BScAccounting and Finance
| Study location | United Kingdom, Egham, Surrey |
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| Type | Bachelor courses, full-time |
| Nominal duration | 3 years |
| Study language | English |
| Awards | BSc |
| Course code | NN34 |
| Entry qualification | High school / secondary education (or higher) Maths A level or GCSE Maths grade B or 6 At least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9 – 4 including English and Mathematics. The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English. Often you can get a suitable transcript from your school. If this is not the case, you will need official translations along with verified copies of the original. |
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| Language requirements | English IELTS: 6.5 overall (with 6.0 in reading and writing and a minimum of 5.5 in all other subscores) |
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| Other requirements | At least 1 reference(s) must be provided. A motivation letter must be added to your application. Socio-economic factors which may have impacted an applicant’s education will be taken into consideration and alternative offers may be made to these applicants. |
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| More information |
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Overview
Interested? To learn more about this study programme, entry requirements and application process, please contact one of our consultants in a country nearest to you.
Programme structure
Year 1
Financial Accounting:
This module introduces you to the underlying framework and concepts of accounting and its role in organisations and society. You will develop an understanding of the basic components of financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement), the procedures and techniques for the preparation of these, and an understanding of their purpose and value for businesses. You will also examine the principles of financial decision making, with emphasis on developing skills for analysing financial accounting information.
Introduction to Management Accounting:
This module will provide you with an introduction to the basic techniques and processes of management accounting. You will look at the current technical languages and practices relating to the provision and use of management accounting information in organisations. You will learn now contribution-based approaches are used in cost-volume-profit analysis and the allocation of scarce resources, and how marginal and full costing information, including activity-based costing, is used to determine product costs, prices, and overall profits. You will also consider the concept of relevant costs, specifically in the appraisal of capital investment decisions.
Introduction to Finance:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the theory and techniques for appraising financing and investment decisions. You will be introduced to concepts of risk and uncertainty in investment decision making and the assessment and management of risk in straightforward scenarios. You will look at how the role of capital markets in facilitating access to funding, learning how to estimate the weighted average cost of capital, and explain its implications for financing and investment decisions. You will evaluate a range of techniques for managing elements of working capital, including calculation of relevant ratios and the operating cash cycle. You will also become familiar with the techniques used to manage and assess inventory, trade receivables, cash and current liabilities.
Quantitative Methods:
In this module you will develop an understanding of quantitative studies and how they are employed in Management and Economics. You will look at how quantitative studies relate to differences, associations and relationships in groups and populations, and examine a range of statistical techniques.
International Business:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the formal economic, political and legal institutions, as well as cultural, religious, and linguistic differences that must be taken into account when conducting business across borders. You will look at how the global context in which companies operate has evolved over time, considering the role of foreign direct investment and internationalisation strategies. You will examine the motivations for entering a foreign market, the factors determining whether a company enters on their own or in partnership, the risks of entry and how they are analysed, and how companies negotiate with governments.
Foundations in Digital Enterprise:
In this module you will develop an understanding of information systems and how they have become the backbone of contemporary businesses. You will consider how they are used by business managers as a tool for achieving operational excellence, developing new products and services, improving decision making, and achieving competitive advantage. You will also examine the broader organisational, human and information technology dimensions of information systems and how they can be used to provide solutions to challenges and problems in the business environment.
Year 2
Financial Reporting:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the theory and practice of financial reporting. You will look at the regulatory and ethical background to the composition of financial reporting documents and learn to prepare single-company financial statements, and extracts from statements, in accordance with the international financial reporting standards (IFRS). You will consider specific accounting issues such as handling of intangibles, and will critically examine and interpret financial statements using quantitative tools such as ratio analysis.
Management Accounting for Performance and Decision Making:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the use of management information systems, in particular those used for performance measurement, performance management, and decision making. You will look at how management accounting information is used to support short and long term decision making by organisations to gain a competitive advantage. You will consider traditional and alternative budgetary practices, including preparation of functional budgets, master budgets, and forecasts, and use of management control systems, such as standard costing and variance analysis. You will also examine the use of transfer pricing methods for performance and decision making within divisionalised structures.
