Undergraduate Course

BSc Accounting and Finance

(Including Foundation Year)

Now In Clearing

Overview

The details

Course: Accounting and Finance (Including Foundation Year)

UCAS code: NN43

Start date: October 2021

Study mode: Full-time

Maximum duration: 4 years

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Essex Pathways

Our BSc Accounting and Finance (including foundation year) is open to Home and EU students. It will be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for the three-year version of this course and you want a programme that increases your subject knowledge as well as improves your academic skills.

This four-year course includes a foundation year (Year Zero), followed by a further three years of study. During your Year Zero, you study four academic subjects relevant to your chosen course, preparing you for a further three years of undergraduate study, as well as a compulsory English language and academic skills module.

You are an Essex student from day one, a member of our global community based at the most internationally diverse campus university in the UK.

After successful completion of Year Zero in our Essex Pathways Department, you progress to complete your course with Essex Business School.

Our BSc Accounting and Finance degree provides access to our virtual trading floor, where you make use of real-world Bloomberg Market Data Feed (B-PIPE), information and analytics to practice trading stocks and securities in the type of environment found in City finance firms.

You study a wide range of topics and develop your quantitative skills, giving you the flexibility to pursue a career in finance, accounting or business management after graduation. You’ll explore areas such as:

the preparation of financial statements and budgets
accounting standards and corporate governance
financial theory
portfolio management
options and futures markets
risk management

BSc Accounting and Finance includes an introductory first year to familiarise you with wider business topics, such as management, marketing and economics.

In your final year, you have the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice by completing an in-depth, independent research project or dissertation. This will give you the chance to further develop vital employability skills in areas of research, time management and critical thinking.

The University of Essex is one of just three UK universities to have received Q-Step Affiliate status, including for our BSc Accounting and Finance course, to support the way we develop the quantitative skills of our graduates.

This means we can provide work placement bursaries to develop your skills in evaluating numerical evidence, analysing data and designing research. We also offer the opportunity to follow a specialised degree path, where you graduate with enhanced quantitative skills. These are evidenced on your degree transcript, to help give you the competitive edge in the graduate job market.

BSc Accounting and Finance is taught at Essex Business School. Our finance group is one of the largest and most respected in the country and our students and staff join us from all over the world.

We not only teach you how financial information underpins leadership, strategy and planning, but how financial decisions can impact society and the economy. We develop your understanding of governance and ethics, so you can take actions for the good of organisations and the wider world.

Essex Business School is an Investment Management Certificate (IMC) Advantage Partner and this course is aligned to the IMC syllabus, the industry’s benchmark entry-level qualification.

Professional accreditation

Completion of this course gives you accreditation exemptions from up to nine professional examination papers with The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Depending on the module options you choose during your studies, you can currently obtain up to seven exemptions from professional examinations awarded by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

This course also enables you to take up to five exemptions for certificate level examinations offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

This means that you can gain a professional qualification by taking fewer exams when you graduate, giving your career a head start.

Why we're great.

We equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed at Essex and beyond.
At Essex Business School, we teach you to be accountable, act ethically and make financial decisions that positively impact both organisations and society.
Small class sizes in year zero allow you to work closely with your teachers and classmates.

THE Awards 2018 - Winner University of the Year

Our expert staff

You learn from academics and industry practitioners whose research continues to have a real-world impact. Many of our highly qualified and enthusiastic team are published in world-leading journals and publications.

Our staff specialise in areas including:

accounting and economic development in the public and third sectors
regulation and corporate social responsibility
finance and banking
accounting and finance in emerging economies
corporate governance in developing countries
contemporary financial markets and their participants

Our staff embed the latest research into your course, so you learn about real-world issues affecting business right now.

Professor of Banking and Finance, Claudia Girardone, leads the way in finance research as Director of the Essex Finance Centre (EFiC), our long-established and world-renowned teaching excellence and research centre in finance and banking. Professor Girardone is also Director of Research for Essex Business School and leads on embedding EFiC group research in the curriculum. You will benefit from her application of banking sector performance indicators and corporate governance in our finance programmes.

