Guide to studying Accounting & Finance

CONTENTS

1. What's Accounting & Finance?

2. Why study Accounting & Finance?

3. What jobs can you get as an Accounting & Finance graduate?

4. What do graduates do and earn?

5. What qualifications do you need?

6. What degrees can you study?

7. How will you be assessed?

8. What are the postgraduate opportunities?

What's Accounting & Finance?

Accounting & Finance involves the concepts of money, business and management, with an emphasis on professional careers in these areas. Accounting relates to information analysis for different aspects of a business, while finance solely concerns a business' monetary funds.

Why study Accounting & Finance?

Studying Accounting & Finance could be ideal for you if you enjoy maths and want to apply it to business, whether that's management, business law or economics.

You'll enjoy:

• Excellent graduate schemes and prospects – studying Accounting & Finance could give you the opportunity to work for an established company with a structured training programme and clear career progression
• The scope to work in any industry – businesses in every sector need someone to crunch their numbers

Read our seven reasons to study Accounting & Finance page for more information on studying this course.

I would recommend Accounting & Finance to anyone, especially those with a passion for both Mathematics and English. It's important to be able to do the calculations, but it's just as important for such a degree, and for future jobs, to be able to understand accounting concepts and write about them.                         
Rachel, Lancaster University student

What jobs can you get as an Accounting & Finance graduate?

Jobs for Accounting & Finance graduates can often be found in big, multinational professional services firms like Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and KPMG.

These are large companies that employ hundreds of thousands of professionals in accountancy, auditing and many other fields. Due to their sizes and reputations, they tend to have strict entry standards. Insurance companies are also big employers, as are banks.

Roles related to an Accounting & Finance degree include:

• Accounting technician
• Chartered accountant
• Forensic accountant
• Investment banker
• Stockbroker
• Tax adviser
• Actuary
• Data analyst
• Economist
• Retail banker

What do graduates do and earn?

In the infographic below, the first table shows what graduates of Accounting & Finance have gone on to do in the months after their graduation.

The second table shows the average salaries of undergraduate Accounting & Finance students entering employment. The three skill levels – high, medium and low – reflect the UK's Standard Occupational Classification's major groups 1–3, 4–6 and 7–9 respectively.

Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017/18

What qualifications do you need?

Most courses will require an A Level (or equivalent) in Mathematics. Some may ask for a maths- or science-related subject.

Entry requirements depend on the institution, and standards are subject to change. So make sure to check with the university/course you're interested in.

What degrees can you study?

Degrees in Accounting & Finance include:

• BA Hons Accounting
• BA Hons Finance
• BA Hons Accounting & Finance

Joint degrees commonly couple Accounting & Finance with Economics, Mathematics or Business.

How will you be assessed?

You might be assessed through coursework, written examinations, verbal presentations and ongoing assessments such as seminar involvement.

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

Many institutions offer:

• MA Accounting & Finance
• MSc Accounting & Finance
• Pre-Masters Accounting
• PgDip in Business Management & Accounting