BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance

This course gives you a firm understanding of key business functions and the basic principles of accounting and finance. The course will also have modules specifically focused on your employability and developing and enhancing the skill necessary to thrive in your future career. 
 

In your first year, you’ll learn the principles of accounting and the basic mix of knowledge and skills you would require for a successful career in accounting. You’ll explore financial information within companies and corporations and learn to analyse it. There is a dedicated module focusing on professional skills, such as communication and IT-literacy. You’ll investigate the different sides of business and where your role as an accountant sits within these.  
 

In your second year, your accounting knowledge and skill will be developed and so will your employability. you’ll focus on financial reporting, management accounting and financial management. You’ll also learn methods of enquiry and problem solving to ensure you are ready to go out into the real world. This will give you an advantage when you start working, as you will have already developed all those essential skills while you were studying. 
 

Study abroad/work placement option: Between your second and third year, you can do an entire year abroad at one of our partner universities. They’re based in America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. That means plenty of places for you to go and explore. You can also do a year’s work placement abroad or in the UK. Want to go straight to your final year? That’s an option as well. 
 

In your final year, you will build on the foundation you have established in your first and second years but will also challenge the knowledge you have gained in those previous years so that you can influence change in your future career. You’ll take modules on advanced financial reporting and management accounting. You’ll also have the chance to pick options in areas that interest you, such as research methods, taxation, Islamic finance and banking or information systems. 
 

Your main campus is de Havilland 
 

You’ll share this campus with students from business, law, sport, education, and humanities subjects. The student housing is close to our Sports Village which includes a gym, swimming pool and climbing wall. You can get breakfast, lunch, or dinner in our on-campus restaurant or bar (in the newly built Enterprise Hub) on days you don’t feel like cooking. You can also use the common room to play pool, video games or just to hang out with friends. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.  
 

What will I study?
 

You will be studying four 15 credit modules in each semester (this may vary between double modules) and your contact time varies between modules, but usually you will have two sessions per week for each module, a one-hour lecture following by a one-hour seminar/tutorial. Typically, a new topic or theory will be introduced in each lecture and will be followed up with class discussion and feedback in the subsequent seminar. In addition, as part of your study time, you will be collaborating with your peers on tasks and group assignments. Module leaders also offer weekly drop-in and feedback sessions, usually 2 x 1 hour per module as well as revision sessions.
 

The University’s ‘online learning environment’ means you can access all your course resources, literature and timetables from anywhere in the world.
 

Usually, assessment is split between coursework and examinations. The style of coursework can vary from presentations to business reports and essays, depending on the taught topics.

Additional requirements
 

GCSE: Grade 4/C in English Language and Mathematics
 

All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.
 

If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.

UK Students
 

Full time

• £9250 for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

Part time

• £1155 per 15 credits for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

EU Students
 

Full time

• £14000 for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

Part time

• £1750 per 15 credits for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

International Students
 

Full time

• £14000 for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

Part time

• £1750 per 15 credits for the 2022/2023 academic year
   

*Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

Accounting and finance are thriving industries and talented graduates are always in demand. It’s a high-reward sector with excellent pay and opportunity to progress – potentially to finance director or chief executive level.
 

Every business needs accountancy and finance expertise, meaning there’s a great range of careers open to you. UK accountancy qualifications are respected worldwide, so you may even have opportunities overseas. Besides being an accountant, you could go into banking, general management, auditing, taxation, management accounting, actuary, underwriting, consultancy, trading, retail or investment banking.
 

Recent Hertfordshire graduates have financial and management roles at Citibank, Amazon, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, John Lewis, TUI, The Walt Disney Company and the NHS.
 

Around 95% of our graduates have gone on to work or further study within six months of finishing this course. Recent graduates have launched their careers in roles such as finance analyst, trainee accountant, payment plan administrator, estate accountant and accounts officer. Our graduates find opportunities with employers of all sizes, including major organisations such as PwC, Hewlett Packard, Costco, Hertfordshire County Council, the NHS, Price Bailey LLP, Mothercare, Cathedral Capital, Balfour Beatty Rail and TUI.