BA Joint Hons Accounting & Finance

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Key facts

  • UCAS Code: NN43
  • Accreditation: Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
  • Ranked: 3rd in the UK for Accounting & Finance (The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024)

  • Second-year entry: may be available to suitably-qualified students

  • Applicant visit days: these take place in March each year

Study with us

Studying a BA (Hons) in Accounting & Finance at Strathclyde Business School, you'll be learning at a pioneering internationally-renowned academic organisation that shapes and develops the business minds of tomorrow.

We're the only institution to have won the Times Higher Education University of the Year award twice (2012/2019).

  • learn about the preparation, presentation and interpretation of financial information
  • gain skills for a career in banking, investment management, pension fund management and insurance
  • employers tell us that they particularly value the range of subject combinations available at Strathclyde, ensuring that our students have an in-depth understanding of a second subject to complement their finance studies
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Why this course?

Studying accounting, 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.

Our finance degree is unique in Scotland in terms of the range and depth of issues covered.

Subjects include the principles of investment and value, business finance and decision-making and the analysis of securities such as bonds and shares.

A degree in Finance will give you the skills for a career in financial services such as banking, investment management, pension fund management and insurance.

THE Awards 2019: UK University of the Year Winner

What you'll study

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'll follow a broad-based Year 1 curriculum which will introduce you to foundation accountancy and finance concepts, plus economics and a choice of other introductory business disciplines.

These modules will be taken alongside the Business School’s core modules for international business, business knowledge and skills (the Management Development Programme), and academic skills support. This provides you with 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, along with modules required if you are following the accredited accounting pathway, plus further Management Development modules in Years 2 and 3.

Accounting

You'll study core accounting and finance subjects, along with economics. You can also complete accreditation requirements for professional accountancy bodies, if you take the required modules, such as taxation and law.

Please note: competitive progression requirements are in place for entry to the Honours year – currently this is a 55% average in the Year 2 and 3 subject modules.

Finance

  • Year 1: you’ll be introduced to the basic principles of Finance and Accounting and accounting methods
  • Year 2: core classes include international financial decision making and statistical and spreadsheet methods of analysing financial problems. Optional classes will allow you to develop your understanding of financial statements or deepen your knowledge of financial markets
  • Year 3: you’ll study core subjects such as the valuation of bonds and shares plus a choice of optional classes covering financial statements or financial markets.
  • Year 4: you can specialise in Finance as a single Honours subject or continue to a joint Honours degree. Students taking single Honours will do a research dissertation in Finance while joint Honours have the choice of either subject

Financial markets simulation experience

You can gain invaluable practical experience of the factors that drive today’s financial markets as part of your course.

Amplify, a global financial trading and training company, in collaboration with Strathclyde Business School, delivers a financial markets simulation experience during the academic year. This provides you with the opportunity to experience a real-life trading simulation, covering multiple roles in the process.

Amplify is a leading provider of training programmes to the financial industry, and they offer our students the same analyst-level practical training they deliver to their clients. Amplify’s clients include:

  • Bank of China
  • Goldman Sachs
  • HSBC
  • Bank of America

Note: the provider of this boot camp may be subject to change.

Amplify logo: Amplify Me - Experience Management

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Course content

The Accounting programme follows a suite of accounting and finance modules, providing a grounding in these subjects, plus economics and business analysis, plus a choice of another introductory business module.

These are supplemented by the three integrating Business School modules in:

  • international business
  • business knowledge and skills, and
  • academic skills

In Years 2 and 3 you will study accounting plus another business discipline of your choice. The accounting programme will cover: 

  • financial reporting
  • management accounting governance taxation
  • auditing and assurance

Year 4 (Honours) offers a range of modules, for example:

  • Sustainability Accounting
  • Sustainable & purposeful finance
  • Management Accounting Theory & Practice
  • Auditing Theory & Practice
  • Accounting technologies
  • Accounting & Risk

Introduction to Finance and Financial Analysis

This module will provide you with an introduction to finance and accounting, covering the basic concepts and practicalities of corporate finance, the principles of valuation, financial management and business investment, the role and purpose of company accounts and their usefulness, security analysis, risk and returns from investments, and personal finance.

