Apply now

Overview

The details

Course: Accounting and Management

UCAS code: NN24

Start date: October 2023

Study mode: Full-time

Maximum duration: 3 years

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Essex Business School

What drives an organisation’s decision making? How can accounting improve business performance? Combine your interests in both accounting and management to gain a unique skills set and career advantage.

Accountants and managers must work closely to interpret financial data and influence business performance. By understanding how both commercial functions operate, their priorities and unique vocabulary, you can work more effectively as a team to deliver organisational success.

Through BSc Accounting and Management you gain a foundation in financial accounting, management accounting, financial management, management and organisation studies, with an opportunity to develop expertise in a chosen specialism.

You’ll gain a broad understanding of accounting and management through studying a range of topics including:

accounting and financial reporting
prepare financial statements in accordance with UK GAAP
quantitative and qualitative management accounting systems
auditing
management theory and practice
organisational behaviour
business strategy leadership
human resource management

Our accounting and management degree will give you a strong grounding in financial and management accounting, with case studies applying accounting theory to practice. You learn how to manage people and organisations in complex global environments and develop the quantitative skills needed for strategic decision making.

In your first year, you are also introduced to topics such as marketing and finance. This ensures you gain a broad knowledge of core business areas and concepts which you can use throughout your degree and future career. As your course develops, you can choose from selected optional modules to tailor the programme to your career aspirations.

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.

BSc Accounting and Management is taught at Essex Business School. We are an internationally diverse school, committed to sustainable and ethical business practices.

Professional accreditation

Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations.

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations through the Accredited degree accelerated route.

Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales (ICAEW) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.

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 are ranked in the Top 150 for Business and Economics in THE World University Rankings by Subject 2023.
We teach you to be accountable, act ethically and make financial decisions that positively impact both organisations and society.
This course gives you exemptions from many professional exams, giving a head start to your career.

Study abroad

The four-year version of this course enables you to study abroad during your third year. In all other areas, this version of the course remains identical to the standard three-year variant.

You can study abroad with one of our exchange partners in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, the Middle East, Hong Kong and Japan. In doing so, you experience other cultures and languages, meet new people, and gain intercultural skills that are sought-after by employers.

Placement year

Alternatively, you could opt for a placement year to gain relevant work experience within an external business. A work placement can give you a competitive edge in the graduate job market and provide you with key contacts within the industry.

The Student Development Team can offer bespoke support throughout the process of researching, applying and interviewing for placements. However, it is your responsibility to apply, prepare for and secure your own role. Our students have gained placements with organisations such as BMW, Samsung and Cummins.

Our expert staff

You are taught by a highly qualified, enthusiastic team of academics and experienced, relevant practitioners with wide-ranging research interests. Their research is used in your lectures and seminars so you learn about the latest issues impacting business today.

Our staff specialise in areas including:

accounting and economic development in the public and third sectors
regulation, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility
human resource management
supply chain management
accounting and finance in developing economies
finance and banking
contemporary financial markets and their participants
Corporate governance in developing countries

Professor Thankom Arun is an active researcher and Professor of Global Development and Accountability in the Accounting Group at Essex Business School. His interdisciplinary research aims to understand the uneven relationships in accounting, finance and development, with a focus on emerging nations. On our accounting degrees, you will benefit from Professor Arun’s contemporary research which informs his approach to the application of accountancy.

Specialist facilities

Our BSc Accounting and Management 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 state-of-the-art trading floor with Bloomberg Financial Market Labs, where you’ll gain hands-on experience and learn how to utilise live business data
modern lecture theatres with ‘listen again’ recording to aid your study
study pods and innovation booths for group working
a café with and adjacent foyer to enjoy on-site fresh food and drink
study skills workshops and advice

Our business school is located on the University’s Knowledge Gateway, where you may be able to take advantage of networking and work experience opportunities with businesses located on site.

Your future

The dual disciplines of accounting and management will make you an attractive prospect for many graduate employers and will prepare you for a variety of careers, including: HR, management accounting, accountancy, management and consultancy.

We embed a series of core and specific skills into our undergraduate curriculum for BSc Accounting and Management to ensure that our graduates are suited to careers in finance, accounting and management roles.

All of our taught modules embed elements of our skills map which emulate the skills which are required by employers of accounting and management graduates, these generally include:

Academic and cognitive skills
Research skills
Technology skills
Communication skills
Data analysis skills
Soft skills

We embed a structured approach to student development and skills support throughout the curriculum and through additional support from the Essex Business School Learning Team.

