Course in brief

ACCA Gold Learning Partner status and excellent links with local firms make the University of Brighton the place to launch your career in accountancy and finance.

Taken over three years, or four years with a placement, this course is accredited by five professional accountancy bodies and prepares you for roles across the financial sector.

You will study economics, business law and ethics to gain an understanding of the legal, corporate and social contexts in which accounting and finance operate, and develop skills in recording and summarising financial transactions.

The four-year route offers the opportunity to take a salaried placement year with prestigious firms.

The University of Brighton is an ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) Gold Learning Partner, which means we are recognised as providing high quality standards of tuition and excellent student support.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code N420

Full-time 3 years
With placement year 4 years

Accredited by ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, and AIA

Book your open day place

Apply now with UCAS for 2019 entry

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBB–CCC (120–96 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DDM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range. 

We will generally make you an offer if your predicted grades are at the top of this range. If your predicted grades are towards the lower end of this range we may still make you an offer if you have a good GCSE (or equivalent) profile or relevant non-academic achievements.

International Baccalaureate
30 including 16 at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Units in accounting, finance, business or management required. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at merit or above.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
At least English language and maths.

Foundation degree/HND
May enable you to start the course in year 2. Relevant subjects required.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

For non-native speakers of English
IELTS 6.0, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements. 

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country
 
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Course in detail

Why choose this course?

  • Professional accreditation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Insurers (CII) and the Association of International Accountants
  • Access to financial databases from Thomson-Reuters and Financial Analysis Made Easy (FAME)
  • Option to take a paid placement year

Our Accounting and Finance BSc(Hons) will provide you with a thorough understanding not only of accounting and finance but of their real-life business environments. You will also gain practical skills such as project management, time management, presenting and budgeting. As you progress, the flexibility of this course allows you to tailor your learning to your interests through optional modules.

Learning is delivered through a stimulating mix of seminars, academic and industry lectures and workshops. You will mainly be assessed through group work, presentations, exams and essays.

During your third year, you can take a year’s salaried placement in industry, giving you the change to apply your learning, gain valuable experience and make professional contacts for your future career.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. If you apply to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through our applicant portal.

 

Business Management

Year 1

In your first year you will be introduced to various aspects of accounting and finance, building your fundamental knowledge and skills. 

Core modules will include topics such as:

  • Financial Accounting
  • Management Accounting
  • Economics
  • Financial Skills
  • Managing Organisations and People in the Financial Sector
  • Academic and Professional Skills
business school students

Year 2

In your second year you will take more advanced modules to build upon the topics from your first year, equipping you with the required skills for a career in finance.

Modules

  • Financial Accounting and Reporting
  • Management Accounting Systems
  • Financial Management
  • Business Ethics and Corporate Governance
  • Corporate and Business Law

Options*

  • Personal Financial Planning
  • Business Planning Case Study
  • Financial Modellling and Trading

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

business school students

Placement year

The paid work placement year is a vital part of the course. It gives you the chance to apply your learning to real-life situations and challenges, to meet and network with potential employers, and have opportunities to get real work experience before you graduate – something that employers value highly.

On your placement, you will complete a business project. This project contributes to your degree and, depending on the topic you choose, could provide valuable insight for your placement employer.

Our students have completed placements at American Express, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Dow Jones, Ernst & Young, the Financial Services Authority, FTSE Group, HM Revenue and Customs, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and The Bank of England.

It is also possible to undertake a placement year abroad.
Our dedicated Placements and Employability team will support you throughout, helping you to get a placement and during your placement. Read more about our placements.

business school students

Final year

In addition to tailoring your degree through optional modules such as risk management, taxation and auditing you will learn practical skills such as financial reporting. Depending on your module choices, this may give you exemptions from the examinations of the accrediting bodies.

Core modules

  • Financial Reporting: Theory and Practice
  • Finance and Risk Management
  • Management Control Systems

Options*

  • Advanced Case Study
  • Placement Project
  • Audit and Assurance
  • Taxation
  • Corporate Strategy
  • International Finance
  • Investment Management
  • Game Theory in Finance and Business

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

business school students

Staff profile 

Sue Endean, Course Leader

After completing a degree in finance and accounting at Lancaster University, Sue worked for eight years in the city office of Neville Russell (now Mazars) while qualifying as a certified accountant.Before moving to accounting training in 1990 (with Chart Foulks Lynch) she managed the Newmarket office of chartered accountants Hardcastle Burton concentrating on clients in the horse-racing industry.

In 1992 Sue joined the University of Brighton to teach financial accounting and taxation on undergraduate and professional programmes.

Find out more about Sue

Course statistics

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats enable you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Unistats data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Careers and employability

 

 

Career prospects 

Many of our graduates go on to complete professional exams with the major accountancy bodies and go on to be chartered accountants. Others pursue careers as bankers, corporate treasurers, financial advisers, traders, investment analysts and stockbrokers.

The degree also opens up career options in non-financial organisations that rely on experts in accounting and finance. The skills learned on this course can be used to move into roles such as general management, where financial expertise will give you an advantage.

During your studies you will build up exemptions from the professional accounting exams from professional bodies such as the Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), making you attractive to firms who can quickly train you up to be a fully qualified accountant.

Graduate Careers 

Recent graduates have joined companies in roles such as:

  • Client Relationship Manager, Union Bank of Switzerland
  • 
Tax Accountant, Grant Thornton
  • 
Financial Analyst, Experian
  • Business Analyst, American Express

  • Auditing Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers

  • Payroll Assistant, Swandean Hospital

  • Accounts Assistant, Aegis
  • 
Operations Manager, IVS.