At all times the module content will be linked with financial behaviour and events in the real world.

Accounting Technologies

This module will introduce students to the study of management and financial accounting. It's designed to provide an introduction to accounting for those students who intend to study accounting in subsequent years. It assumes no prior knowledge. It ensures that, in combination with other modules, the accreditation requirements of Professional accountancy bodies are met.

Introduction to Finance & Financial Statistics

This module provides an introduction to finance for accounting students who require a finance stream for professional accreditation. The module will cover an introduction to financial management and statistical applications in finance.

The module provides an introduction to finance, covering the basic theories of financial markets, corporate finance and investment, financial management, personal finance, security analysis and statistical applications in finance.

Introduction to Economics and Business Analysis & Technology (20 credits)

The module will provide you with a balanced introduction to economics which will be based on a programme of systematic directed reading, supplemented by experiments and exercises undertaken in tutorials. 

The module uses the innovative CORE (Curriculum Open-Access Resources in Economics) Econ resources, which provides a complete introduction to economics and the economy. CORE Econ teaches about the economy and economics by starting from a question or a problem about the economy - why the advent of capitalism is associated with a sharp increase in average living standards, for example - and then teach the tools of economics that contribute to an answer. This innovative approach ensures that students understand how the tools of economics can help us understand the modern economy. 

The second half of the module is the study of how analytical thinking, scientific method and associated tools can be used to help decision making. This Business Analysis element of the module will provide an overview of where methods and tools are widely used across a large range of industries including the manufacturing, retail, healthcare, financial services, travel, and electronics industries, as well as in local and national government. 

Examples of where Business Analysis is put into practice are: 

  • the management of new building projects
  • the design of efficient transport systems and plant layouts
  • personnel scheduling
  • allocation of resources and financial modelling and forecasting

This area of expertise can help to reduce costs, increase revenues, improve customer service, increase efficiency and can even save lives. 

Introduction to International Business

This module introduces learners to the field and practice of international business and management.

Drawing on classical and recent debates in theory and practice including, but not limited to commercial concerns, learners will be equipped with an understanding of the foundational principles and developments of the subject.

In the module, we consider how international business and management is researched, and facilitate a critical understanding based on real-life case studies in international contexts. This module gives learners the capacity to look at the past, present and future in organisations and provides the foundations for intellectual progression in the subject, and broadly, for year two and beyond.  

Management Development Programme 1

The ICE Pathway - “Innovation, Commercialisation & Entrepreneurship”, where you'll learn about the Foundations of 'What is Business’.  Alongside:

  • Personal & Professional Development: Who am I? How Do I learn? How do I lead & work in a team?
  • Knowledge & Practice: What is a business/organisation? Why does this matter? How does this affect society?
  • Experiential Learning: Real-world cases & clients; team-based and student-centred Learning approaches

Academic Skills

This class aims to support you in developing key skills that are important to both your academic and future career. These include skills associated with:

  • research
  • data analysis
  • critical writing
  • team working
  • communication

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 Management Development Programme 3; 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 Management Development Programme 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

Students develop skills in financial and management accounting and have the opportunity to study taxation.

Finance

Course summary

Second year classes' cover:

  • investment and financial decision-making and policies in business
  • risk and return and the pricing of company shares
  • portfolio selection and the efficiency of financial markets
  • the valuation of bonds and bond portfolio management
  • equity trading strategies
  • statistical and spreadsheet methods of analysing financial problems and strategies

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 Strathclyde Business School. You work on two live business consultancy projects (one in each semester) and, as a team of six, 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 Management Development Programme 3 although there is pathway support with the pathway leads and tutor support.

Accounting

Course summary

Students study advanced topics in financial and management accounting and 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.

Finance

Course summary

Areas covered in third year classes include:

  • Advanced Corporate Finance & Financial Markets Issues
  • Valuation of Derivatives
  • Operations of Derivatives Markets
  • Hedging Strategies
  • Treasury & International Financial Risk Management in Business

Advanced methods of empirical analysis, such as event studies, and access to historic and live data are also included.