Specialist facilities

Our BSc Accounting and Finance is based at our Colchester Campus.

In our landmark Essex Business School building - the first zero carbon business school in the UK - you’ll see our sustainable approach to business first-hand. Set around a lush winter garden, are a wealth of inspiring teaching and study zones.

Our custom designed building provides you with superb facilities:

a virtual trading floor with Bloomberg Terminals offering direct use of Bloomberg data, information and analytics
access to X_TRADER, industry-leading software for trading multiple markets from a single screen
light and spacious lecture theatres with ‘listen again’ recording to aid your study
study pods and innovation booths for group working
a café and adjacent foyer to enjoy on-site fresh food and drink
study skills support provided by the Essex Business School Learning Team

Discover our trading floor:

Our Colchester building is located on the Knowledge Gateway, an innovation park housing some of the East of England’s most exciting science, technology and creative businesses. Parkside Office Village sits on the site, providing potential opportunities for networking, internships and work experience directly on campus.

Your future

The dual disciplines of accounting and finance means that you will be well suited to sector specific roles in chartered accountancy and management accountancy as well as more generalist roles such as management consultancy or financial management.

The financial services sector is highly competitive but it also a huge employer of graduates and the skills you will gain in quantitative analysis, accountancy practices, commerce and market analysis will make you an attractive prospect.

Many of our graduates go on to graduate accountancy or financial associate roles straight after graduation as Essex Business School prepares you for the world of work from day one.

The BSc Accounting and Finance curriculum taught here embeds transferable employability skills in analysis, critical thinking, presentation and communication across all modules.

The Study Skills module in year one will develop your academic skills, while the Student Success modules in year two will build on what you learned in year one and so that you can easily step up to meet the growing academic demands of your second and final years. The Successful Futures module in year two will foster your professionalism and introduce you to the graduate recruitment process, including practical advice to excel at interviews and assessment centres.

Recent graduate destinations include:

Junior Tax Consultant at Deloitte – the multinational and financial services network
Treasury Analyst at Hiscox, a multinational business insurance and home insurance provider
Junior Consultant - Valuation & Advisory at Cushman & Wakefield – commercial property and real estate consultants
Private Client Tax Senior Associate at PwC - a multinational professional services network
Global Finance & Business Analyst at J.P. Morgan – global financial services provider

The School will support you with a range of skills and careers opportunities, including: skills development workshops; employer talks; skills events and careers conferences.

BSc Accounting and Finance students can also take advantage of the services offered by the Student Development Team, including: careers advice; work experience; internships; placements; and voluntary opportunities.

"I chose to study Accounting and Finance because at sixth form I studied accounting, business, economic, maths and further maths so all my subjects were linked to accounting and finance. I realised I liked the subject and chose to study further at university.

I love maths, however, enjoying and loving maths does not equal to being good at maths! But, you’ve got to do something you enjoy. I was doing just BSc Accounting at first but at the end of my first year I changed my degree to BSc Accounting and Finance because I really enjoyed the finance modules in my first year because there was loads of algebra and maths in it so I thought “why don’t I take that up?”. It adds a little more spice to my degree, it’s a dual degree so I can go to both branches and it gives me more options."

Fia Almanda, BSc Accounting and Finance, 2019

Find out more about Fia's story.

Entry requirements

Clearing entry requirements

Specific entry requirements for this course in Clearing are not published here but for most of our degree courses you will need to hold a Level 3 qualification. If you are interested in applying and have already received your results, use our Clearing application form to apply for 2021 entry and find out if you are eligible. You will be asked to provide details of your qualifications and grades.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 5.5 overall. Specified component grades are also required for applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK.

