Course in brief

The combination of Chartered Certified Accountant study with university awards will prepare you for senior leadership roles within Accountancy.

By following the ACCA’s syllabus for the Strategic Professional stage, you can graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma or a Masters degree whilst at the same time passing the relevant modules required to become a Chartered Certified Accountant.

This course is offered on a part-time and full-time basis. 

Membership of ACCA also provides you with access to the institute’s resources and the opportunity to network with senior professionals and executives.  

As an ACCA Gold Learning Partner, the university is recognised as providing high quality standards of tuition and excellent student support. 

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

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Please make sure that you meet the entry requirements before applying. If you have any questions the course team will be happy to help.

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Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2018. They should be used as a general guide.

We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

You will need to provide documentary evidence from the ACCA that you have passed/gained exemptions from all nine papers from the Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills stages (formerly papers F1-F9). The University of Brighton run a  Diploma in Professional Studies in Accounting for people who need to complete the Applied Skills stage papers (formerly papers F4–F9).

If you are already fully ACCA qualified (completed all ACCA papers) and are a UK/EU student contact us ( business@brighton.ac.uk) to discuss direct entry to the final stage of the MSc.

For non-native speakers of English
If English is not your first language, you will need English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS minimum 6.5 overall with 6.5 in the written test and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

ACCA student membership
You need to be a current registered student of the ACCA. It is advisable to apply for membership as soon as possible, since the process of obtaining membership takes much longer between September and December. Membership brings a number of advantages, including a subscription to Student Accountant magazine and practical online support.

For more information about ACCA student membership, registration and exemptions see www.accaglobal.com.

Course in detail

Course structure

You will be following the ACCA’s Strategic Professional papers as part of the postgraduate diploma/masters qualification.

You will be allocated a subject-specialist supervisor who will be available to support you, advise you and discuss your personal research needs during the year for your research project or dissertation. In addition, students have the opportunity to attend workshops covering research methods and ethical issues and to share ideas and strategies.

 

ACCA Approved Learning Partner

ACCA Syllabus Mapping

We have designed the university awards to run alongside the ACCA qualifications. The masters and postgraduate diploma are mapped to the ACCA’s Strategic Professional (Essentials) papers. 

You will also be required to complete a research methods module to enhance your research skills and complete a research project for the postgraduate diploma route or a dissertation for the masters route. 

To become ACCA qualified you will also need to complete two papers Advanced Performance Management, Advanced Taxation or Advanced Audit and Assurance, this can be done alongside the Accounting MSc.

You can receive tuition for the professional option papers in addition to the modules in the same academic year or in the following academic year.

You can choose to study part-time (one day a week over four years) or full-time (two days a week over one year). If you want a more flexible approach, you have the option to graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting by completing a shorter professional project in place of a dissertation.

If you would like to just receive tuition from the university for any of the professional papers (core and option) and sit exams directly with the ACCA, email business@brighton.ac.uk for further information. More details about individual papers are available from the ACCA website.

Accounting PGDip modules

  • Strategic Business Reporting
  • Strategic Business Leader
  • Research Methods Module
  • Research Project

Accounting MSc modules

  • Strategic Business Reporting
  • Strategic Business Leader
  • Research Methods Module
  • Dissertation

Flexible study 

Our programme has multiple entry and exit points depending on how many ACCA papers you have passed, or hold exemptions from. You can also choose to take this course either full-time (two days per week over one year) or part-time (one day per week over two years). 

Students also have the option to exit the course early, graduating with a postgraduate diploma in Accounting by completing a shorter professional project in place of a dissertation.  

If you want a more flexible approach, you can also sign up for one paper at a time and build your qualification as you go. 

If you would like to just receive tuition from the university for any of the professional papers (core and option) and sit exams directly with the ACCA, please email business@brighton.ac.uk for further information. More details about individual papers are available from the ACCA website.

Learning support 

Our supportive learning environment includes an induction programme and specialist diagnostic tools to assess your learning strengths and needs. You will also be assigned an academic supervisor to support you in your masters project work

Online learning tools and libraries also ensure academic journals, e-books, business articles and other resources are available to you 24/7, both for use at the university and at home.  

You will also have access to our Careers Service, including CV checking, mock interviews and advice on setting up your own business.

Staff profile

Nigel Padbury is a qualified chartered accountant. He spent a number of years in a professional environment at KPMG followed by considerable experience in the commercial sector in various managerial positions. 

Nigel has five years professional teaching experience. 

Nigel Padbury

Careers and employability

An Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification will help your career progress in any organisation. Employers worldwide will understand and respect your qualification. You will be in demand for your finance and accounting knowledge regardless of employment sector.

This qualification, subject to ACCA's practical experience requirements, enables you to become a chartered certified accountant.