Our students have gone on to become accountants, financial analysts, and management trainees, with recent graduate destinations including:

Media and Marketing Strategist at Generation of Disciples – a young adults fellowship
Audit Associate at EY - a multinational professional services firm
Stewardship and Communications Officer at a secondary academy group
Executive at PwC - a multinational professional services network

Our accounting and management graduates enjoy successful careers in their fields.

Additional to the skills development offered by Essex Business School, BSc Accounting and Management students can also take advantage of the University of Essex Careers Service which focuses in particular on supporting the development of undergraduate employability, including: careers fairs, career mentoring, skills development, careers advice and guidance, placement year support, job opportunities, start-up support and more.

I have loved both sides of my degree. I really like the theory part of accounting. It’s the conceptual part and the calculations that I find really interesting. For the management part there is this one module, Corporate and Social Responsibility, and it links into my career goals in marketing so well because you have to understand the responsibility you have as a marketer representing a brand to understand what your customers want and you can’t misrepresent!

Debbie Yeboa, BSc Accounting and Management, 2018

Find out more about Debbie's story.

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

GCSE: Mathematics C/4

A-levels: ABB

BTEC: DDD, depending on subject studied - advice on acceptability can be provided.

IB: 32 points or three Higher Level certificates with 655. Either must include Standard Level Mathematics grade 4, or a minimum of 3 in Higher Level Mathematics. We will accept grade 4 in either Standard Level Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Standard Level Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation.
Maths in the IB is not required if you have already achieved GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above or 4 in IB Middle Years Maths.
We are also happy to consider a combination of separate IB Diploma Programme courses (formerly certificates) at both Higher and Standard Level. Exact offer levels will vary depending on the range of subjects being taken at higher and standard level, and the course applied for.
We can also consider combinations with BTECs or other qualifications in the Career-related programme – the acceptability of BTECs and other qualifications depends on the subject studied, advice on acceptability can be provided. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for more information.

Access to HE Diploma: 15 level 3 credits at Distinction and 30 level 3 credits at Merit, depending on subject studied - advice on acceptability can be provided.

T-levels: Distinction, depending on subject studied -advice on acceptability can be provided.

What if I don’t achieve the grades I hoped?

If your final grades are not as high as you had hoped, the good news is you may still be able to secure a place with us on a course which includes a foundation year. Visit our undergraduate application information page for more details.

What if I have a non-traditional academic background?
Don’t worry. To gain a deeper knowledge of your course suitability, we will look at your educational and employment history, together with your personal statement and reference.

You may be considered for entry into Year 1 of your chosen course. Alternatively, some UK and EU applicants may be considered for Essex Pathways, an additional year of study (known as a foundation year/year 0) helping students gain the necessary skills and knowledge in order to succeed on their chosen course. You can find a list of Essex Pathways courses and entry requirements here

If you are a mature student, further information is here

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please select your country page where you'll find this information.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall. Different requirements apply for second year entry, and 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 listed above. 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

If you’re an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this 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 here.

Structure

Course structure

The course structure is designed to allow you to explore two contrasting sides of business.

In your first year our current students cover a variety of business essentials, designed to help you in a wide variety of potential careers. However, we are planning some changes to our first year and we’ll be tailoring it more closely to your chosen course. After that you’ll have accounting and financial management modules, which will focus mainly on the numbers, and management modules which will focus on people, organisations and strategy. You’ll also have some optional modules available to tailor your course to your own interests.

We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists. Please be aware that we are planning changes to our first year to make it more relevant to your chosen course.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, or in response to COVID-19, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

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 I

(15 CREDITS)

This module introduces financial accounting and basic principles and techniques needed to analyse and interpret financial statements. Although the module is intended as an introduction for students majoring in accounting it will also benefit students who wish to gain some insight into the practices of accounting. You’ll look at the nature and role of accounting and consider who uses accounting information and for what purposes. You’ll discuss the contents of annual reports, especially the narrative sections, and the qualitative characteristics of accounting information. Finally, the module will be concerned with key elements and the format of financial statements. You’ll earn to prepare company financial statements using trial balance and cover the techniques that can be used to analyse and interpret financial statements.

View Introduction to Accounting I on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Introduction to Accounting II

(15 CREDITS)

This module is intended for students majoring in accounting and those who have a keen interest in gaining an understanding of elementary financial accounting. Learn the basic principles and techniques for preparing and constructing a set of comprehensive financial statements. The module commences with an introduction to double-entry booking keeping and accounting equations that govern the recording of business transactions. You’ll then discuss the recognition and measurement principles for accounting for some key items in financial statements, including inventory, accruals, prepayments, long-term assets, and long-term finance, using International Financial Reporting Standards as reference. Finally, the preparation of financial statements from the trial balance for various types of entities, incorporating a variety of simple adjustments.