Other English language qualifications may be acceptable so please contact us for further details. If we accept the English component of an international qualification then it will be included in the information given about the academic levels required. Please note that date restrictions may apply to some English language qualifications

If you are an international student requiring a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

Our Year 0 courses are only open to UK and EU applicants. If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to your chosen degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College.

Structure

Course structure

The structure of this course provides you with an in depth look at key areas of both accounting and finance. As well as modules focussing mainly on the numbers you’ll also put these into perspective and learn how managers use accounting and financial information to make decisions.

Year zero provides with you the necessary skills and knowledge in order for you to progress onto your chosen area of study. Successful completion of year zero guarantees you entry to the first year of your undergraduate degree course.

In the first year you’ll also cover wider business topics that every manager needs to know. In the second and third year you’ll have optional modules and by picking certain modules you’ll be able to maximise the number of exemptions available to you from bodies such as ACCA.

We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The course content is therefore reviewed on an annual basis to ensure our courses remain up-to-date so modules listed are subject to change.

Teaching and learning disclaimer

Following the impact of the pandemic, we made changes to our teaching and assessment to ensure our current students could continue with their studies uninterrupted and safely. These changes included courses being taught through blended delivery, normally including some face-to-face teaching, online provision, or a combination of both across the year.

The teaching and assessment methods listed show what is currently planned for 2021 entry; changes may be necessary if, by the beginning of this course, we need to adapt the way we’re delivering them due to the external environment, and to allow you to continue to receive the best education possible safely and seamlessly.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Introduction to Accounting and Finance

(30 CREDITS)

The module aims to provide students with a basic understanding of essential elements of Financial Accounting and Corporate Finance. The syllabus will cover growth-mindset and planning, types of business, financial statements, ratio analysis, corporate finance functions, long-term and short-term finance, financing strategies, investment appraisal and Portfolio Theory.

View Introduction to Accounting and Finance on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Introduction to Economics

(30 CREDITS)

What is economics? And what are the main economic theories and principles? Build your understanding, studying topics in microeconomics and macroeconomics. Develop your knowledge of economic implications and build your analytic skills in using simple mathematical techniques and economic diagrams.

View Introduction to Economics on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Mathematics and Statistics for Economics and Business

(30 CREDITS)

Want to use mathematical techniques to solve problems? And to calculate basic statistical measures? Develop mathematical skills like number work, algebra, geometry, probability and statistics that can be used on any course requiring mathematics above Higher GCSE standard. Learn to solve relevant problems and know how to present data clearly.

View Mathematics and Statistics for Economics and Business on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Research and Academic Development Skills

(30 CREDITS)

Academic Skills covers the key areas that you will experience during your degree, preparing you for aspects of academic study at undergraduate level. The module enables you to develop and enhance your existing abilities by focusing on the core skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking in an academic context. It does this with both generic texts and also, crucially, those related to your subject area. Academic Skills provides strategies for successful communication and interaction through independent and collaborative learning offering opportunity to further enhance your research skills. The content is designed to ensure that you acquire a range of transferable employability and life skills.

View Research and Academic Development Skills on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Introduction to Accounting

(30 CREDITS)

Accounting has a lot to do with numbers, however it isn’t just about keeping track of money coming into and out of a firm. In this introductory module you’ll discuss the true nature and role of accounting and will consider who uses accounting information and for what purpose. You’ll also be introduced to the role of regulation in governing accounting practice. This module provides essential skills and information you need to know whether you want to become an accountant, be a manager or start your own company.

View Introduction to Accounting on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Quantitative Methods and Finance

(30 CREDITS)

Throughout your career you’ll likely need to make use of a wide variety of quantitative techniques, particularly those related to accounting, finance and management. In this module you’ll revise your previous maths knowledge whilst also considering the time value of money, rates of change, probability and statistics and making extensive use of Excel for applying statistical techniques. You also study the financial system, instruments and markets and ideas about finance concepts and problems. The topics covered include investment companies, return and risk, and behavioural finance.

