Centre

Our employability service is continuously enhancing its range and quality of service in order to help you identify and achieve your individual career aspirations, source great work experience and jobs, enhance your skills and take an enterprising approach to developing your career. 

Investing in your future

Preparation for your future career is likely to be an important factor as you choose a university and we realise that your time at Birmingham is about more than your academic studies, it is about equipping yourself with the right skills to ensure that you succeed in a competitive employment market. 

We recognise this and Birmingham is unique in the fact that it is investing extensively in a tailored employability service for its students. From customised careers guidance and high quality internships to an accredited personal skills programme and global internship opportunities, the wide range of options available to you will ensure that you are uniquely prepared for life after university. 

Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP “The University of Birmingham produces enthusiastic, motivated individuals who are ready to enter the world with us.”

Your College Careers Team

Each College has a dedicated employability team, who will be able to offer you:

  • Careers consultancy and careers guidance tailored to your academic subject area
  • Assistance with finding internship opportunities and work experience
  • Individual advice about your applications and CV

The College careers employability team consists of careers advisers, job application support staff and internship officers who can give you specialist support within your college.

Employer Relations

The Employer Relations Team work with top Graduate Recruiters to support students and graduates with their career choice and that all important selection process. We host Careers Fairs; both general and industry sector specific, interactive skills sessions, workshops, presentations, specialist skills programmes and College specific tailored events in conjunction with employers such as Deloitte, Accenture, PWC, KPMG, Ernst & Young and many more. 

Experience in the real world

The expansion of the University’s work experience offering and bursary programme will see more of our talented students being able to:

  • experience commercial environments
  • develop professional and transferable work skills
  • work with our experienced alumni 
  • build a competitive advantage in their graduate job search and career planning

Personal Skills Award (PSA)

Special features of our service include:
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation, a dedicated team providing support to students setting up a business
  • A CV advice service run by members of our unique Student Paraprofessional Team
  • The Alumni Leadership Mentoring Programme, a number of high profile Birmingham alumni providing one-to-one mentoring to selected students throughout their final year.
  • Careers workshops and events for International students.
  • A ‘Careers in Business’ team providing specialist support for our postgraduate Business School students 

Student Profile: Melvin Tay

(BSc Accounting and Finance - Final Year Student)

Studying in such an international class and mixing with my friends from other countries is something that makes me want to come to university everyday.  I would definitely say to anyone considering it – come and experience university life at Birmingham.

Melvin came to Birmingham after completing his NationalService in Singapore.  He was keen to study abroad and after seeing theuniversity prospectus and speaking to friends who had studied atBirmingham University, he was encouraged by all the positive commentshe received. Melvin, who is due to graduate this summer has alreadyachieved top marks in his first two years and will train to be aChartered Accountant following his degree.  

"The support has been great both from Academics and support staff in the Undergraduate office.  The Business School facilities are excellent and the VLE (virtual learning environment) has been very useful as you can submit work online from home.  I’ve got lots of memories from my time here; I was involved in the Accounting Society and made many friends from all over the world.  It really opened my mind to new opportunities, studying in such an international class and mixing with my friends from other countries is something that makes me want to come to university everyday.  I would definitely say to anyone considering it – come and experience university life at Birmingham.”