Why this course?
Studying accounting at Strathclyde, you'll learn about the preparation, presentation and interpretation of financial information that enables investors, lenders, management, employees, government and others to make effective decisions.
You'll also learn how to read and interpret accounting information in the annual reports of businesses and the financial information within the public sector, and become familiar with the principles and practice of presenting information to those who manage all types of organisations.
Accounting at Strathclyde is fully accredited for entry to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland in the majority of study combinations, as well as offering possible exemptions to other professional bodies, eg ACCA and CIMA.
Following the recent global economic crisis, economics is more important and relevant than ever. Decisions on money, banking, interest rates, taxation and government spending affect us all, with global consequences.
Economics aims to understand the activities of the different agents in the economy – consumers, producers and the government – and how they all fit together.
Our degree will give you the ability to explain complex data in simple terms to different audiences. You’ll also develop excellent mathematical, statistical and problem-solving skills.
Create your own course
Modern business is too complex to be covered by a single subject: modern managers need to have a broad outlook.
You choose basic classes in business and other disciplines, alongside the Business School’s Management Development Programme. You’ll study a wide variety of subjects and create a curriculum to suit your interests and needs.
You also have the opportunity to try new subjects, some of which you won’t have experienced at school or college. At the beginning of Year 2, you choose two subjects to continue studying in Years 2 and 3. You’ll also select a third, ‘minor’ subject and take further Management Development skills classes.
Apply under the general UCAS entry code N100 if you’d prefer to discuss your subject choices once you arrive. To study accounting, apply under N400 or one of the other accounting codes listed on the site.
Accounting
What you'll study
You'll study core accounting and finance subjects, complemented with the study of economics and law. You'll also have the opportunity to complete the accreditation requirements for professional accountancy bodies, if you take classes for this route.
Economics
What you'll study
Year 1
The first year of study looks at consumers and industries, with markets, market failure and the role of government, unemployment and inflation. No previous knowledge of economics is assumed but the class is also suitable if you've studied the subject before.
Year 2
You'll take core classes in microeconomics and macroeconomics and choose from a number of optional classes.
Year 3
As a third year student, you will study a combination of core and optional classes to develop the foundations laid in Years 1 and 2 with a view to Honours study.
Year 4
Optional classes complement the areas of microeconomics and macroeconomics. You'll also write a dissertation.
Facilities
Teaching includes lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshops, all taking place in excellent accommodation with Wi-Fi access. Library and other study facilities are excellent, as are all of the resources to make your life as a student fulfilling and enjoyable.
As a BA student, you'll find that one of the most important resources available to you is being part of the Strathclyde Business School community. One example of this is the Strathclyde Business School Blog, used extensively by staff and students to showcase our activities.
Student competitions
Prizes for best overall performance are awarded to students in all years of study. We also offer a prize for the best final dissertation in economics in the final Honours year of study. All prize recipients will be invited to attend the Graduation Reception for our final year students.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations.
https://www.icas.com/education-and-qualifications/university-route-to-becoming-a-chartered-accountant
Course content
The Management Development Programme (MDP) is a core element of the undergraduate degree programme in the Strathclyde Business School.
The programme runs for the first three years of the BA degree. The entire class is driven by real business problems. The approach to learning is active problem-based, with students working in project teams.
The class aims to encourage integration of the knowledge and experience gained in Principal Subjects. Each year of the MDP focuses on different aspects of business and the content of MDP is constantly evolving and being updated and enhanced.
Year 1
Management Development Programme 1
Topics
First Year aims to help you make the transition to the university context. Semester 1 is the Thematic Semester: The World of Business Today and covers topics such as:
- Social-Ethical-Environmental Governance (SEEG)
- Business Ethics
- Disruptive Technologies
Semester 2: Functional Semester: Organisations Today covers topics such as:
- Creativity & Responsibility
- Marketing & Sustainability across Domains
Class description
The first year of the programme is centred on the construction of knowledge in classroom setting with theoretical constructs developed. For each topic we’ve recorded a video by a Strathclyde academic who is a leading expert in the field.
You’ll watch these lectures in advance of each session and complete a pre-sessional activity. The pre-sessional work then forms the basis of team based activities work in the classroom (groups of 50 and teams of six-seven) where you develop an agreed understanding of the topic and present this to the group.
