Accounting BSc Honours
DURATION
3 up to 4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
GBP 15,400 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international | UK: £9,250
Introduction
This exciting specialist accounting degree is designed specifically to meet the needs of a talent pool for the changing accounting services sector. Education in this subject area is in high demand in a wide variety of sectors and industries where accounting specialists manage budgets, prepare financial and annual reports and also are involved at the Board level to inform the development of strategy and guide business decisions. Our degree is the first step to becoming a qualified accounting professional with the potential to develop a rewarding career in large and small firms as a consultant or in a business start-up.
This professionally accredited degree offers a rounded business education designed to develop your understanding of accounting theories and practice, together with the business acumen, team-working, problem-solving, communication skills and commercial awareness needed in a complex global financial world.
Raising your awareness of the global, social and ethical professional environment within which the accounting profession operates, you’ll learn to appreciate accounting issues within the wider business context, able to guide decisions on anything from cost-cutting and outsourcing to operational planning and environmental policy, for example.
Taught by academics with professional experience as accountants and managers, there is an emphasis on learning through practice, so you graduate with the breadth of knowledge and capabilities to respond proactively and creatively to contemporary business issues and challenges. You’ll develop practical skills, receiving hands-on training in specialist accounting software such as Sage, Bloomberg and SPSS. In our state-of-the-art Financial Markets Suite (FMS), you’ll also have access to live and historical financial reports, experiencing the same Bloomberg platform used by leading global investment banks.
Changes in technology and regulation mean that the accounting industry is constantly evolving. In our course, you’ll have the chance to focus your studies from the start, blending a conceptual theoretical framework with practical 'real-world' application as the curriculum progresses from basic to more specialised and advanced applications. Upon completion, you will be part-qualified, eligible to apply for up to nine exemptions with ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and up eight exemptions with CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants).
Our programme will equip you with the required skills and attributes needed for an engaging and successful career in accounting or related fields in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. It will assist you in developing excellent conceptual knowledge and technical skills in financial accounting, management accounting, corporate finance, taxation, auditing, and financial analysis, as well as the required attributes, to excel in the modern global business environment. Past graduates have gone on to a range of accounting and other professional posts in the private and public sectors, including ACCA and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) training contracts, and finance posts in the public sector.
In December 2021, the University of Westminster received the CIMA Prize-Winner Excellence Award 2021. The Prize-Winner Award recognises university partners with top-performing CIMA students in Case Study exams. The CIMA Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding academic partners, education providers and students who have made significant contributions to the accounting profession and the Institute over the past year.
Top reasons to study with us
- Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) with up to nine examination exemptions respectively – with the potential for more depending on your module choice
- Re-accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) with the potential to gain exemptions from the eight required to gain the professional qualification
- Learn to use CIMA Sage Accounting software and gain an official CIMA Sage user's certificate
- Access to one of the largest financial databases in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg virtual trading room
- Opportunity to undertake a one-year international professional placement with past students going to work for HSBC’s student recruitment programme, for example
- Guest lectures from industry practitioners: recent talks featured a senior business manager from Barclays and a seasoned entrepreneur
- Field trips to financial institutions: students had a guided tour of the new Bloomberg HQ in London
Why study this course?
- Combine theory and practice
Link theory to global practice through real-life case studies, guest lectures, field trips and insight from one of the world’s largest financial databases. - Professional software
Enhance your digital literacy and computer skills with industry-standard software including Excel, Tableau and FAME. - Build connections
Build connections with peers and future business leaders.
Professional accreditation
For those pursuing ACCA accreditation, the global body for professional accountants, the number of examination exemptions could be up to a maximum of nine upon successful completion of corresponding modules. This degree has also been re-accredited CIMA, the world's largest professional body of management accountants, with up to a maximum of eight examination exemptions when completing your CIMA professional qualification.
Career Opportunities
As well as general financial management, where they lead in financial recording, reporting planning and analysis, accountants work across various specialisations, including consulting, corporate finance and forensic accounting. They work for central or local government, corporate and commercial businesses, charities and not-for-profit organisations; professional associations; or educational institutions. Many of our students go on to postgraduate study here.
The University's Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
- Develop your innovation and entrepreneurial skills
Develop your innovation and entrepreneurial skills in The Big Idea competition, sponsored by Santander. - Kickstart your career
Learn how to use social media in your job hunt or LinkedIn to kickstart your career. - Develop your CQ
Develop your cultural intelligence – or ‘CQ’ – by studying alongside students and staff representing more than 100 nationalities.
Industry links
This course is recognised by the main professional accounting bodies, ACCA and CIMA, and the Course Team works continuously to maintain and strengthen our close links. As part of this, we are currently planning to deliver, jointly with ACCA and CIMA, a number of career-focused activities. This is likely to include talks on accounting professional qualifications, the job market for accounting professionals and the distinct graduate skills employers require and expect from accounting graduates, as well as case studies on professionalism and the ethics of the accounting profession. Such activities have, in the past, contributed to the professional development of our accounting students and we believe it is an essential part of your studies.
