Our Accounting and Economics course (with Foundation Year) is a four-year course with an integrated foundation year which leads to the same qualification as our three-year honours degree. It has been specifically designed for those wanting to undertake degree-level study but who may not meet the entry requirements or have traditional qualifications.

The Foundation Year (Year 0) offers you the chance to expand and strengthen your confidence, skills and knowledge – ensuring that you are well-prepared and qualified to progress into Year 1 of the undergraduate degree.

Accounting has been defined as the measurement and disclosure of financial information that is used by managers, investors and others to make decisions about the allocation of resources within organisations. Our Accounting and Economics degree provides you with all the skills you need to ensure a sound foundation for your professional career in a wide range of fields.

Economics has been defined as the study of human choice, and the impact of choice on the production, distribution and consumption of scarce resources. Microeconomics deals with choice at the individual level, and macroeconomics analyses the economy as a whole. This programme includes a core microeconomics and macroeconomics component, and a specialism focusing on the economic context of business decision making. You will develop an awareness of applications of economics in areas including business management, finance and public policy.

This programme is accredited by the ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), the global body for professional accountants. The number of examination exemptions will depend on the choice of optional modules, but could be up to a maximum of five. The programme is also accredited by the CIMA (the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) which means students could be entitled to claim exemptions for up to eight of their professional examinations. Students aiming for a career as accountants are, however, recommended to select the BA/BSc in Accounting and Finance which provides five guaranteed exemptions.    

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• You will study within a multidisciplinary School that employs specialists across a broad range of business subjects, including accounting, banking, finance, economics, management, marketing and entrepreneurship.
• All single honours students taking degrees within Business at Bangor follow the same modules in Year 1, so you may change to another Business School degree anytime up to the start of Year 2.
• Our students take part in national competitions such as the IBM Business Challenge.
• A Careers and Employability Fair is held every year and provides an opportunity for students to meet recruiters and learn more about post-graduation employment options.
• We arrange a varied programme of guest lectures. Recent speakers have included the Chief Executive of the Scottish Premier League, the Chief Operating Officer of No. 10 & 11 Downing Street, and the Head of IT Security at HSBC.
• Our staff are active researchers in their subject areas and we enjoy an international reputation.
• We have excellent computing facilities and you will have the chance to develop your skills in data analysis and report preparation.
• Bangor offers an attractive range of postgraduate degrees (MA, MSc and MBA) in business and finance subjects.
• Depending on the modules you study, you will be able to gain exemptions from parts of the professional examinations of the major accounting bodies.

You will spend up to 15 hours per week in lectures, seminars and tutorials. There is a mixture of continuous assessment and written examinations. You will complete assignments such as collecting and analysing information from commercial databases or the internet, preparing business case studies, writing essays and completing problem-solving exercises.

What will you study on this course?

In Year 0 you will take modules intended to familiarise you with core themes, principles and topics that you will study in greater depth later in the degree: Business Functions, Business Law, Management Studies, Introduction to Financial Accounting, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics.

You will also follow take modules in IT and Communication Skills, Computing, UK government and Society, Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences, Academic Skills.

Year 1 of all our Single Honours degree courses will provide you with a strong foundation in the disciplines offered in Bangor Business School – Accounting, Banking, Economics, Finance, Management and Marketing – together with in-depth study of core topics in the field of Accounting and Banking. You will also benefit from a comprehensive introduction to key analytical skills.

In Years 2 and 3, you will progressively specialise in your course’s core field of study. In addition to further developing your skills, you will also be introduced to more specialist approaches, theories and concepts.

Many graduates from Bangor Business School pursue careers in areas such as accountancy, banking, investment, insurance, risk management, marketing, human resource management and retail management.

Our degree programmes in Accounting, Banking and Finance address a wide range of high-profile issues affecting consumers, companies, financial institutions and the public sector. They provide highly valued knowledge and transferable skills which prepare our graduates for a wide range of potential careers.