View Introduction to Accounting II on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Introduction to Management

(15 CREDITS)

Introduction to Management is a broad-ranging module intended to provide a foundation in the most significant issues in management theory and practice, as well as to prepare you for related modules in subsequent years of your degree course. Because theoretical explanations – i.e., academic interpretations of what managers do and even of what they say they do – and what managers actually do in real organisations on a day-to-day basis may differ, we will also draw out some of the connections and dis-junctures between management theory and management practice. Our teaching also emphasises the ethics of managing and how to balance the bottom line of the business with the organisation's wider responsibilities to society and other stakeholders.

View Introduction to Management on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Understanding Value and Values

(15 CREDITS)

In keeping with Essex Business School's research and intellectual strengths and interests in Business and Society, the overall aims are that students will learn about and critically reflect on the past, present, and futures of values, value and value creation. It will explore themes of what is considered "valuable" and why, along with different models of value creation. The latter will, of course, acknowledge the traditional business school focus on the private sector but move beyond this to include the public and third sectors as well as the social economy and frameworks for de-growth necessitated by the Climate Emergency Be well prepared for the world of work, management, and leadership in the 21st century.

View Understanding Value and Values on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

Quantitative Methods and Finance

(15 CREDITS)

Quantitative Methods and Finance is an introduction to the subject of quantitative methods and their applications in finance, accounting and management. The module is designed to provide a sound foundation for your future studies in finance, accounting or management. The topics covered include maths revision, the time value of money, rates of change (calculus), statistics, probability distributions and simple regression.

View Quantitative Methods and Finance on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: COMPULSORY

Introduction to Finance

(15 CREDITS)

Introduction to Finance is designed to give you an introduction to the wider finance subject area ass well as firm foundation for further studies in finance. You’ll gain a overview of 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. You’ll develop and be able to transmit knowledge about the financial system, instruments and markets and ideas about finance concepts and problems at an introductory level; be aware of, at an introductory level, different ways of thinking about and analysing financial phenomena; and, reflecting the principles of how we approach Finance at Essex Business School, you’ll gain an appreciation of the role that finance plays in society as whole.

View Introduction to Finance on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 07: COMPULSORY

Professional and Academic Development (Accounting)

(15 CREDITS)

A key module across all our Accounting coursers; Professional and Academic Development (Accounting) is a foundation in core academic skill requirements with the intention of improving the standard of work across all first-year modules. The module will also enable you to begin to focus on career planning and employability skills and establishing a career path. In addition, this module ensures all students have adequate access to their personal tutor on a regular basis. The primary aim of this module is to deliver a range of study skills and introduce professional development at the start of Essex Business School students’ undergraduate programmes.

View Professional and Academic Development (Accounting) on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 08: COMPULSORY

Business Economics

(15 CREDITS)

Giving you a broad overview of economics for business, The Business Economics module provides an introductory overview of modern economics, including examples in microeconomics that have a bearing on the world of business, i.e., the organisation of firms, the economic implications of their objectives, and the markets in which they operate, and examples in macroeconomics, i.e., the global environment where firms operate. You’ll gain a basic understanding of the key ideas in economics, both in micro and in macroeconomics, and to apply these to explain contemporary issues in the news, in the business world and policymaking.

View Business Economics 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

Organisational Behaviour

(15 CREDITS)

This module builds on your understanding of management, work and organisation, exploring how these concepts have evolved over time and how they are understood now. You look at how management theory relates to organisational practice, examine the social dynamics underpinning the field of organisation studies and analyse some of the most important themes affecting management today.

View Organisational Behaviour on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY

Research Methods in Management and Marketing

(15 CREDITS)

This module introduces quantitative and qualitative methods used in management and marketing research and demonstrates how they are applied in different settings. We explore the methodological, ethical and practical elements of designing business research and learn how to gather, review and analyse data from a variety of sources. You develop your presentation skills and learn how to plan, organise, manage and share research projects.

View Research Methods in Management and Marketing on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: 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 06: COMPULSORY

Leadership in Organisations

(15 CREDITS)

This module aims to develop your understanding of leadership in organisations. You explore a range of traditional and current leadership theories and relate these to business and managerial practice. You also examine business ethics and develop your team working, critical thinking and problem solving skills.