View Quantitative Methods and Finance on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Economics for Business

(30 CREDITS)

Join experts from our Department of Economics for your essential introduction to economics that business managers and leaders need to know. How are firms organised? What are the economic implications of this? And how does it affect the markets in which they operate? Develop an understanding of the central concepts of economics, then learn how to apply these principles to economic problems.

View Economics for Business on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Introduction to Management and Marketing

(30 CREDITS)

When studying management and marketing you’ll often find out that it is all about people. An organisation isn’t made up of buildings and equipment, but of individual people. In this introductory module you’ll consider a wide variety of important management issues, and in line with our Essex beliefs, you’ll consider ethical implications and the responsibilities which organsiations have to society and other stakeholders. You’ll also begin to consider how there may be significant gaps between management theory and real life.

View Introduction to Management and Marketing on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

Research and Study Skills for Professional Development

(0 CREDITS)

Studying at university may be very different to your previous experiences. This module encourages you to become an active, independent learner, with the ability to reflect on business situations and form your own opinions, ensuring you can perform to your full academic and professional potential. We explore the importance of referencing, constructing a coherent argument and developing writing skills for a variety of purposes, such as academic essays, exams and reports. We develop your analytical skills, critical thinking, presentation and communication skills to help you get the most from your time at university.

View Research and Study Skills for Professional Development on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY

Student Success Tutorial

(0 CREDITS)

At Essex Business School we offer all our students a wide variety of support throughout your time with us. In this module we’ll introduce you to effective study techniques and tools, including letting you know about the study skills support and resources available to you. You receive guidance on your academic progress, as well as your personal and professional development. These sessions offer you the opportunity to meet and develop networks and connections within the School and provide key support throughout your first year by helping you to develop the skills and learning strategies needed throughout your degree.

View Student Success Tutorial on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY

Financial Reporting and Analysis

(30 CREDITS)

Extend your knowledge of financial accounting by mastering the preparation and analysis of the published financial statements of limited companies operating on their own, or within group structures. You investigate the regulation of financial reporting, the function and content of the main published statements, and problems connected with the treatment of taxation, depreciation, and specific aspects of the asset-expense distinction.

View Financial Reporting and Analysis on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY

Management Accounting I

(15 CREDITS)

Management accounting enables you to provide three key areas of information to any business: costing, decision-making, and planning and control. In this module you focus on costing, but also see how this area overlaps with the other two, as all three areas always interact. You also develop your knowledge and understanding of management accounting and the context in which it operates.

View Management Accounting I on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY

Corporate Finance

(15 CREDITS)

Explore how financial theory can aid financial decision-making in corporations. You discover how to apply the value maximization principle to corporate decisions, such as investment decision, borrowing decisions, and dividend decisions.

View Corporate Finance on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Financial Modelling

(15 CREDITS)

This module introduces students to quantitative methods that can be used to empirically analyse some of the theories introduced during other finance modules on their programmes, including asset pricing, portfolio analysis and corporate finance. With extensive use of appropriate quantitative software (EViews) students will be able to use real data to analyse financial models. An important component of the module involves using classical statistical concepts to test hypotheses relating to financial models.

View Financial Modelling on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

Portfolio Analysis

(15 CREDITS)

What is the appropriate measure of risk for a particular security? How might an investor decide on the weightings of different assets in his/her portfolio? How can we identify mispriced stocks? Should you invest your savings in an actively managed fund or in a passive fund? You consider the main theories of risk and return and explore the implications of these theories for investors' decisions.

View Portfolio Analysis on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY

Management Accounting II

(15 CREDITS)

Develop your understanding of the role of management accounting in organisational decision-making and control. You explore the uses of management accounting information in facilitating planning, control and decision making by managers.

View Management Accounting II on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 07: OPTIONAL

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 08: COMPULSORY

Successful Futures

(0 CREDITS)

This module links subject understanding to employability, ensuring you’re prepared to take advantage of graduate opportunities at the point they’re advertised. You gain an understanding of the graduate labour market and recruitment processes, as well as timelines for recruitment and interview and assessment centre techniques. You also learn about options for postgraduate study.

