COURSE OVERVIEW
Decision making, big data, management… there’s more to accounting and finance than numbers. By studying our accounting and finance degree, you’ll explore every aspect of the area and learn to support businesses across different sectors.
Whether you want to work in a top accountancy firm or start a career in research, we’ll help you develop the expertise you need. You’ll take some of the professional exams too, so you’re one step closer to professional or chartered status when you graduate.
Fit for the digital age
Digitalisation has transformed the way this sector works and we’ve updated our course to reflect this. You won’t be spending hours working out calculations on paper – we’ll show you how to use the latest software that professionals use in practice.
To help you develop the skills you need to stand out, we’ll assess you in different ways. Instead of a formal exam, you might prepare a presentation, write a report, or talk to a panel of experts. For example, past students have presented ideas to professionals from Salford City Council.
Lecturers from leading organisations
The majority of our lecturers have come from industry, so their teaching is based on their experience and in line with current practice. Many members of the team actively research areas like corporate governance in emerging economies, and quality of investor protection among countries.
We bring in alumni and professionals from industry and professional bodies too. In the past, we’ve run sessions on mock psychometric tests, Excel and cloud accounting software. We also have a reverse mentoring scheme with professional services organisation EY, where students provide mentoring to their clients. If there’s one thing for sure, you’ll never be short of opportunities to prepare for your career while you study here.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
- Triple accredited – our business school holds the globally recognised trio of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA, placing us among the best business schools in the world.
- Qualify for exemptions with professional bodies - we’ve designed our courses around exemptions for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
- Learn from experts - our teaching team have either worked in industry or extensively researched the area. Employers turn to us for bespoke training, management programmes and consulting.
- Inclusive student experience - you’ll be part of an accounting, finance and banking department that celebrates diversity in its staff and students, enabling us to provide you with a transformative educational experience.
- Supporting you in person and online - student support initiatives including drop-in sessions, lecture recordings and dedicated support, both on and offline.
- Gain industry insight - join us for guest talks and masterclasses or take part in events run by the Accounting, Finance and Banking Society.
- Enhance your employability – activities include internships, volunteering or learning a new language. With our award-winning ‘Rise at Manchester Met’ programme you can gain extra academic credits towards your degree.
- Gear our course to your career goals - pick from an exemption or non-exemption route in your final year.
- Complete a placement or study abroad – you’ll enrol on to our three-year course and then decide once you’ve started your studies if a placement or study abroad is right for you.
- Prepare for a range of rewarding roles - our students go on to work at major organisations including PwC, Sainsbury’s, BNY Mellon and Handelsbanken.
COURSE INFORMATION
When you first join us, we’ll focus on the fundamentals of accounting and finance. As you master the basics, we’ll start to explore other areas like governance, ethics and law. We’ve also introduced a financial analytics module to help you interpret data – an essential skill in the digital age.
After your second year, you can decide whether to carry on to your final year, complete a year in industry or study abroad. For your final year, you’ll have a choice of two options. You can either follow an exemption or non-exemption route – we’ll help you decide which is best for you.
For the non-exemption route, you’ll carry out a research project. We’ll challenge you to draw upon theory and apply your knowledge to the real world. For example, you might consider how an accountancy standard has impacted businesses.
For the exemption route you will study a number of units. Please see below under Year 3 for more details.
Throughout the course, you’ll complete professional development modules too. We’ll cover a diverse range of areas, from CV writing and presentation skills, to assessment centres and masters applications.
ACCREDITATIONS, AWARDS AND ENDORSEMENTS
AccreditationAssociation to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Our business school is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This means we are internationally recognised for meeting global standards of excellence in business and management education.
Endorsement
Business School Impact System (BSIS)
The BSIS scheme is designed to determine the extent and nature of a business school’s impact upon its local environment. BSIS has given us the tools to capture the enormous added value and impact that our business school brings to businesses and communities.
Accreditation
EFMD Quality Improvement System
Our business school holds the EQUIS accreditation – a leading international system of quality assessment, improvement and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration. By attending an EQUIS accredited institution, students can be confident they are part of a high quality institution.
CAREER PROSPECTS
From corner shops to FTSE 100 businesses, all organisations depend on people with expertise in this area. While you’re a student, we’ll encourage you to think about opportunities beyond the main firms and consider different places of employment.
Want a head start? We’d encourage you to complete a placement year. Past students have worked at NHS Finance, Grant Thornton, EY and more. We’ll also bring in industry experts to talk about their recruitment process.
Some of our past students have gone on to secure roles as audit trainees, assurance associates and trainee accounts at organisations such as:
- PWC
- EY
- Grant Thorton
- Mazars
- Beever & Struthers
- Castletons
They also work at banks and investment management companies including Royal Bank of Scotland, Handelsbanken, Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon and Mercer.
Beyond the finance accounting sector, some of our students have secured work in a range of roles including finance and accounts controller and audit and quality analyst at:
- Sainsbury’s
- Capgemini
- Burberry
- Bakkavor
- Rentokil Initial
- Pennington
Placement options
Our BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance degree offers the chance to spend a year getting a taste of professional life. It not only gives you the opportunity to develop your core skills and learn about how a business really operates in your industry, but also shows employers that you’re ready to get to work.
The business school Placement Team is ready to help. They offer a wide range of services, including employer presentations, advice and placement fairs. But it’s also up to you – the more proactive you are about applying for placement opportunities, the better.
You will study eight 15 credit units. Please note that the following list of units is indicative and may be subject to change.
Core units
- FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
- BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
- ECONOMICS
- DIGITAL SKILLS
- FUNDAMENTALS OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING
- PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- FINANCIAL ANALYTICS
- GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND LAW
Year 2
You will study four 15 credit units and two 30 credit units. Please note that the following list of units is indicative and may be subject to change.
Core units
- FUNDAMENTALS OF CORPORATE FINANCE
- DIGITAL SKILLS FOR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS
- MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS
- BUSINESS LAW
- CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- FINANCIAL REPORTING AND ASSURANCE
Year 3
Students have the choice to select a non-exemption pathway or an exemption pathway. Please note that the following list of units is indicative and may be subject to change.
Non-exemption pathway:
Research Project
Continuing Professional Development 2
Exemption pathway:
Corporate Reporting and Governance
Management Accounting and Strategy
Continuing Professional Development 2
Core unit details for both are detailed below:
Core units
- RESEARCH PROJECT
- CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 2
- CORPORATE REPORTING AND GOVERNANCE
- MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING AND STRATEGY
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