We have excellent industry links with some of the top firms in financial services, along with leading financial technology and data vendor services providers such as Bloomberg. Staff who currently teach this course also have extensive professional experience that includes the following professions: financial analyst; credit risk analyst; lending specialist in the banking sector; global entrepreneur; risk management; software development and management; research consultant; and financial consultant.
Job roles
This course will prepare you for roles such as:
- Audit manager
- Chartered management accountant
- Financial controller
- Tax consultant
Graduate employers
Graduates from this course have found employment at organisations including:
- ACCA
- British Airways
- IBM
- ICAEW
- JP Morgan
- NHS England
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, comprising a set of core and optional extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.
Admissions
Curriculum
In this degree, you’ll study topics such as preparation and analysis of financial statements; financial reporting; regulation in governing accounting practice; principles of cost accumulation; financial and management accounting theory, and Computer Methods in Accounting, Auditing and Taxation. In doing so, you’ll deepen your understanding of the financial drivers of business strategy, planning, governance and ethics. In each year of study, you will take a combination of core and option modules which cover specialisms such as taxation or corporate governance, for example.
The following subjects are indicative of what you will study in this course.
Year 1
You are introduced to the role of accounting in planning, decision-making and control. We’ll consider the processes used to record, summarise and present accounting data, and the mathematical and statistical techniques that can be used to analyse and interpret financial statements. Key topics covered include cost classifications for decision-making, product costing techniques applicable to different industries, budgeting, short-term decision-making using cost volume profit analysis, and long-term investment appraisal. You will also practise fundamental accounting techniques using an extensive range of exercises and case studies, as well as online learning resources. You will learn to use specialist IT packages such as Sage Accounting, which is used extensively by business and professional firms. Drawing on real-life data from FAME, you’ll be tasked with analysing the financial performance of an organisation of your choice.
Subjects of study include:
- Introductory Financial Accounting
- Fundamentals of Management Accounting
- Quantitative Methods for Accountants
- Computerised Methods in Accounting
- Global Business for Accounting and Finance
You will also have the opportunity to take an optional module that broadens your skills or helps you to gain more in-depth knowledge of your specialist area. You may also choose a foreign language as your option module.
Credit Level 4
Year 2
You’ll study financial and management accounting, auditing practice and ethics in greater depth, covering accounting concepts, the theory underpinning accounting practice and how to present and communicate complex financial information effectively to others. We’ll explore the legal and regulatory requirements governing financial accounting and reporting practices and, in the wake of economic scandals such as Dick Smith or China Medical Technologies, consider the importance of ethical accounting. You’ll examine international auditing standards, the evidence gathered and the rationale behind it.
Subjects of study include:
- Financial Accounting and Reporting
- Intermediate Management Accounting
- Auditing Theory and Practice
- Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility in Accounting
Plus two options from Corporate Governance, Law and the Business and other areas of business including languages.
Credit Level 5
Placement Year
Professional experience or study abroad year
Between Years 2 and 3 you may choose to study English-taught courses for a year at one of our overseas partner institutions. Currently, you can take a Year Abroad studying in Berlin, Bologna, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris, and other locations including Brisbane, Sydney (Australia), Japan, Canada and the USA. There are also many opportunities for those with appropriate language skills to study the local language in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, among others. You can also choose to split your year abroad into a first semester exchange and a second semester work placement, both conducted overseas, or undertake a placement year overseas.
Alternatively, between Year 2 and Year 3 you can undertake a one-year, full-time business placement as a Professional Experience Year within the UK. Past students have completed placements in a variety of prestigious organisations, including AMEC, Barclays Bank, Commerzbank, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, GE Capital, HSBC, IBM and the NHS, as well as in smaller businesses.
Year 3
We’ll look at advanced financial information analysis, building your competence to use relevant and emerging technologies in the field of accounting and management. Topics covered include Advanced Financial Accounting Reporting, Advanced Management Accounting, Financial Management and Taxation. You’ll analyse detailed accounting information, including consolidated financial statements, make informed decisions and review current research in the area of accounting. As part of your dissertation, you’ll study in-depth a topic in which you have a strong interest. Research conducted by previous students has varied greatly, including auditing, accounting information systems, digitalisation in accounting, corporate reporting and disclosure, taxation and management accounting.
Subjects of study may include:
- Advanced Financial Accounting and Reporting
- Advanced Aspects of Management Accounting
- Financial Management
- Strategic Perspectives for Finance and Accounting
Plus two options from Dissertation, Taxation, Company Law and other areas of business including languages.
Credit Level 6
International Opportunities
Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.
Opportunities could include:
- Taking part in a semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
- Attending an international summer school or field trip
- Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad
International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.
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Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.