BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance

Management and Organisations

You will explore business management theories, the role and position of a manager, and your ability to manage others.

You are encouraged to develop your self-awareness as a potential manager and investigate issues like:

• the history of management
• structures
• functions
• culture
• sustainability
• and innovation of an organisation.

You will also explore:

• aspects of business psychology
• how people are motivated and behave
• theories of leadership and conflict management that can be used in effective management.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a report on management topics of interest.

Technology for Business

This module is designed to introduce you to the use of technology, primarily information systems, and how organisations adapt and leverage digital technology solutions to gain a competitive advantage. The course will begin with an introduction to information systems and fundamental concepts, ideas and critical components including the importance of data.

Introductory Law for Managers

This module will introduce you to law in the commercial world.

You will gain a sufficient understanding of the law as a manager and be able to recognise the existence and effects of the law in commercial activities and the key legislation organisations need to follow operationally and with customers.

You will explore when professional legal assistance is required in business.

Assessment

You will be assessed through an online examination and 1 hour in-class test.

Accounting Skills

In this module you will explore fundamental accounting concepts and develop the skills and techniques you need to collect and record data and transactions to prepare accounting statements and management accounts which are key to managers.

You will focus on the requirements for internal use of single entities.

Assessment

You will be assessed through an online exam and a 45-minute in class test.

Academic & Professional Skills 1

This module will support your transition into a university undergraduate degree programme. You will focus on developing academic and professional skills and be encouraged to reflect on and plan you own personal development. You are provided with a range of topics to help you develop and you can choose those most beneficial to you.

Entrepreneurial Mindset

In today’s competitive business environment, graduates require strong employability skills and a resilient attitude.

This module aims to develop these skillsets by working with a real client in creating ideas, implementing one of them and assessing how they can be more innovative.

You will deepen your knowledge of being entrepreneurial and applying an ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ to solve a real-life case study with a client.

You will usually work in small groups to develop an ‘innovative’ solution to an identified problem or opportunity.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a group presentation to the client and an individual report on how the entrepreneur can be more innovative.

Accreditations

This is a CMI and CIM accredited module.

Marketing Principles and Practice

This introductory module explores the role of marketing in the modern business environment.

You will discover the core tools and concepts of marketing and investigate the marketing principles of the extended services mix, buyer behaviour, segmentation, and market research.

You will explore business aspects such as contemporary society, digital innovations, and disruptive business models.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a business report.

Accreditation

This is a CMI and CIM accredited module.

Introduction to Sustainability

In today’s global environment, there is a strong focus on environmental factors such as climate change, reducing carbon emissions and negative impacts on biodiversity.  However, there are also wider ethical issues such as inequality, equality and diversity and ethical business governance that come under the umbrella of sustainability.  Today’s students will need to understand these issues and how different organisations (private, public and voluntary) can improve their sustainability and work collaboratively in responding to sustainable challenges and opportunities.

Financial Reporting

This module will enable you to describe and critically discuss how financial reporting can be regulated, including the system of international accounting standards.

You will learn to prepare statutory accounts in the appropriate form for a single business.

Assessment

You will be assessed through an online examination and a one hour in- class test.

Accreditation

This is an ACCA accredited module.

Management Accounts

This module develops your understanding of a range of management accounting techniques and how these can be applied to support decision-making. You will be required to solve problems that require you to demonstrate thoughtful and effective reasoning in proposing solutions or responses to a given set of circumstances. Assessment is by in-class test and exam.

Financial Management

This module will introduce you to areas of key financial decision-making and related underlying theory.

This includes decisions about setting corporate objectives, the funding of corporate operations and the appraisal of potential investments.

You will examine the choices available to companies regarding their capital structure and dividend policies and gain an understanding of the operation of equity markets and related implications for listed companies.

Professional Graduate

This practical module develops your critical understanding of the concept of professionalism and how it relates to being a graduate in the workplace.

