Please note we are no longer offering this course to new applicants
Page last updated 18 June 2024
This practical, future-focused course will give you the financial and business skills you need to build a successful career in accounting. It offers significant exemptions from chartered accounting professional examinations.
Accounting is at the heart of every business, so your skills will be in high demand, with excellent prospects for progression and a highly competitive salary. The exemptions you earn through the course will allow you to fast-track your career on graduation.
This BSc(Hons) Accounting is designed to immerse you in the core knowledge and skills you'll need to be a professional accountant. You'll build expertise in financial and management accounting and corporate finance, underpinned by principles of good governance and ethical decision-making.
You'll learn from tutors and guest speakers with direct experience of the industry, and be inspired by teaching founded on real-world practices.
Our audit simulation, developed with the profession, allows you to experience the audit process based on real cases.
You'll have the opportunity to investigate global financial data through our industry-standard Bloomberg Trading Suite, and to develop your workplace skills through internships, volunteering and placements.
In our Business Clinic, you'll gain valuable experience by providing pro bono advice to real businesses.
This course shares a first year with our BA(Hons) Accounting and Finance and BA(Hons) Accounting and Management, with full transferability between courses at the end of the first year.
This course prepares you for a long-term financial career as a chartered accountant, allowing you to progress in many financial and related roles as well as the accounting profession.
You might aim to secure a professional training contract in practice or in industry, aiming at future roles such as partner, financial director or chief financial officer.
You can pursue specialisms in interesting areas, such as forensic accounting, financial technologies, environmental accounting, sport and health finance; or start your own business.
Accredited by the ACCA, ICAEW, IFA, AIA and CIMA
The course is accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the Institute of FinancialAccountants (IFA), the Association of International Accountants (AIA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). This means you'll gain exemptions from several of their professional examinations, giving you a useful head start in your professional studies.
The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.
An introduction to accounting and finance fundamentals and core business skills and knowledge.
You'll study:
You'll build in-depth technical knowledge to support professional exemptions in financial and management accounting and finance. You'll develop your understanding of taxation, governance and strategic decision-making.
You'll study:
Plus, one optional module from:
If you study on the four year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work Placement or a Study Year Abroad after Year two.
Depending on which you choose, you'll either complete a placement learning or learning and development module.
See the Placements and Fees sections for more information.
You'll progress to more advanced understanding and application of accounting and strategic decision-making in real-world contexts. There'll be opportunities to take some options in specialist areas of interest, or maximise exemptions from professional examinations.
You'll study:
*Not available if you complete the Sandwich Year or Study Year Abroad.
Plus, two optional modules from:
Please check with the programme Leader for modules that would lead to exemptions.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we'll inform you.
"The Accounting Pro Bono Clinic gave me valuable experience, advising real clients under lecturer supervision. This developed my client-facing communication and presentation skills. I'm now applying these skills in my graduate role as a Trainee Financial Planner with Mazars." Hannah, 2022 Accounting graduate.
You'll learn through lectures, workshops and tutorials, with regular opportunities to hear from and engage with current industry experts, employers and alumni.
In the Bloomberg Trading Suite, you will explore and apply real-time financial data, and you'll experience real audit work through the audit simulation.
You'll gain core professional skills in sessions led by global accounting firms and professional bodies.
The Academic Success Centre will support your academic skills development at every stage of your course, and in your first and second years you will be supported by additional peer-assisted learning.
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Approximate percentage of time you'll spend in different learning activities*:
| Year | Scheduled learning and teaching study | Independent study | Placement study |
| 1 | 26% | 74% | 0% |
| 2 | 24% | 76% | 0% |
| 3 | 18% | 74% | 8% |
*calculated from compulsory and option module choices (where applicable) each year.
You'll have at least 12 hours contact time a week. Additional independent study tasks include tutorial preparation, group work, coursework assignments and exam revision this will take around 24 hours per week.
We want you to graduate with the best possible employment opportunities. In the course of your studies, you'll be expected to undertake either summer internships, part-time work experience, Business Clinic activities, or a 40-week industry placement.
Assessment will include business reports, essays, literature reviews, simulations, case study evaluations, presentations and portfolios. Modules leading to professional exemptions will always be assessed by examinations.
Approximate percentage of marks awarded by each assessment method*:
| Year | Written exam assessment | Coursework assessment | Practical exam assessment |
| 1 | 51% | 23% | 26% |
| 2 | 70% | 30% | 0% |
| 3 | 52% | 48% | 0% |
*Calculated from compulsory and optional modules (where applicable) each year.
The course is accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA), the Association of International Accountants (AIA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
Students who get work experience tend to graduate with better degrees. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professional network, making you a sought after graduate.
We want you to graduate with the best possible employment opportunities. In the course of your studies, you'll be expected to undertake either summer internships, part-time work experience, Business Clinic activities, or a 40-week industry placement.
We also encourage and facilitate international study exchanges with our partners in locations including Europe, China, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Designed to give you the best possible learning experience, the Bristol Business School offers technology-enabled classrooms and individual and group study learning spaces, as well as bookable conference rooms.
It is home to the Bloomberg Trading Suite, providing access to real-time trading data and the industry-standard financial research database. The suite is used across a number of modules to develop real-world skills recognised in the investment industry.
In our specialist library, business librarians manage vast collections of hard copy and online resources to support your learning and research. You can attend workshops and study skills sessions to develop your information skills. The College Academic Success Centre provides one-to-one and group study skills support.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Take a Virtual Tour of the Accounting and Finance facilities and see what's on offer here for you.
An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
We provide support in the way you need it.
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.
Graduates from BSc(Hons) Accounting go on to work in accounting, financial management or a wide range of related financial careers. Many graduates will join professional accounting firms, specialising in taxation, audit, consultancy or specialist areas such as enterprise, sport, technology innovation or environment, progressing to partner roles.
Some graduates will go into industry, developing specific expertise in a business or sector and progressing to Board positions. Others might go into broader strategic business consultancy, or set up their own business.
Previous graduates have joined global accounting firms such as PWC, KPMG and EY, or trained in industry with major companies such as JP Morgan, Capita, Hargreaves Lansdown and Intel.
Whichever path you choose, you'll find your skills in high demand. All organisations large or small, public or private rely on the sound financial advice you'll be able to provide.
Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.
We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.
Visit our employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
Your overall entitlement to funding is based on how long the course is that you're registered on.
Standard funding is allocated based on the standard number of years that your course lasts, plus one additional year.
You'll apply for funding each year that you study and Student Finance will take into account how long the course is in each year that you apply. So if you register for the four year course and then transfer to the three year course, the number of years you can apply for funding will change. Student Finance will reassess your funding based on how many years you have been in study, not just those years for which you received student finance.
Always seek advice before taking any action that may have implications for your funding.
This refers to items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee.
These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.
For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.
If you don't meet the entry requirements, you may be eligible for BSc(Hons) Accounting (with Foundation Year).
For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the country information pages. If you are an international student and do not meet the academic requirements to study this course, you can qualify by completing preparatory study at our International College.
If you are applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.
If you are interested in direct entry to Final year, please see our BA(Hons) Accounting and Finance (Top Up) course.
Read more about entry requirements.
Read more about undergraduate applications.
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.
UK applicants
Admissions@uwe.ac.uk
International/EU applicants
International@uwe.ac.uk
UK applicants
+44 (0)117 32 83333
International/EU applicants
+44 (0)117 32 86644