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. 

UCAS points	A Level	BTEC
112 - 120	BBC - BBB	DMM - DDM

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.

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.