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

Finance

Course summary

You can either specialise in Finance as a Single Honours subject or continue to a Joint Honours degree in Finance and your other principal subject. In order to gain entry to Honours year, you must meet specified performance criteria in Years 2 and 3.

Students taking Single Honours in Finance will do a research dissertation in Finance, while Joint Honours students typically have the choice of doing their dissertation in either Finance or their other subject. Honours classes cover advanced topics in the following areas:

  • Corporate Investment
  • Corporate Financing
  • Asset Pricing
  • Portfolio Analysis
  • Derivatives
  • International Financial Management
  • Behavioural Finance
  • International Corporate Governance
  • Financial Quantitative Methods

Triple-accredited business school

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.

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, 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.

Assessment

The majority of classes involve a final unseen exam which is normally at the end of the semester. This is typically supplemented by individual and/or group coursework.

Students normally have one opportunity to be re-assessed for a failed class. Exam resits usually 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.

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BA Joint Hons Accounting & Finance entry requirements

Entry requirements for our BA Joint Hons Accounting & Finance degree are as follows.

Required subjects are shown in brackets.

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Highers

Standard entry requirements*:

  • 1st sitting: AAAA/AAABB
  • 2nd sitting: AAAABBB

(English B, Maths A)

Minimum entry requirements**:

  • 1st sitting: AABB
  • 2nd sitting: AAABBB

(Maths A, English B)

A Levels

AAA

(GCSE English Language 6/B or Literature 6/B, or an essay-based A Level B may be considered in lieu of English; A Level Maths A)

International Baccalaureate

38

(no subject below 5 and including English SL5, Maths HL6)

HNC/HND

Relevant HNC/HND, A in Graded Units; for advice on entry to Year 2, contact Business School Admissions:

+44 (0)141 548 4114
sbs-adviser@strath.ac.uk

International students

View the entry requirements for your country.

Deferred entry

Not normally accepted.

*Standard entry requirements

Offers are made in accordance with specified entry requirements although admission to undergraduate programmes is considered on a competitive basis and entry requirements stated are normally the minimum level required for entry.

Whilst offers are made primarily on the basis of an applicant meeting or exceeding the stated entry criteria, admission to the University is granted on the basis of merit, and the potential to succeed. As such, a range of information is considered in determining suitability.

In exceptional cases, where an applicant does not meet the competitive entry standard, evidence may be sought in the personal statement or reference to account for performance which was affected by exceptional circumstances, and which in the view of the judgement of the selector would give confidence that the applicant is capable of completing the programme of study successfully.

**Minimum entry requirements

Find out if you can benefit from this type of offer.

Contextual Admissions for 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.

University preparation programme for international students

We offer international students (non-UK/Ireland) who do not meet the academic entry requirements for an undergraduate degree at Strathclyde the option of completing an Undergraduate Foundation Programme in Business and Social Sciences at the University of Strathclyde International Study Centre. ​

Upon successful completion, you can progress to your chosen degree at the University of Strathclyde.

International students

We've a thriving international community with students coming here to study from over 140 countries across the world. Find out all you need to know about studying in Glasgow at Strathclyde and hear from students about their experiences.

Visit our international students' section

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Fees & funding

All fees quoted are for full-time courses and per academic year unless stated otherwise.

Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.

All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.

Annual revision of fees

Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that tuition fees are revised annually and may increase in subsequent years of study. Annual increases will generally reflect UK inflation rates and increases to programme delivery costs.

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Scotland

£1,820

Fees for students who meet the relevant residence requirements in Scotland are subject to confirmation by the Scottish Funding Council. Scottish undergraduate students undertaking an exchange for a semester/year will continue to pay their normal tuition fees at Strathclyde and will not be charged fees by the overseas institution.

England, Wales & Northern Ireland

£9,250

Assuming no change in fees policy over the period, the total amount payable by undergraduate students will be capped. For students commencing study in 2024/25, this is capped at £27,750 (with the exception of the MPharm and integrated Masters programmes), MPharm students pay £9,250 for each of the four years. Students studying on integrated Masters degree programmes pay an additional £9,250 for the Masters year with the exception of those undertaking a full-year industrial placement where a separate placement fee will apply.