The feedback gained from this activity then feeds directly into the assessment for the block. You’ll complete 16 assignments in the two semesters of the class.
Accounting
Course summary
Introduction to accounting and finance, complemented by study of economics and law.
Economics
Introduction to Economics
The purpose of this class is to provide you with a balanced introduction to economics which will be at once self-contained and lay the foundation for further study in economics and more generally. The work of the class will be based on a programme of systematic directed reading, supplemented by tutorials, using group projects and in-class short answer tests as cumulative assessment.
Year 2
Management Development Programme 2
Topics
Semester 1 topics include:
- Working in Business Organisations
- Working Business Research & Consultancy
- Working Internationally
- Working in the Third Sector
- Rhetorics & Oratory
Semester 2 is about developing the proposal of MDP3; with a presentation and a final report.
Class description
The second year concentrates on developing understanding through industry-specific contextualisation. Sessions are weekly and three hours in length.
The sessions are thematically linked to the pathways for individualised experience in third year whilst also drawing on the theoretical knowledge developed in MDP 1. In order to develop understanding, organisations will deliver a half-day session. This consists of a one hour plenary introduction where the company and case study are introduced. This is followed by the group sessions where you undertake activities in relation to the case study set by the company.
Accounting
Course summary
The second year of study develops skills in financial and management accounting, while you'll also have the opportunity to study taxation.
Economics
Microeconomics 2
This is the core microeconomics class in second year. It aims to develop your understanding of: the concepts of consumer choice; the motives of the firm and profit maximisation; the market and its role in achieving equilibrium prices and quantities; and the implications of market power. It will introduce you to mathematical techniques commonplace in economics, giving you the ability to apply these in a wider economic context.
Macroeconomics 2
The class builds upon the macroeconomic foundations established in the first year Economics class and both extends and deepens analysis. In particular this class will develop your ability to use key macroeconomic models and will also provide an introduction to the analysis of economic data.
Year 3
Management Development Programme 3
The third year of centres on individualised experience in an organisational context through one of the following pathways:
- Internship/Charities - gain practical experience in a private or third sector organisation. You need to negotiate and locate your own organisation and experience – this is one of the key learning points of the pathway.
- Research and consultancy - a facility for local small businesses to gain from the experience and expertise of those within SBS. You work on two live business consultancy projects (one in each semester) and, as a team of 6, develop solutions and strategic initiatives for the local SME economy.
- International experience – only available for students who are undertaking an international exchange for either one semester or full year.
- Vertically Integrated Projects - working on a cross-faculty basis to research longitudinal projects (including the ‘Bill Gates Toilet Challenge, Solar Panels for Gambia and Enterprise in Schools) you work with a team of students from all levels of study (first year undergraduate to final year PhD) to further the work of the project.
In addition, you’re required to undertake a social responsibility element (this accounts for one quarter of the overall workload).
These have been designed to provide support to the Curriculum for Excellence and the Widening Access to Higher Education programme. There are no formal classes for MDP3 although there is pathway support with the pathway leads and tutor support.
Accounting
Course summary
Classes in this year of study cover financial and management accounting and the study of auditing. By the end of this year you'll normally have completed the accreditation requirements for professional accountancy bodies, provided you have taken the classes prescribed for the accredited pathway.
Economics
Microeconomics 3
Adam Smith's hidden hand - markets result in efficient outcomes - doesn't always work. We seek to understand why through the study of market power, externalities and public goods, and then go on to apply these ideas to issues of education, healthcare provision and crime and punishment.
Macroeconomics 3
This class builds on the Macroeconomics you studied in second year by covering four topics in detail: (i) models of economic growth; (ii) the effects of macroeconomic policy in an open economy; (iii) the interrelationships between money growth, output, unemployment and inflation; and (iv) the implications of high government debt.
Year 4
Accounting
Course summary
Honours classes include:
- Management Accounting Theory & Practice
- Accounting Information Systems
- Sustainability Accounting
- Theory & Practice
- Strategic Accounting & Financial Management in Entrepreneurial Firms
- Public Sector Accounting
- Accounting Theories
- Accounting & Risk
- Corporate Governance
- Contemporary Issues in International Financial Reporting
- Understanding 21st-century Accounting Technologies & Institutional Structures
- Integrative Studies in Management & Accounting
- Accounting Ethics
- Auditing Theory & Practice & Taxation
Economics
Dissertation
The dissertation is an important part of the fourth year programme. Single Honours Economics BA students are required to submit a dissertation in Economics while Joint Honours BA students may submit a dissertation in Economics or in their other Honours subject.
