Develop specialist accounting and finance skills, and learn to apply them in an organisational context.
Year of entry: 2020
NN4F
Y50
4 years full-time
£9,250 per year (2020/21)
£17,890 per year (2020/21)
Join us on campus or online and find out what studying at York is really like.
Find out moreAccounting is the language of business. It gives managers, investors and governments the information they need to make financially-sound decisions.
In the increasingly complex modern business environment, there is a high demand for skilled professionals who can work flexibly in teams across business boundaries. You’ll need strategic focus and the ability to influence decision making and apply judgement responsibly.
This course places accounting and finance skills in a broader business context. You’ll gain the technical skills and problem solving abilities you might expect from an accounting and finance programme, but will have also have the opportunity to develop strong communication skills, a broad commercial awareness and a critical approach to business problems. An industry placement lets you put theory into practice and will give you valuable experience working in an accounting or finance role.
Accredited by a number of professional bodies, this academically challenging and vocationally relevant degree is an ideal stepping stone into careers in accountancy and management.
This course is available as a three-year degree, without a year in industry: Accounting, Business Finance and Management (BSc).
Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
The responsibility you are given as a placement student is amazing. It may seem daunting at first, but everybody is so willing to help. I have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit, having meetings across the country with senior members of the business. It has been a great way of developing my negotiating skills, and learning first hand from the best.Charlie, 3rd Year, BSc Accounting, Business Finance and Management (with a year in industry)
Our business and management, accounting and finance degrees share some common elements in Year 1 to introduce you to the core concepts underpinning these key disciplines. As you progress, you'll develop the knowledge and skills acquired in your first year, giving both depth and breadth to your learning.
In your third year, you'll undertake a 12-month paid placement in industry. You'll develop your understanding of business and management, apply the theories you've learned and enhance your employability.
By the end of your course you'll have a good understanding of accounting and finance practices, and how they relate to business and management.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
Year 1 introduces you to business and management, and some of the key concepts and techniques used in accounting and finance. Modules will give you a broad overview of topics you can study in more detail in later years. You'll also learn important skills for accountancy and statistical analysis.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In Year 2 you'll develop your understanding further, and explore some new areas of study. You'll learn new research techniques, become familiar with important business processes, and apply your practical skills in planning and problem-solving.
You can also choose to add a placement in industry before your final year.
A year in industry gives you the opportunity to apply your academic learning to a real-life business. Salaries for these placements are typically £14,000 - £18,000, but have been as high as £45,000.
Our dedicated Placements Office advertise hundreds of vacancies each year. You can find placements in all sorts of industries, all over the world. If you have an idea of where you'd like to work, our team can help you find and apply for a suitable position. In recent years placements have included:
In your final year you can choose optional modules to develop new skills, take a closer look at topics you're familiar with, or investigate an interesting subject in detail. You'll take four core modules, plus two optional modules or a dissertation based on an original research project.
Be aware that the modules you choose may affect which professional accreditations you qualify for.
Dissertation (40 credits)
The dissertation is completed over the whole year. If you choose to undertake a dissertation you will not take additional option modules.
A dissertation draws on the knowledge and skills you have developed throughout your degree. You'll collect and analyse empirical data to illuminate or solve a complex issue or problem in the field of accounting, business finance and management. You'll write a longer and more complex document, sustaining a well-reasoned argument and drawing sound conclusions.
Choose two from the following options:
Please note, modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
10th equal for business and management studies, and 7th for accounting and finance.
The Times Good University Guide, 2020
We're 1st for 'Overall Satisfaction' in Management Studies among Russell Group universities included in the 2019 National Student Survey.
| UK/EU | International |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £17,890 |
You may find it useful to buy textbooks, and for some modules this may be required. Textbooks usually cost around £30 - £60 each.
UK/EU or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK, EU or international student.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2020/21 throughout the year.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
“Students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes”
The TEF Panel, Office for Students, June 2018
Our Gold Teaching Excellence Framework award demonstrates our commitment to the delivery of consistently outstanding teaching and learning for our students.
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
We focus on teaching the skills and expertise that employers want. We use practical problems and case studies from our industrial partners to ensure our modules are relevant to modern industry. Our passionate tutors' research-led teaching puts you at the forefront of current issues in business and management.
We use a wide range of teaching methods to suit different learning styles, including:
Our courses are designed to encourage you to take responsibility for your own learning and development, but with all the support you need available from our academics.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 3-7 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 4 hours per week |
| Workshops | 0-3 hours per term |
| Practicals | 0-3 hours per term |
These figures are based on an average student in an average week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practice completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during term time. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You will be based in the Management School on Campus East. Most of your teaching will take place in the Law and Management Building, with additional contact hours elsewhere on Campus East and occasionally Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
You will be assessed using a mixture of essays, projects and examinations. For some modules you'll produce reports, strategy documents or group presentations. This course puts greater emphasis on examinations in order to comply with the requirements of accreditation by the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales.
In your final year you will have some scope to choose forms of assessment that you prefer through selection of optional modules. You can pick modules which emphasise presentation skills, essay writing or exams. You could choose to work on an extended dissertation based on your own research and analysis of a current issue or problem in management.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 50% | 50% | 0% | 83% |
| Coursework | 50% | 48% | 0% | 17% |
| Practical exams | 0% | 2% | 100% | 0% |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
I had a fantastic experience here. You have people around to support you and guide you whenever you find something difficult. They make sure that you understand how the academics can be applied, so you don't just understand the theory... I think that's really important.Narissa, BSc Accounting, Business Finance and Management
Our bespoke employability sessions help you identify and improve your skills. Our dedicated support team will help you to build an employability portfolio and to present yourself at your best for the next step of your career.
Our graduates go on to careers in all aspects of business and management. Many progress to postgraduate degrees at York and other leading universities.
Recent graduates' positions include:
As well as specific accounting skills and professional accreditation from a number of industry bodies, this course will help develop your skills of:
The thing about this degree programme is that it's very broad. In interviews I could talk about tax, I could talk about capital markets, I could talk about accounting... I really feel that gave me a good advantage.Luke, BSc Accounting, Business Finance and Management
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | AAB |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDD |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, D3, M2 |
| International Baccalaureate | 35 points |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
We also require GCSE Mathematics at grade 5 (B). We do not accept adult numeracy in lieu of GCSE Maths.
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve B or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
We recognise the difficulties in taking English language tests due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We have taken the decision to relax the English language requirements published above by 0.5 IELTS (or equivalent).
We are closely monitoring the situation as it evolves and are considering further options to support offer-holders in meeting their English language conditions. Further information about our responses to COVID-19.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current IELTS scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
To apply to York, you will need to complete an online application via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).
If you have faced obstacles to higher education, or you are returning to education after a long absence, you may benefit from the York Access Scheme.
We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.
Explore campus and city life and hear what our current students have to say about living here.
Lively, full of culture and beautiful, York is regularly voted one of the best places to live and visit in the UK.