Accreditations 

This course is accredited by five professional bodies, and successful completion of specific modules offers exemptions from professional exams. You may also benefit from student membership, access to networking events and online resources.

Exemptions from Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

This course includes modules accredited by the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA). On successful completion of the course, all students will be exempt from the ACCA's Applied Knowledge level papers and the Corporate and Business Law, Performance Management, Financial Reporting and Financial Management papers from the Applied Skills level (formerly papers F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F7 and F9).

Depending on the options you choose you can complete eight of the nine ACCA Applied level papers to become a part-qualified accountant.

  • Students taking the Taxation module option at level 6 will also get exemption from the ACCA's Taxation paper (formerly F6).

  • Students completing the Audit and Assurance module will also get exemption from the ACCA's Audit and Assurance paper (formerly F8).

Completion of these papers will also meet the entry requirements to apply for our ACCA Accountancy MSc.

We are also part of the ACCA Accelerate programme, which gives you an opportunity to register early with ACCA and accelerate your career in finance. 

ACCA logo

Exemptions from Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)

The ICAEW is a world leading professional membership organisation that promotes, develops and supports more than 147,000 chartered accountants worldwide.


Depending on module choices all students could be exempt from the Professional Stage papers: Accounting, Management Information, Law and Financial Management.

You can also be exempt from the ICAEW Assurance and Principles of Taxation if the optional modules Audit and Assurance and Taxation are passed.

Exemptions from Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)

CIMA is the world’s leading, and largest, professional body of management accountants.


All students may be exemption from the foundation level Certificate in Business Accounting and from Operational and Management levels. Depending on module choices, students could be exempt from all fundamental level papers.

Exemptions from Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

CIPFA is the only professional accountancy body in the world exclusively dedicated to public finance. 


Depending on your module choices, you may obtain exemptions from some exams in the CIPFA Professional Certificate or the Professional Diploma. 

Exemptions from the Association of International Accountants (AIA)

The AIA is a global body for professional accountants.All students may be exempt from AIA papers 1–6 and 8–10. 

You can also gain exemptions from papers 7, 11 and 12 depending on which module options you choose.
 

Work-related experience 

Our dedicated Placements and Employability team provide a huge portfolio of employers offering business-related placement opportunities. They support all students find a placement.

They offer several services to improve your employability including CV and cover letter reviews, mock assessment centres, fast-track interviews and interview practice sessions.

They will also support you throughout your placement and act as referees if you are offered a permanent role, or wish to continue to a masters degree.

 

 

JobTeaser
We are one of the first UK universities to use JobTeaser, a new online placements system presenting placement options in the UK and Europe. It gathers together all the job opportunities, events and resources you need to help you with your professional development.

Placement and recruitment events
Placement fairs are held twice a year involving companies from well-known names such as Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Enterprise-Rent-a-Car and IBM, through to smaller and more local businesses.

Our regular Employability Weeks offer activities designed to enhance your employability, including LinkedIn workshops, sessions on working abroad, advice from the university’s volunteering service and support from the Careers team.

 

Careers advice and support 

Careers Service
Our 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.

Mentoring
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.

Students at Placement Fair

Starting your own business 

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.

beepurple-logo

Postgraduate study 

If you decide that you would like to go onto postgraduate study, we offer a 10% discount to alumni. Here are some courses that might interest you.

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 12,900 GBP

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,230 for home students and £2,000 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

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 the time the Big Build is complete, 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: Moulsecoomb

We have halls of residence across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • Eligible students can apply for any of these options. Find out if you are eligible…
  • You’ll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Varley Park and Moulsecoomb Place halls.
    • Varley Park offers a mix of rooms and catering options. Varley Park is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
    • Moulsecoomb Place halls are catered and are located on campus.

We also offer Unihomes and Unilets, student houses that we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option provides the most choice and flexibility and can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments.

There’s plenty of support if you choose private rented accommodation. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. And we run our housemates service over the summer for students, new and returning, looking for a place to live.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages.

Moulsecoomb Place Halls

Moulsecoomb Place accommodation close to the Moulsecoomb campus

Student in the Moulsecoomb Place hall of residence

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Find out more

Finance and economics news

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Brighton Business School
01273 642151
undergrad.business@brighton.ac.uk

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Student views  

Evelin Tamm 

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Hristo Stoyanov

"The most useful aspect of the course was definitely the fact that most of the teachers had a rich experience of working in industry. This contributed towards my understanding of complex issues as they illustrated lectures with examples from their professional background.

"The quality of teaching is high and every time we had some issues they were instantly resolved by the course leader. The university also provides peer-assisted study sessions (PASS) for Accounting and Finance students which is extra support for everybody who needs it.

"If you choose the right modules during the third year you can get exemptions from all F papers for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification. This is highly respected by all employers and can give you a huge advantage when both applying for and actually doing your work."

Hristo Stoyanov

Louise Newson

"While studying at Brighton I gained a broad range of knowledge which I now use in my job as a trainee auditor nearly every day. A number of modules I studied allowed me exemptions within my professional qualification which has given me a head start in my ACCA.

"The placement year allowed me to understand how a smaller business works in relation to the larger firm I now work for. The business school were very supportive during my placement year and my overall journey through university has given me the confidence to take on the challenges of the working world, including applying for Deloitte, a company which I never would have had the confidence to go for otherwise."

louise newson

Oliver Dewdny 

Oliver Dewdny shares his experience of studying Accounting and Finance at Brighton Business School, and how the course and placement opportunities have helped prepare him for his career.

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Nhung Nguyen 

Nhung Nguyen, an international student from Vietnam, shares her experiences of studying Accounting and Finance BSc(Hons), and how a year’s paid work placement helped her to decide upon a career in taxation.

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