Careers advice and support
Careers Service provides help and advice from the very start of your studies, on subjects including careers counselling sessions, CV checking, mock interviews and advice on setting up your own business. Find out more on our careers service website. 

Careers counsellor
The Business School's career development advisor, Christina Keiller is available to help you to write your CV, prepare for interviews and plan your career. She also works closely with tutors to ensure that our courses teach vocational skills as well as academic ones.

 

 

 

 

business school students

 

Entrepreneurship network
Beepurple is the university’s entrepreneurship support network. They offer free support for any student or graduate with their business ideas, freelance plan or social enterprise project. Beepurple run events throughout the academic year, designed to equip you with skills that will improve your employability and help you grow a successful business. By taking part in beepurple activities, you will meet like-minded people, hear how other recent graduates have set up their own businesses and gain key enterprise skills that will help you stand out from the crowd.

For more information visit beepurple.

Mentoring scheme
Momentum is our award-winning mentoring scheme. It pairs students with professionals who wish to share their experience. Students and their mentors meet regularly to exchange ideas. The scheme helps students to develop new skills and enhance their career prospects.

Fees and funding

Your fees

PGDip: UK/EU (full-time) 4,000 GBP*

PGDip: International (full-time) 9,300 GBP

MSc: UK/EU (full-time) 5,850 GBP**

MSc: International (full-time) 13,950 GBP

*Tuition for the final option paper, alongside the awards listed here, are available at additional cost, please contact University for details.

Fees exclude study manuals and textbooks.

ACCA exam fees are applicable for your professional qualification and will need to be paid direct to the ACCA. Contact them for further details.

Tuition for just the professional stage papers (without completing the MSc or PGDip) is also available. Contact us for details and fees.

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2018–19.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.

The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

i360 and ticket booth on the seafront What to expect enriching experiences

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus. Subjects taught here include architecture, business, computing, construction, engineering, geography, product design, law and pharmacy.

On campus you will find professional-standard facilities including a flight simulator, trading room, design and digital media suites and specialist research laboratories, alongside the library, student centre, a nursery, fitness facilities and Students’ Union. There are excellent public transport links.

The Big Build
A major transformation of our Moulsecoomb campus began in summer 2018. By summer 2020 there’ll be new halls of residence, academic building, and Students’ Union and fitness facilities – all created with sustainability, inclusivity and community in mind.

As the development grows it will provide many exciting learning opportunities for our students, ranging from live projects, placements and internships with the companies involved to guest lectures and site visits. Find out more...

 

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The Big Build

Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • Grand Parade is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance.
  • Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus.
  • Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence.
  • Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field.
    Varley Park and Falmer are around four miles from Brighton centre; there are good public transport services nearby.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. We recommend Unihomes and House Share when you’re balancing learning with placements, shifts and other commitments, because they give you more choice and flexibility.

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field

Moulsecoomb Place

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Find out more

Sign up for course updates

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Find out more about what students do at Brighton Business School by subscribing to our blog.

 

Find out more about what it's like to study here, and pick up some top tips, by subscribing to our Brighton Business School blog.

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Student views  

James Field, winner of PQ Magazine's Accountant of the Year Award 2014

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time studying ACCA qualifications at Brighton and put down much of my success to my time there.

"I always enjoyed the interaction in the classroom, meeting like-minded people, making friends, bouncing ideas of each other and working as a team. Since a successful career in accountancy involves a high degree of interaction with colleagues and clients, I feel these softer skills are as important as the academic ones taught in the classroom.

"I liked the discipline and routine of the classroom. Being someone who can get easily distracted I knew that to remain focused I needed to be somewhere where I was away from such distractions and in an environment that would get my full attention.

"During my time on the course I was always impressed with the standard of teaching. Most of the tutors have clearly worked in the industry and I always found their life experiences and stories to be most useful, as they helped me to better understand and visualise the theory.

"I found the pace at which the course is taught to be well balanced in that it catered for students of all abilities. The tutors were also always keen to help, whether in the classroom or on a one to one.

"Furthermore I believe that much of my success is down to the fact that at the university you are not simply taught to pass exams – as is often the case with other learning providers – but to fully understand and comprehend the subject matter. I honestly feel that this deeper understanding helped fine-tune my skills and gave me the confidence to have the strength and conviction to put forward suggestions and ideas to my board, and to see through any such proposals.

"For anyone thinking of studying at the University of Brighton, the above average pass rates for the ACCA exams and its Gold Approved Learning Provider Status are both testament to the pride taken in ensuring that every student not only develops the skills to pass exams, but are suitably equipped for the challenges that lie after. I for one acknowledge the large part the university has had to play in my career and my recent success at the PQ Awards."

James Field

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