You will plan your own development towards your graduate recruitment and if you chose a one-year internship (professional placement), you will focus on applying and preparing for this placement.

The module emphasises the importance of developing your own employability and encourages continuous reflection on personal and professional development (PDP).

Assessment

You will be assessed through two assignments, a mock job/placement interview and reflective report with PDP action plan.

Accreditation

This is a CMI accredited module.

Data Research for Business

This module introduces you to the concept of data and market research for decision making, to allow you to make informed decisions as business managers and prepare you for your final year research dissertation, or equivalent study.

The module takes you on a structured and applied journey, looking at the rationale and contextualisation for the research processes required for business decisions.

You will use qualitative and quantitative research methodologies specifically applied to your degree route or area of study.

Assessment

You will be assessed by market research analysis and recommendations report.

Accreditation

This is a CMI accredited module.

Auditing and Assurance

This module will introduce you to the key concepts of audit, assurance, and corporate governance.

You will develop your understanding of ethics and professional conduct as you learn about:

• the audit framework and regulation
• planning and risk assessment
• internal control
• audit evidence
• and how discovered material is reviewed and reported.

Assessment

You will be assessed through an individual essay and an online examination.

Taxation 1

This module will introduce you to key taxation concepts and the underlying principles the UK taxation system, as you gain an understanding of the principles behind, and the sources and types of, taxation.

You will also cover an overview of calculations in relation to value added tax and an examination of the scope of national insurance contributions and Capital gains tax.

Assessment

You will be assessed through an essay and an online examination.

Taxation 2

The UK tax system is continuously changing, specifically during and after periods of financial crisis.

This makes UK tax an important subject area for business management students as well as accounting and finance students.

This module will build on your understanding of personal income tax and introduce company tax including courses of income, adjustments and rules, chargeable gains, losses, and inheritance tax.

Assessment

You will be assessed through an individual essay and an online exam.

Research Dissertation

The module is an opportunity for you to research a specific area that interests you within an appropriate business, public sector or third sector context.

Your project will make a major contribution to your professional and intellectual development.

Placement students

All students have the opportunity to go on the 20-week work placement module in the final semester where you undertake a project for a client organisation and your dissertation will be based on this area of work.

Assessment

You will be assessed by creating an individual report of 10,500 words.

Accreditation

This is a CMI accredited module.

Corporate Finance

This module will give you an insight into the practical impacts of key areas of corporate finance.

You will cover an overview of the core concepts of corporate finance before focusing on specific related areas such as corporate valuation and merger and acquisition activity.

You will be introduced to more complex aspects of finance theory including:

• Portfolio Theory
• Capital Asset Pricing Model
• Capital Structure Theory.

You are encouraged to examine ‘corporate finance in action’ and to link your theoretical studies with practice.

Assessment

You will be assessed through an essay and an online exam.

Accreditation

This is an ACCA accredited module.

Professional Practice

This double module aims to provide you with the opportunity to gain valuable experience working in an organisation, or for an organisation for 2 days a week for 20 weeks.

You will typically be conducting your Research Project in parallel with this module.

The primary aim of the module is to enable you, within the context of your work placement, to focus on areas of personal development to enhance your employability skills for chosen career aspirations and gain both practical and research skills for a deeper knowledge of your subject field.

Entrepreneurship

The module focuses on the environmental factors directly relevant to small businesses as you develop a critical understanding of entrepreneurial process. You will use your earlier business related studies or discipline specific self-employment options to inform your studies and be assessed through an assignment and a presentation.

Strategic Management (Business Strategy)

More information on this module is coming soon.

Advanced Financial Accounting

This module will develop your understanding of the previous Financial Reporting module by:

• examining consolidated accounts
• evaluating financial statements to provide an analysis of performance
• comparing alternative approaches to asset valuation
• and examining current developments in external reporting.

Assessment

You will be assessed through an online examination and a one hour in-class test.