Republic of IrelandIf you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status. For more information and advice on tuition fee status, you can visit the UKCISA - International student advice and guidance - Scotland: fee status webpage. Find out more about the University of Strathclyde's fee assessments process.
International

£19,600

University preparation programme fees

International students can find out more about the costs and payments of studying a university preparation programme at the University of Strathclyde International Study Centre.

Additional costs
Course materials & costs

Textbooks do vary in price from around £40 to £100. The majority are provided free in the library or via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) platform. For budgeting purposes, we recommend allowing £200 per academic year for books.

Other costs

Students may be required to make hardcopy submissions for some assignments and will cover the cost of printing. Students are required to print and bind their dissertation. The cost will depend on the length of dissertation but an average cost would be in the region of £40. Graduation gown hire.

Study abroad

Typically, the cost of one semester abroad could be between £6,500 to £8,500 depending on the destination, currency exchange rates and lifestyle choices. Tuition fees are not paid to the exchange institution but continue to be paid to Strathclyde University in the usual way, however students are responsible for their own travel and living expenses i.e. flights, insurance, visa application, vaccinations/associated medical costs, accommodation, food, textbooks etc.

Students are eligible to apply for a student loan as usual but must let the award agency (e.g. SAAS) know that they will be studying or working overseas on a compulsory exchange.

Students may be eligible for external funding however this is not guaranteed; the University of Strathclyde will continue to participate in the Erasmus programme until May 2023 however are also participating in UK’S Turing Scheme. The Turing Scheme offer contribution towards living costs for students undertaking work or study abroad as part of their degree and is calculated based on length of placement and living costs at destination.

Students with an exchange place outside Europe are eligible to apply to the Neil Hood Memorial Fund for a scholarship. Full details of the application process are provided to all eligible students. Other scholarship opportunities may be available through the Alumni & Development department.

International students

International students may have associated visa and immigration costs. Please see student visa guidance for more information.

Available scholarships

Take a look at our scholarships search for funding opportunities.

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?

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Students from Scotland

Fees for students who meet the relevant residence requirements in Scotland, 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.

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Students from England, Wales & Northern Ireland

We have a generous package of bursaries on offer for students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales:

You don’t need to make a separate application for these. When your place is confirmed at Strathclyde, we’ll assess your eligibility. Take a look at our scholarships search for funding opportunities.

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International Students

We have a number of scholarships available to international students. Take a look at our scholarship search to find out more.

Glasgow is Scotland's biggest & most cosmopolitan city

Our campus is based right in the very heart of Glasgow. We're in the city centre, next to the Merchant City, both of which are great locations for sightseeing, shopping and socialising alongside your studies.

Life in Glasgow
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Careers

Many of our accounting graduates go on to qualify as Chartered Accountants through one of the major accounting bodies:

  • Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
  • Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
  • Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
  • Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

Accounting graduates find jobs as trainee accountants, auditors and tax trainees. Employers include:

  • Santander
  • Ernst & Young and PriceWaterhouseCoopers
  • Deloitte
  • Halifax Bank Of Scotland
  • KPMG
  • 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
  • commercial manager

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.

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Apply

Start date:

Accounting & Finance (1 year entry)

Start date: Sep 2024

Accounting & Finance (1 year entry)

full-time
Start date: Sep 2024

UCAS Applications

Apply through UCAS if you are a UK applicant. International applicants may apply through UCAS if they are applying to more than one UK University.

Apply now

Direct Applications

Our Direct applications service is for international applicants who wish to apply to the University of Strathclyde at this time.

Apply now

Start date:

Accounting & Finance (2 year entry)

Start date: Sep 2025

Accounting & Finance (1 year entry)

full-time
Start date: Sep 2025

UCAS Applications

Apply through UCAS if you are a UK applicant. International applicants may apply through UCAS if they are applying to more than one UK University.

Apply now

Direct Applications

Our Direct applications service is for international applicants who wish to apply to the University of Strathclyde at this time.

Apply now
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Contact us

General enquiries

Business School Admissions

Telephone: +44 (0)141 548 4024

Email: sbs-ug-admissions@strath.ac.uk

Course-specific enquiries

Accounting & Finance

Telephone: +44 (0)141 548 3261

Email: accfin@strath.ac.uk

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