Elective classes
Microeconomics 4
Game Theory and Information Economics, the topics of this class, consider market failure resulting from two different sources: individuals pursuing their own self-interest at the expense of others; and information asymmetry which alters the way agents behave. Methods to alleviate these market failures will also be considered.
Macroeconomics 4
This class aims to provide you with the required tools to understand current macroeconomic issues, such as the interactions between the banking sector and monetary policy or the policy responses to the global financial crisis. Throughout the class, the analytical usefulness of the theoretical models taught is illustrated with real-world examples.
Introduction to Econometrics
This class builds upon the empirical content of Macroeconomics 2 and further develops your ability to analyse economic data. In addition, this class lays the foundations for further study of econometrics at Honours level.
Economics of Firms & Industries
This class introduces you to different industry structures and studies the behaviour of firms within those structures. The material builds on the study of the theory of the firm presented in Microeconomics 2 and provides a foundation for the study of industrial organisation at Honours level.
Industrial Economics
This course investigates the actions that firms in an industry might take to preserve their profit in that industry, and the implications that this has for competition policy and regulation. We take an analytical approach to the issues which will be supported by examining case studies and current events.
Applied Econometrics
In the third year econometrics class you’ll have learned about regression in both a cross-sectional data and time series data context. This class extends that knowledge in three ways.
First, for cross-sectional data, the class deals with regression techniques where the dependent variable may be restricted or limited in some way. In such cases, the regression model as taught in the third year class is not appropriate; this class develops models which are similar in spirit to the standard regression model, but can handle all of these cases.
A second purpose of Applied Econometrics is to develop regression methods which can be used when you have panel data - consisting of both cross-sectional and time-series dimensions.
Third, the class will build on the introduction to the econometrics of time series data developed in this class by developing two classes of models.
Financial Development & Economic Growth
This class gives a balanced view of the role of finance in promoting long-run economic growth, but also booms and busts. The nature and role of financial intermediaries will be introduced, and, afterwards, formally addressed in a simple aggregate growth model. Empirical evidence will be examined, before turning to the specifics of micro-finance. The importance of financial globalisation will also be investigated. Finally, the rest of the class will be devoted to deciphering the causes and consequences of the current financial crisis.
Behavioural Economics
Behavioural Economics offers alternative theories that merge psychological insights with economic theory and are based on experimental and other evidence, that attempt to provide a better explanation of real-world behaviour.
This class is concerned with exploring these new behavioural theories with the aim of providing you with an expanded toolkit with which to approach ‘real-world Economics’ that is based on the burgeoning Behavioural Economics literature that has emerged over the past two or three decades.
After studying this, you should be able to extend much of your previously-learned knowledge in Microeconomics in various directions that take into account more realistic ways of modelling how individuals behave.
Natural Resource, Environmental & Energy Economics
The class provides you with an introduction to natural resource, environmental and energy economics and policy. It focuses on the contributions of economics to understanding environmental, energy and resource problems, their causes, and the design of effective public policies to counteract them.
Assessment
The majority of classes involve a final unseen exam which is normally at the end of the semester. This is normally supplemented by individual and/or group coursework.
In some cases, you can get exemption from the final exam if you achieve a specific mark for your coursework (and satisfying attendance requirements).
Students normally have one opportunity to be re-assessed for a failed class. Exam resits normally take place during the summer.
A range of assessment techniques are used including business reports, case studies, essays, presentations, individual and group projects, learning journals and peer assessments.
Learning & teaching
Teaching is over two semesters in blocks of 12 weeks. Classes are taught through lectures, tutorials, and seminars alongside team-based projects, online materials, and interactive sessions using personal response systems.
External contributors from partnership corporate organisations are involved in teaching and/or assessment of student presentations.
Throughout the degree programme, there'll be guest lectures from industry and our international partners.
The innovative and highly acclaimed Management Development Programme (MDP) is at the core of our undergraduate degrees in the Business School and comprises a series of classes which you take throughout Years 1 to 3.
You develop knowledge and skills in key areas of management, and team-working, communication and decision-making skills, all of which are highly sought-after by employers.