Corporate Finance:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the theories and empirical evidence concerning financial management, risk, and the operation of capital markets. You will look at strategic decisions such as gearing and dividend policy within specified institutional contexts, and consider more practical aspects of business finance, including the preparation of forecast financial statements and their use in business planning and valuation. You will also examine aspects of business restructuring, the global context for both investing and financing, and further aspects of risk management.
Strategic Management:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the theories of strategic management. You will consider these theories in the context of contemporary business operations, including the political and regulatory frameworks, in response to technological change, financialisation, the development of new business models, and changes in the way corporate performance is assessed. You will look at key concepts and debates in the theory of corporate and business strategy, and examine the changing context in which corporate strategy is formulated and implemented.
Managerial Economics:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the tools and techniques of economic analysis to solve common managerial problems. You will look at economic intuition and its relevance to business problems, and the application of economic principles to strategic situations. You will consider the constraints faced by business decision makers, the economic consequences of their decisions, and the influence of the macro environment. You will also examine the benefits and drawbacks of free trade or restrictions on imports and exports across a range of countries with divergent socio-political contexts.
Employability:
In this module you will develop an awareness of the challenges associated with gaining employment in the contemporary workplace. You will learn about work experience, internships, and part-time employment opportunities, and receive guidance on how to complete applications, become familiar with what to expect from an assessment centre, and develop your interview technique. You will participate in a range of activities including business games, quizzes, coaching exercises, and hear from industry speakers offering insights into what it’s like to work in a particular sector or company.
Year 3
Advanced Financial Reporting:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the advanced theory and practice of financial reporting, in the context of governance and corporate social responsibility. You will look at theories that have been developed to assist in the improvement and regulation of corporate financial reporting. You will consider the economic concepts of income and value and their application to financial reporting, and how group financial statements are prepared in accordance with international financial reporting standards (IFRS). You will also examine complex accounting issues, such as financial instruments, taxation, employee benefits and leases, and advanced techniques of analysis and interpretation of corporate financial statements, such as trend analysis, segmental analysis, and advanced ratio analysis.
Management Accounting for Strategic Analysis:
In this module you will develop an understanding of the contemporary theories and practices of strategic management accounting. You will look at the techniques and practices of activity based management, pricing decisions and profitability analysis, cost management, strategic investment decision making, alternative approaches to management control, and situational influences, such as the absence of a profit motive. You will examine the tools use to gain a competitive advantage in a globalised business environment, including those related to both short and long term decision making, planning and control. You will also consider the use of quantitative and qualitative data to support arguments and justify conclusions in relation to selected cases.
Investment Management:
In this module you will develop an understanding of management in theory and practice. You will look at the ethical and international contexts in which investment management takes place. You will examine topics such as efficient markets, the capital asset pricing model, arbitrage pricing theory, and models of systematic risk, considering empirical evidence and current practices. You will evaluate optimal portfolio choices, learning to devise an appropriate portfolio strategy which takes into account the current state of the financial markets. You will also asses the merits of active and passive bond portfolio management from both a domestic and international perspective and examine recent changes to international fund management and their implications.
Ethics for Accounting and Finance:
In this module you will develop an understanding of approaches to ethical decision making in accounting and finance. You will critically evaluate decision models for accounting ethics, assessing contemporary issues faced by accountants and finance professionals, including the influence of stakeholders, accounting standards, and moral philosophy. You will also examine the role of auditing practices in society, looking at look at real world examples, including major accounting and finance scandals. You will also analyse some of complex ethical issues that surround business decision making, including examples of good and bad practice by governments, corporations and individuals.
Optional modules
In addition to these mandatory course units there are a number of optional course units available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course units that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new units may be offered or existing units may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
Career opportunities
An Accounting and Finance degree at Royal Holloway offers you a route into the accounting profession, and it can also lead into a wider range of careers in business. It is highly regarded by employers because of the deep understanding of accounting and finance in the context of the business environment combined with valuable interpersonal and transferable skills that can be taken directly into the workplace. We will help students to recognise their own strengths, skills and abilities so that they can make strong applications for their chosen job or further study.