View Leadership in Organisations 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)

This module looks to deconstruct what accounting and regulation is, and the role of international standard setters and politics in standard setting. You will look at accounting theory which forms the foundations for the approaches to accounting that are currently taken in society, we will look at the way that this forms the conceptual framework and the discuss the measurement approaches that are taken. It continues with a more in-depth look at corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting, including discussions about recent initiatives as well as academic findings. You’ll then look at fair value accounting in terms of its valuation measurements, its strengths and weaknesses in comparison with historical cost accounting and its relationship with the global financial crisis. Other issues covered are of foreign currency translation - to compare the different methods which can be used to account for it. And issues related to Off-balance Sheet accounting with a particular focus on lease contracts and the role that these tools have played in encouraging opportunistic behaviours that lead to the bankruptcy of global companies and to the recent global financial crisis. Finally, you’ll discuss the accounting treatment of goodwill and other intangible assets.

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

Strategic Human Resource Management

(15 CREDITS)

Political, economic, and socio-cultural changes have culminated in the emergence of Human Resource Management (HRM) as a distinct function within many organisations. In particular, HRM has taken an increasingly strategic view of the organisations' employees as drivers of competitive advantage with primary HRM functions including recruitment and selection, performance and reward management, and training and development, which are correspondingly aligned with this aim. This is also accompanied by an increasing emphasis being placed on a host of new devolvement's including the use of digitised employee management systems and an emphasis on promoting organisational sustainability. This module will explore existing theories and approaches to contemporary strategic HRM, while also adopting a critical perspective on their impact and implementation. In doing so, it will consider how institutional and cultural contexts shape the ways in which employer-employee relationships are constructed, enforced, and normalised and will seek to highlight and explain the oft-observed gaps between theory and practice. This will enable you to develop a critical appreciation of strategic HRM challenges and an understanding of its potential impact on individuals, organisations, and the wider society.

View Strategic Human Resource Management on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: OPTIONAL

(45 CREDITS)

Placement

On a placement year you gain relevant work experience within an external business or organisation, giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market and providing you with key contacts within the industry. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.

Year abroad

On your year abroad, you have the opportunity to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.

Teaching

Teaching includes a combination of lectures, seminars and computer-based lab sessions
Modules delivered by experts in the field as well as guest speakers
Contribute and interact in lectures through the use of smart technology
Lecture presentations and notes are uploaded online beforehand to help you prepare in advance
Complete your final-year project in consultation with a personal supervisor

Assessment

Assessed through traditional methods of end-of-year exams and multiple choice questions in class tests and essays
Plus more innovative and creative assessments include laboratory work, poster presentations, real-business case problems and group presentations
Your first year marks do not count towards your final degree

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,250

International fee

£19,530

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.

2023 Open Days (Colchester Campus)

Saturday, June 17, 2023

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Find out more

Applications for our full-time undergraduate courses should be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Applications are online at: www.ucas.com. Full details on this process can be obtained from the UCAS website in the how to apply section.

Our UK students, and some of our EU and international students, who are still at school or college, can apply through their school. Your school will be able to check and then submit your completed application to UCAS. Our other international applicants (EU or worldwide) or independent applicants in the UK can also apply online through UCAS Apply.

The UCAS code for our University of Essex is ESSEX E70. The individual campus codes for our Loughton and Southend Campuses are 'L' and 'S' respectively.

For information on transferring from another university, applying when you are not at school or college, and applying for readmission, please see How to apply and entry requirements

Applicant Days

If you are an undergraduate student residing in the UK who has received an offer to study with us in October 2023, you will receive an email invitation to book onto one of our Applicant Days. Our Colchester Campus Applicant Days run from February to May 2023 on various Wednesdays and Saturdays, and our Southend Campus Applicant Days run from March to June 2023 on various weekdays and Saturdays. Applicant Days provide the opportunity to meet your department, tour our campus and accommodation, and chat to current students. We appreciate that travelling to university events can be expensive. This is why we have increased our Applicant Day Travel Bursary cap, allowing you to claim up to £150 as reimbursement for travel expenses. For further information about Applicant Days, including Terms and Conditions and eligibility criteria for our Travel Bursary, please visit our Applicant Days webpage.

If you are an overseas offer-holder, you will be invited to attend one of our virtual events. However, you are more than welcome to join us at one of our in-person Applicant Days if you are able to, so if you’d like to book a place, please contact our Applicant Day Team at applicantdays@essex.ac.uk

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.

Set within the 200-acre award-winning beautiful parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

Whether you are planning to visit us at one of our Open Days, or coming to an Applicant day. Our campus conveniently located and easy to reach by car, train or bus.

How to get to Colchester Campus, parking and other travel information

Find out more

View from Square 2 outside the Rab Butler Building looking towards Square 3

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.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.