BSc(Hons) Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year)

Through thematic projects, this module will help you develop the academic, practical and professional foundations needed for undergraduate study in business and law. You'll work collaboratively and independently, using academic theory and professional practice to address relevant problems and societal issues. Indicative themes include a business simulation focused on organisational processes and teamwork, and a societal issue explored through values, research, debate and persuasive writing. Along the way, you'll strengthen your project management, digital, decision-making, presentation, feedback and self-management skills while exploring areas connected with your interests.

This module will support your professional and personal development by helping you evaluate your skills, set meaningful goals and monitor your progress. You'll explore self-management, reflective thinking and writing, wellbeing, resilience, social development and networking. Indicative themes include understanding yourself through skills audits, mindset and goal setting; working in teams through group roles, dynamics, motivation and feedback; and considering your wider context through personal mission, vision, values and future plans. Reflective practice will help you learn from experience, take responsibility for your development and prepare for collaborative project work.

This module will introduce the economic concepts needed to understand how firms, consumers and governments make decisions. You'll explore microeconomics through topics such as supply, demand, value, pricing and market behaviour, while macroeconomics will examine growth, inflation, unemployment and the wider economy. The module will also apply economic reasoning to sustainability challenges, considering circular economy approaches and sustainable business models. Using economic models, analytical tools and real-world case studies, you'll develop practical skills in interpreting economic issues and evaluating their implications for accounting, finance and business.

This module will introduce the principles and practices of financial accounting for both sole traders and limited companies. You'll learn how accounting information is generated, recorded and reported using double-entry bookkeeping and financial accounting frameworks. Topics include financial statements, inventory, receivables, payables, depreciation, accruals, reconciliations and accounting systems. The module will also consider corporate governance, sustainability, cash flow reporting and the evolving role of technology in accounting. Through practical activities, you'll develop the technical and professional skills required to produce and evaluate financial information.

This module will develop your understanding of management accounting and financial management from both theoretical and practical perspectives. You'll explore costing techniques, budgeting, pricing, investment appraisal, cash budgeting and performance measurement. Topics will include process costing, marginal and absorption costing, break-even analysis, discounting, regression and flexible budgeting. Working with realistic business scenarios, you'll learn how management accounting information supports planning, control and decision-making. Alongside technical knowledge, you'll strengthen your ability to analyse financial information and make informed business recommendations.

This module will help you develop statistical, technical and professional skills that support academic success and future career development. You'll learn how to use quantitative techniques, including data preparation, hypothesis testing and regression analysis, to solve business problems and interpret information. Alongside this, you'll explore personal and professional development, career planning, self-awareness, values and goal setting. The module also introduces an e-portfolio that will document your achievements and learning. Employer engagement opportunities may help broaden your understanding of career pathways and professional networks.

This module will introduce the legal principles that underpin business activity and the accounting and finance professions. You'll explore the English legal system, sources of law, courts, dispute resolution and the distinction between civil and criminal law. The module will examine contract law, tort, employment law, agency and the legal structures of business organisations. You'll also investigate company formation, corporate governance, directors' duties, financing and limited liability. Through the study of practical business situations, you'll develop an understanding of how legal rules influence organisational decision-making and professional practice.

In this module, you'll combine management accounting with the core principles of corporate finance. You'll evaluate activity-based, target, life-cycle and throughput costing, alongside budgeting, pricing, standard costing and variance analysis. Decision-making under uncertainty will introduce expected values, decision trees and risk assessment. You'll also examine investment appraisal, financing choices, working-capital management and the role of finance and treasury functions. By analysing information from different sources, you'll develop sharper business awareness and make reasoned judgements about realistic financial and management challenges.

You'll develop your understanding of the regulatory and conceptual framework for financial reporting, study published financial statements and learn how to read and analyse annual financial information.

In this module, you'll strengthen the data, research and communication skills needed in a business environment. You'll apply different research methodologies to practical business problems, learning how to organise, evaluate and analyse information before communicating findings to varied audiences. Engagement with employers will help you build business awareness and practise professional capabilities. You'll continue developing an e-portfolio to capture your progress, reflect on feedback and manage your professional advancement, while connecting data analytics and research methods with realistic organisational questions and decisions.

This module will bring together strategic management accounting and financial management to support organisational decision-making. You'll explore how financial and non-financial information can be used to evaluate strategy, manage performance and allocate resources. Topics may include cost and performance management, budgeting, investment decisions, financing, working capital and value creation. By applying techniques to complex business situations, you'll learn how to assess alternative actions, recognise the assumptions and limitations within financial analysis, and communicate integrated recommendations that reflect organisational objectives and wider commercial considerations.

In this module, you'll explore corporate financial reporting alongside the growing importance of sustainability information. You'll examine how organisations recognise, measure and communicate financial performance and position, while considering reporting needs relating to environmental, social and governance matters. Topics may include relevant reporting principles and standards, interpretation of corporate information, stakeholder accountability and current reporting developments. You'll develop the ability to prepare and critically evaluate disclosures, connect financial and sustainability performance, and assess the usefulness and limitations of information provided to different users.

This module will enable you to apply business strategy within a work-related context. You'll investigate a strategic issue affecting an organisation, drawing on relevant evidence, concepts and your professional experience. Through analysis of the internal and external environment, you'll learn how to identify priorities, assess strategic options and develop justified recommendations. The module will strengthen your ability to connect academic thinking with workplace practice, manage an extended investigation and communicate conclusions clearly, while reflecting on your contribution and ongoing professional development.