This four-year degree is ideal for students looking to build a career in finance, even if they don’t have traditional qualifications like A-Levels. The foundation year is designed to help you develop key academic and study skills, such as critical thinking, numeracy, communication and research methods, so you’re fully prepared to succeed at the university level.
Once you progress into the main degree, you’ll explore a wide range of core topics that underpin the modern financial world. These include:
- Financial and management accounting
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Business law and taxation
- Auditing, ethics, and corporate governance
- Financial data analysis and reporting
The course blends real-world case studies with academic learning to help you understand how financial principles apply in today’s businesses. You’ll also develop practical skills using industry-standard tools and techniques to prepare for careers in accountancy, financial planning, corporate finance, or auditing. Graduates from this programme often pursue roles such as financial analyst, accountant, auditor, or finance officer, and the degree also offers exemptions from professional qualifications like ACCA, enhancing your employability. If you’re ready to take your first step into the financial sector, this programme provides the perfect balance of academic support and career-focused learning.
You don’t need A-Level maths. The foundation year builds your numeracy and study skills before the accounting starts.
Who this course suits
- You like working with numbers and want a career with clear steps up
- You already do bookkeeping, payroll or finance admin and want a degree to match
- You’re organised and careful with detail
- You’d like to work towards a professional accountancy qualification later
Careers this course can lead to
- Accounts assistant
- Finance officer
- Payroll officer
- Credit controller
- Audit assistant
- Financial analyst
- Management accountant
- Self-employed bookkeeper
Many accountancy roles also involve a professional qualification from a body such as ACCA, CIMA or ICAEW, which you can study for alongside work.
A typical week
On campus
2 days a week, around 4 hours a day
Lectures and seminars on financial accounting, budgeting, tax and business law, plus workshops where you work through calculations and real company case studies.
Independent study
Evenings, weekends or days off
Practice questions, reading and assignments such as financial reports and case study analysis.
Accounting & Finance: your questions answered
Do I need to be good at maths?
You need to be comfortable working with numbers, but you don’t need A-Level maths. The foundation year includes numeracy, and accounting methods are taught step by step.
Will this degree make me a chartered accountant?
Not on its own. Chartered status comes from professional bodies such as ACCA, CIMA or ICAEW. The degree can give exemptions from some ACCA exams, and we’ll confirm which apply to your intake before you apply.
I work in a finance or admin role. Will that help?
Yes. Experience with invoices, payroll or budgets makes the theory easier to apply, and it gives you real examples to use in assignments and in your interview or assessment.
Can I keep my job while I study?
Most students do. Teaching is usually on two days a week, so many people fit their studies around work, with independent study in the evenings or at weekends.
