Accounting and Finance BSc

Our Accounting and Finance degree offers you the opportunity to graduate with significant exemptions from the main accountancy professional bodies, giving you a head start for your career. At Leeds, you’ll study in one of the largest city regions for financial and business services in England, with a range of opportunities to gain relevant work experience.

Combining accounting and finance theory with professional techniques, this course will give you the practical knowledge and skills that top accounting and finance employers are looking for.

You’ll develop a deep understanding of the way financial information is used and managed within organisations and how it is reported. You’ll learn about the modern economy, the nature of business and the role that accounting and finance can play within it.

Pathways

This programme offers pathways from Year 2 which will allow students to tailor their course to their specific interests or professional aspirations. The pathways will provide modules that can be taken in particular areas and followed through to their final year. This allows a level of personalisation and self-direction not previously available on this programme, providing students with a degree of flexibility to meet their own needs.

The pathways available on this programme are:

• Economics
• Enterprise and Innovation
• Ethics and Sustainability
• Business Management

Course highlights

• Choose to take an optional year in industry gaining practical experience or spend a year studying in another culture at one of our many partner universities across the world.

• Develop practical skills for your career, with facilities including our state-of-the-art trading room. You'll have the chance to gain certification for taking part in Bloomberg Market Concepts training in your first year, and to participate in a live trading simulation in your final year.

• Learn from highly qualified and experienced professional accountants and world-renowned academic researchers.

• Graduate with the opportunity to receive significant exemptions from the main accountancy professional bodies, giving you a head start for a career as a Chartered Accountant.

Supporting your personal development

Throughout your studies, you'll benefit from the support of your Academic Personal Tutor who will work in partnership with you to maximise your personal and professional development.

You’ll also have access to support from the Business School’s Employability and Opportunity team who will help you explore opportunities to develop your professional network and gain work experience.

Specialist facilities

At Leeds University Business School, you’ll have access to specialist facilities including state-of-the-art lecture theatres, collaborative learning and teaching spaces with the latest interactive technology and modern study spaces with dedicated computer clusters. As an accounting and finance student, you will also have use of the new Bloomberg Trading Room, enabling you to engage with practical applications of both finance and investment decision-making.

Explore our virtual campus tour to find out more.

Accreditation

This course is an ICAEW Strategic Partnership Degree and is recognised as a University Affiliation Programme (UAP) by the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute.

Exemptions

Our BSc Accounting and Finance offers significant exemptions from the main accountancy professional bodies, which include:

• the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

• the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW)

• the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Our degrees have a modular structure. This means that compulsory modules provide you with the core knowledge and skills that you need, while optional and discovery modules allow you to shape your course to suit your personal interests and career aspirations.

Year one

You’ll be introduced to a set of compulsory modules that lay the foundations of your studies. You’ll learn and develop the mathematical knowledge and skills you need and be introduced to key financial and economic principles, as well as the fundamentals of financial and management accounting. You’ll also choose an optional module based on your current level of mathematics and statistics knowledge, and be offered discovery module(s) from a broad range of University-wide disciplines.

Year two

Building upon your knowledge base from first year, you’ll undertake further compulsory modules that will develop your understanding of corporate finance, and financial and management accounting. You’ll also develop essential skills including research methods and analytical techniques. You’ll again have the option to take modules to further your skills in areas of banking, mathematics, economics, as well as more general subjects in business and the legal environment, entrepreneurship, ethics and sustainability. A choice of discovery modules will again be offered.

Final year

When you enter your final year, you will have developed high-level research and analytical skills. You’ll apply these to a project that runs throughout the year, which could be either a research dissertation on a topic of your choice or in-depth financial analysis on a major organisation. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore advanced topics in finance and undertake a complex case study. Optional modules will span diverse topics, such as auditing, taxation, forensic accounting and finance, private equity and international banking and finance. You will also have the option to continue to study topics in economics, business management, ethics and sustainability. A choice of discovery modules will also be offered in your final year.

During your second and final years, you can choose from optional modules that have been tailored to offer additional subject specific pathways. These pathways offer optional modules in Economics, Business Management, Ethics and Sustainability.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Accounting and Finance BSc in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Discovery modules

Throughout your degree you will benefit from a range of opportunities to expand your intellectual horizons outside or within your subject area.

This course gives you the opportunity to choose from a range of discovery modules. They’re a great way to tailor your study around your interests or career aspirations and help you stand out from the crowd when you graduate. Find out more about discovery modules on our Broadening webpages.

Learning and teaching

You’ll be taught using a range of methods including lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops. The rest of your time will be spent in independent learning, which allows you to develop your skills in research and analysis. Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your programme and modules.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

We use a variety of assessment methods to help you develop a range of transferable skills that you’ll need in professional life. These are likely to include coursework, exams, oral presentations, group reports and dissertations.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAA

GCSE: 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or higher including Mathematics grade A/7 and English Language grade B/6 or equivalent, or an appropriate English language qualification.*

*If you have a B/6 in GCSE English Literature we will accept a Grade 5 or C/4 in GCSE English Language.

Other course specific tests:

Read more about UK and Republic of Ireland accepted qualifications for this course.

• Access to HE Diploma

  Typically, we consider the Access to Higher Education Diploma to be suitable for UK/EU applicants who will be assessed on a case by case basis. Applicants must complete a Business-related diploma of 60 credits with 45 credits at Level 3. A minimum of 30 Level 3 credits must be awarded at Distinction level and 15 at Merit. Applicants are expected to meet the GCSE Maths and English Language minimum requirements for their chosen degree programme.

  Please note that applicants presenting this qualification may be called for interview (where they must also present a recent piece of academic writing for review) - this requirement is assessed upon receipt of the application.
  

