Accounting BA (Hons)

Curious about financial matters within companies? Want to kick-start your career with professional accreditations before you’ve even left university? Then we might just have the course for you. Our Accounting programme was developed together with professional bodies and industry-leading experts. This ensures you receive an education that is valued by the industry. Due to this recognised standard, you’ll also be able to get exemptions from various professional examinations. This means you can become a fully qualified accountant sooner.

You’ll study a global approach to accounting, exploring current trends and practices. You will combine knowledge of accounting, business, and the global economy. We know that practical skills are just as important as theoretical knowledge. You’ll have the chance to do a work placement – we'll help you find one – and even to learn an additional language. Fancy a European language, such as French, Spanish, or German? Or would you rather study Japanese or Mandarin? The choice is yours. No linguistic talent? That’s fine, too. Studying a language is optional, though recommended.

Our course is a blend of theory and practical skills, making you stand out to employers with a strong CV. Because of our connections with professional bodies and leading companies, you’ll benefit from a good professional network to start your career in this competitive world. Take advantage of networking with industry professionals at events that we’ll organise for you.

You can take additional accounting certifications and business diplomas while studying. For example, you can join the ACCA’s accelerate scheme and the CIMA university scheme, giving you associated membership of those bodies when you graduate. Who wouldn’t want to hire you? Recent Herts graduates have financial and management roles at Citibank, Amazon, PricewaterhouseCoopers, John Lewis, TUI, the NHS and even The Walt Disney Company.

This course offers exemptions from the professional examinations of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

In your first year, you’ll learn the principles of 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, 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.

In your final year, you will build on the foundation you have built in levels 4 and 5. You’ll take modules on advanced financial reporting and management accounting.