Accounting and Finance BSc(Hons)

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Accredited by professional bodies, with exemptions from professional qualifications.
• Study at an ACCA Gold Learning Partner, which means we’re recognised for providing high-quality tuition and support.
• Hands-on learning via specialist Bloomberg terminals that give you access to data used on trading floors around the world.
• Specialise in areas like banking, FinTech and taxation through your choice of option modules.
• Learn from industry experts using real-life case studies.
• Graduate with a year of work experience when you choose a placement year.

Course structure

In your first year, you will acquire core knowledge and skills of accounting and finance, as well as basic principles of economics.

In your second year, you will learn about the transformation of financial reporting and accounting using modern management information systems, and through case studies you will also learn the fundamentals of business ethics, corporate governance and basic principles of corporate taxation.

As you progress, the flexibility of this course allows you to tailor your learning to your interests through option modules, many of which attract exemptions from professional bodies.

You can choose to take a paid placement year between your second and third year, which allows you to put your learning into practice and improves your skills and employability.

In your final year, you will become more critical and analytical in your thinking, applying your skills to problem solving whilst also focusing on key subjects of your choice.

Learning on the BSc(Hons) Accountancy and Finance degree is delivered through a stimulating mix of seminars, academic and industry lectures and workshops. You will mainly be assessed through group work, presentations, exams and essays.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. If you apply to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 1

In your first year, you will be introduced to the core disciplines of economics, finance and accounting.

Modules

• Fundamentals of Management Accounting

  This module introduces the concepts, principles and techniques of management accounting, essential to the world of business and finance. Alongside the Fundamentals of Financial Accounting you'll gain a foundation of knowledge that will support you as you build further understanding of basic accounting data flows within an organisation, as well as preparation of financial and managerial reports.

• Fundamentals of Financial Accounting

  This module introduces the concepts, principles and techniques of financial accounting, which are essential to the world of business and finance. Alongside the knowledge you'll develop on Fundamentals of Management Accounting you'll build a foundation of information to support your understanding of basic accounting data flows within an organisation, as well as preparation of financial reports. You'll also explore the preparation, and interpretation, of company accounts for internal and external stakeholders.

• Business Economics

  This module is an exploration of key economic concepts. You will develop your understanding of these concepts by using them to understand contemporary issues within the world of business and through applying quantitative techniques. You'll also gain an understanding of how political, economic and environmental factors influence the world of business.

• Financial Skills

  The module will help you to develop confident mathematical skills to solve financial problems. You'll explore a wide range of mathematical techniques to develop and enhance your capacity for solving practical problems. The areas covered on this module include arithmetic, algebra with elements of pre-calculus, probabilities and statistics.

• Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management

  This module will introduce you to a range of concepts, principles and theories that have been adopted within the study of organisational behaviour and human resource management.

  This module will provide you with a grounding for understanding how people are managed and organised in the workplace.

• Academic and Professional Skills

  This module will provide you with the underpinning skills and strategies required to study successfully at undergraduate level as well as developing attributes that contribute to employability. You'll also gain the practical professional skills to confidently use spreadsheet software to present financial information and as an analytical tool.

Year 2

In your second year, you will take more advanced modules to build upon the topics from your first year, equipping you with the required skills for a career in finance.

Placement year

The paid work placement year is a vital part of the course. It gives you the chance to apply your learning to real-life situations and challenges, to meet and network with potential employers, and have opportunities to get real work experience before you graduate – something that employers value highly.

Our students have completed placements at:

• American Express
• Bank of America
• Merrill Lynch
• Credit Suisse
• Dow Jones
• Ernst & Young
• Financial Services Authority
• FTSE Group
• HM Revenue and Customs
• KPMG
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
• The Bank of England.

On your placement, you will complete a business project. This project contributes to your degree and, depending on the topic you choose, could provide valuable insight for your placement employer.

Final year

In addition to tailoring your degree through option modules such as international finance, taxation and auditing, you will learn practical skills such as financial reporting. Depending on your module choices, this may give you exemptions from the examinations of the accrediting bodies.

Modules

Core modules

• Financial and Corporate Reporting

  This module examines the areas that will need to be considered by accountants of the future. Using your knowledge of financial accounting, you'll explore them in the context of financial and corporate reporting to more advanced financial reporting for companies and groups.

• Finance and Risk Management

  This module focuses on financial management, and mainly the issues that affect corporate financial managers. It has two parts: the first deals with applied topics in corporate finance and the second explores risk management tools and techniques. Areas covered include an appreciation of financial risk management and the use of derivatives, and analysis of capital structure and investment decisions.

• Management Control Systems

  On this module you'll draw on the technical understanding gained in management accounting modules in years 1 and 2. You'll develop a comprehensive understanding of operational and management control systems, and explore alternative perspectives of the role of management accounting in organisations and society.

Options*

• Taxation

  This module introduces the UK tax system and considers the basics of tax planning opportunities and techniques.

• Fintech (Financial Technologies)

  This module explores how fintech is reshaping the financial services ecosystem with emphasis on regulation, competition and financing of innovation. You'll examine payments, deposits and lending, blockchain, insurance (insurtech), open banking, capital raising, wealth management and market provisioning domains. You'll have the opportunity to learn from guest lecturers from fintechs and banks plus gain hands-on experience through solving case studies.

• Audit and Assurance

  This module will develop your understanding of the critical aspects of carrying out assurance engagements including statutory audit engagements, and their application in the context of the professional regulatory framework. You'll focus on applying theory to case studies and current issues facing auditors in the UK.

• Carbon Accounting

  The module covers the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GGP) with its Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions as well as associated issues such as net-zero, carbon offsets and certification processes. You'll use University of Brighton HESA Estates data to demonstrate your understanding of GGP and to explore potential mitigating strategies. You'll also undertake a short (equivalent of two days) consultancy with local small businesses to understand their emissions.

• Investment Management

  On this module you'll use what you've learned so far on your course to understand current best practice in investment analysis considering a variety of asset classes, and apply your knowledge to the managing of institutional investment portfolios.

• Banking and Money

  This module introduces the study of banking and money. You'll cover two broad areas:

  • the microeconomic and managerial aspects of banking, such as the bank risk, efficiency, competition and performance
  • the macroeconomic elements of banking instability, the role of banks in the monetary transmission mechanism, the interplay between banks, regulators and policy makers, and the role of banks in setting the interest rates.
• International Finance

  This module takes the areas of finance and financial management that you have studied before in a domestic setting, and looks at how the domestic theory alters in an international setting because of factors such as exchange rates and country risk. You'll also be introduced to the international financial management complexities associated with the foreign direct investment decisions of multinational companies.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Course leader

Bobby Kahlon

Bobby is a senior lecturer at the School of Business and Law. 

He is course leader for our Accounting and Finance BSc(Hons) degree. 

Course fees

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,500 for UK students and £1,850 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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