Major employers and alumni from all sectors are involved in the MDP, participating in group sessions, observing student presentations, and providing feedback. Organisations involved include Barclays, Deloitte, Procter & Gamble and Ernst & Young. In first year the best teams are selected to present to senior staff in one of the sponsoring organisations, and there are prizes for the best projects.
The programme builds your confidence and entrepreneurial capabilities, and promotes awareness of globalisation and ethical issues in personal and business decision-making. In Year 3, you develop your own pathway from internships, involvement with business projects, engagement in interdisciplinary activities and business clinics.
Entry requirements
Minimum grades
Required subjects are indicated following minimum accepted grades.
Highers
1st sitting: AAAA or AAABB (English B, Maths A); 2nd sitting: AAAABBB (English B, Maths A)
A Levels
Minimum entry requirements: ABB (GCSE English Language B or Literature B, or an essay-based A-level B may be considered in lieu of English; A Level Maths A)
Typical entry requirements: AAA (GCSE English Language B or Literature B; A Level Maths A)
International Baccalaureate
36 (no subject below 5 and including English SL5, Maths HL6)
HNC/HND
Successful completion at first attempt with A passes in all graded Units. Contact Business School Admissions for advice on entry to year 2.
Irish Leaving Certificate
AAAABB at Higher level, including English at B and Maths at A.
Additional information
Deferred entry
Deferred entry not accepted.
Admission to Honours
All students will be admitted as potential Honours students. Students may exit with a Bachelor of Arts degree at the end of year three of the Honours programme if they have accumulated at least 360 credits and satisfied the appropriate specialisation requirements. For admission to the final year of the Honours course, a student must have qualified for the award of the Bachelor of Arts degree and achieved an approved standard of performance.
English language requirement
A pass in an English language qualification is normally required from applicants outside the UK whose first language is not English. The following provides information on the main qualifications considered for entry to the Business School undergraduate degree courses.
IELTS: Minimum overall band score of 6.5 (no individual test score below 5.5)
Widening access
We want to increase opportunities for people from every background. Strathclyde selects our students based on merit, potential and the ability to benefit from the education we offer. We look for more than just your grades. We consider the circumstances of your education and will make lower offers to certain applicants as a result.
Find out if you can benefit from this type of offer.
International students
Find out entry requirements for your country.
Degree preparation course for international students
We offer international students (non EU/UK) who do not meet the entry requirements for an undergraduate degree at Strathclyde the option of completing an Undergraduate Foundation year programme at the International Study Centre. To find out more about these courses and opportunities on offer visit isc.strath.ac.uk or call today on +44 (0) 1273 339333 and discuss your education future.
You can also complete the online application form, or to ask a question please fill in the enquiry form and talk to one of our multi-lingual Student Enrolment Advisers today.
Fees & funding
How much will my course cost?
All fees quoted are for full-time courses and per academic year unless stated otherwise.
Scotland/EU
Rest of UK
Bachelor degrees at Strathclyde will cost £9,250 a year, but the total amount payable will be capped at £27,750 for students on a four-year Bachelors programme. Students studying on integrated Masters degree programmes – for example MSci, MEng and MPharm – will pay £9,250 for the Masters year.
International
Additional fees
Accounting & Finance
Course materials & costs
Textbooks vary in price, ranging from £40 to 100 for Accounting Ethics. The majority of texts are freely available from the library.
Economics
Students taking the BA degree in Economics incur no additional charges.
Please note: All fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year. Find out more about fees.
How can I fund my studies?
Students from Scotland and the EU
If you're a Scottish or EU student, you may be able to apply to the Student Award Agency Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish government. Scottish students may also be eligible for a bursary and loan to help cover living costs while at University.
For more information on funding your studies have a look at our University Funding page.
Students from England, Wales & Northern Ireland
We have a generous package of bursaries on offer for students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales
Careers
The majority of study combinations of this course leads to a fully-accredited degree, allowing you to train for membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
Many of our accounting graduates go on to qualify as Chartered Accountants through one of the major accounting bodies (ICAS, ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA and CIPFA).
Accounting graduates find jobs as trainee accountants, auditors and tax trainees. Employers include Santander, Ernst & Young and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, HBOS, KPMG and Morgan Stanley.
Our economics graduates find work in accountancy and business services, retail and investment banking, insurance, government and industry. Job titles include economist, auditor, management accountant, business analyst, investment analyst, risk consultant and commercial manager.