View Successful Futures on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 09: COMPULSORY

Student Success Tutorial

(0 CREDITS)

This compulsory module equips you with effective study practices to excel in your second year at Essex Business School. It gives your guidance on how to use feedback effectively to improve and develop your academic skills and improve your performance. It provides the opportunity to create an action plan for your personal and professional development whilst at university.

View Student Success Tutorial on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY

Current Issues in Financial Reporting

(30 CREDITS)

What does accounting do and why, and what is done in the name of accounting but might <i>not</i> be accounting? Does accounting enable us to talk or does it erect barriers around issues so that the debate is silenced or limited? Who should make accounting standards? Should it be the state, professional bodies or some private interests? These are some of the key issues facing producers, consumers, and regulators of corporate financial reports.

View Current Issues in Financial Reporting on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY

Advanced Management Accounting

(15 CREDITS)

Management accounting serves the purpose of identifying, measuring and communicating economic information to permit management and workforce make informed judgements and decisions. Investigate the technical issues in cost management and performance measurement systems, and wider issues concerning the role of management accounting in shaping management structures and decisions in manufacturing and service contexts.

View Advanced Management Accounting on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: COMPULSORY

Options and Futures

(15 CREDITS)

In this module you study the derivative market, in particular, futures and options markets. You explore various futures markets including the stock index, FX, commodities and interest rate contracts, how they are priced and hedged, and different trading strategies; as well as considering different option positions, the relationship between call and put option prices, and trading strategies.

View Options and Futures on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Risk Management and Financial Institutions

(15 CREDITS)

The (mis)use of financial derivatives can potentially have catastrophic consequences for those who acquire them. And yet in recent years derivatives have become increasingly important, both for the financial sector and for the wider economy. On this course you discover how risk can be managed with the use of derivative instruments.

View Risk Management and Financial Institutions on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 06: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

Teaching

Your teaching mainly takes the form of lectures and classes, the latter involving about 20 students
You can contribute and interact in lectures through the use of smart technology
A typical timetable includes a one-hour lecture and a one-hour class for each of your four modules every week
Any language classes involve language laboratory sessions
Our classes are run in small groups, so you receive a lot of individual attention

Assessment

Your assessed coursework will generally consist of essays, reports, in-class tests, individual or group oral presentations, and small scale research projects

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,250

International fee

£16,850

EU students commencing their course in the 2021-22 academic year will be liable for the International fee.

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Home/UK fees and funding information

International fees and funding information

What's next

Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.

2021 Open Days (Colchester Campus)

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Find out more

How to apply during Clearing

Once you’ve checked that we have the right course for you, applying couldn’t be simpler. Fill in our quick and easy Clearing application form with as much detail as you can. We’ll then take a look and get back to you with a decision. There’s no need to call us to apply; just do it all online.

Find out more about Clearing

Interviews

We don’t interview all applicants during Clearing, however, we will only make offers for the following course after a successful interview:

BA Multimedia Journalism
BSc Nursing (Adult)
BSc Nursing (Mental Health)
BA Social Work

The interview allows our academics to find out more about you, and in turn you’ll be able to ask us any questions you might have. Further details will be emailed to you if you are shortlisted for interview.

Apply now

Home to 15,000 students from more than 130 countries, our Colchester Campus is the largest of our three sites, making us one of the most internationally diverse campuses on the planet - we like to think of ourselves as the world in one place.

The Campus is set within 200 acres of beautiful parkland, located two miles from the historic town centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded town. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

How to get to Colchester Campus

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If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tours allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our Colchester virtual tour and Southend virtual tour to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

Our staff travel the world to speak to people about the courses on offer at Essex. Take a look at our list of exhibition dates to see if we’ll be near you in the future.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

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