• BTEC

  We will accept the RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma in Business with Distinction* Distinction Distinction (an academic A Level is not required). For the QCF BTEC National Extended Diploma in Business, or other BTEC qualifications alongside academic A-levels, please see our BTEC entry requirements.

• Cambridge Pre-U

  D3, D3, M2 or D2, M1, M1. Please note that this requirement excludes the Cambridge Pre-U Certificate in Global Perspectives and Independent Research. We also consider applicants who offer a combination of Pre-U and A-Level qualifications. Please contact lubsugadmissions@leeds.ac.uk for further advice.

• International Baccalaureate

  35 points overall including 5 in Standard level Maths courses or 4 in Higher level Maths courses, and 5 in English (Standard or Higher Level), with 17 points from Higher Level subjects.

  For those candidates who meet our Maths or English requirements through another qualification, these minimum points for Maths or English in the IB Diploma do not apply. If you are presenting Literature and Performance as one of your International Baccalaureate subjects, you will need to present a separate English qualification.

• Irish Leaving Certificate (higher Level)

  Applicants must obtain 6 H2 grades in the Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher Level). Maths and English Language will be accepted at Ordinary level in lieu of GCSEs. A grade of O2 is required for GCSE A/7, and a grade of O3 is required for GCSE B/5 (Maths) or GCSE B/6 (English).

• Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers

  Scottish Highers and Scottish Advanced Highers are acceptable for entry onto our degree programmes in the following combinations: six Highers at AAAAAA or one Advanced Higher at A with five Highers at AAABB, or two Advanced Highers at AA with five Highers AABBB. We will also accept three Advanced Highers at AAA. Intermediate 2 / National 5 Maths and English are acceptable in lieu of GCSE requirements on a grade for grade basis.

• T-Levels

  We will consider applications from candidates offering T levels, however these are assessed on a case-by-case basis upon receipt of the application. Applicants would be expected to be taking the subject Digital Business Services, although the subjects Accounting, Finance, Management & Administration, or Human Resources may be considered in the future. Applicants are expected to meet the GCSE Maths and English Language minimum requirements for their chosen degree programme. Should you require further information before applying please contact lubsugadmissions@leeds.ac.uk.

Alternative entry

We’re committed to identifying the best possible applicants, regardless of personal circumstances or background.

Access to Leeds is an alternative admissions scheme which accepts applications from individuals who might be from low income households, in the first generation of their immediate family to apply to higher education, or have had their studies disrupted.

Find out more about Access to Leeds and alternative admissions.

Typical Access to Leeds offer
A level: ABB

GCSE: 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or higher including Mathematics grade A/7 and English Language or English Literature grade C/4

Access to Leeds: Pass

International Foundation Year

International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

How to apply

Apply to this course through UCAS. The institution code for the University of Leeds is L23. Check the deadline for applications on the UCAS website.

The deadline for international students to apply to Leeds University Business School courses is 30 June.

This course is not accepting applications for deferred entry.

We typically receive a high number of applications for this course. To ensure we treat all applications fairly, we may put your application on hold until after the UCAS deadline before making a final decision. All applications received before the UCAS deadline are guaranteed equal consideration. Please see our How to Apply page, under “Application decisions” for details.

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2023

Fees

UK: To be confirmed

International: To be confirmed

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2022/23
For UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2022/23 the fee will be £9,250. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation and as permitted by law. Fees for UK undergraduate students are decided by the government and may vary if policy changes.

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2023/24
Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students for 2023/24 have been agreed by the UK Government and will remain at the current fee level of £9,250. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation and as permitted by law. Fees for UK undergraduate students are decided by the government and may vary if policy changes.

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2023/24
Tuition fees for international students for 2023/24 should be available on individual course pages from September 2022.

Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

Financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Leeds University Business School awards a generous range of scholarships.

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A degree in Accounting and Finance equips you with a range of skills to pursue many career options. You will develop a comprehensive skill set that is highly valued by employers across all sectors.

Whilst a large number of graduates have pursued a career in accountancy and become qualified accountants, there are a variety of other options available to you as a graduate. For example, recent graduates have gone on to work as Retail and Investment Bankers, Management Trainees, Civil Servants, Brokers, Auditors, Finance Analysts, Insolvency Administrators, and Tax and Business Advisors.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

You will be supported throughout your studies by the Business School’s dedicated Employability and Opportunity team who will help you develop and demonstrate the professional skills and experience that top employers are looking. You'll benefit from one-to-one support, workshops and events from graduate employers.

In addition, Leeds University Business School students also have full access to the University Careers Centre and Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Studies.

The Careers Centre work with a large network of experienced professionals from companies such as Santander, M&S and KPMG, who volunteer as mentors on our Nurturing Talent Mentor Scheme. Applying for the scheme is a competitive process and it offers Business School students a wide range of benefits as they are mentored on a one-to-one basis for one academic year.

Study abroad

On this course you have the opportunity to apply to spend an additional academic year studying abroad. The University has partnerships with more than 300 universities worldwide and popular destinations for our students include the USA, Canada, Australia, countries in Asia and countries in Europe.

You can also apply to take part in a short-course summer school at one of our overseas partner institutions. A summer school can be taken as part of a three-year degree, or in addition to a study year abroad or year in industry.

Read more about studying abroad.

Work placement

Practical work experience can help you decide on your career and improve your employability.

On this course you have the option to apply to spend a year in industry with organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors, in the UK or overseas. If you take this option, your degree will be extended to a four-year programme with the third year spent on placement.

Support to find shorter internships is also available.

Read more about work placements.