Business Accounting BSc Honours

This module introduces you to bookkeeping and financial accounting. Providing you with knowledge of the techniques and skills required to record transactions by the method known as the “double entry system” and then prepare a set of single company financial statements based on those records. It will provide you with the knowledge needed to read and interpret financial statements prepared by others, including real company financial statements. 

This module evaluates the role of business in societies by exploring contemporary issues and how corporate practices are responding to the increasing demand on non-financial performance. It introduces corporate responsibility and business ethics as a basis for assessing business behaviour in upholding principles of accountability to stakeholders and professional ethics in the accounting domain.

This module focuses on the economic context within which business decision-making occurs. It incorporates assessments of the impact of market environment, funding matters, corporate organisation and government policy on the actions of business enterprises. In addition, it provides you with an appreciation of how economic concepts can help in deepening understanding of these issues. 

This module equips you with the basic accounting tools that aid management with its core functions of planning, decision making and control. Key areas covered are cost classifications for decision making, product costing techniques applicable to different industries, budgeting, short term decision making using cost volume profit analysis, and long-term investment appraisal. 

This module introduces you to the significant role accounting information plays in each fundamental business transaction process. You will learn to analyse and handle information using accounting systems and advanced IT techniques.

This module provides a thorough grounding of the basic statistical methods and computer software for the analysis and presentation of accounting and economic data. It caters for you with some prior mathematical knowledge, and while students are expected to complete mathematical calculations by hand and using a computer the emphasis is on the interpretation and communication of quantitative results.

On this module you will undertake approved work experiences and personal and professional development activities, for a minimum of eighteen weeks full time employment. This will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of work and develop effective strategies to deal with and understand work and organisational life. The module will help you to demonstrate your commercial awareness.

This module develops your knowledge of financial accounting techniques and practices by introducing issues which involve more than one possible accounting treatment and examine the impact of international regulatory frameworks. You will be encouraged to adopt a critical attitude to the quality of corporate reporting, particularly in areas of narrative disclosures such as corporate social responsibility and governance.

This module examines the application of management accounting information and its influence on management behaviour and decision making. It will provide you with an opportunity to apply, interpret and analyse management accounting techniques and enable you to consider their wider and strategic uses. The module will explore the impact on organisations of strategic issues of contemporary management accounting. 

This module introduces you to the techniques and practices in project management. The first part of the module is designed to examine the conceptual framework and key theories that underpin each phase of project management. The second part of the module critically evaluates project optimisation mechanisms and explores ethical issues in project management. You will have the opportunity to manage a simulated project in this module. 

This module introduces you to the principles of managing personal finances through diversifying income, automating regular saving, mindful spending, long-term investing and awareness of the impact of borrowing on wealth. In the process you will be introduced to a variety of personal finance products and issues to increase your financial literacy. You will be provided with an understanding of personal financial behaviour and biases, market anomalies, financial bubbles, fake news and manipulations in financial markets which can influence individual financial decision making.

This module develops an understanding of securities and derivative products, and the markets in which they are created and traded. The module will focus on the rationale, mechanics, and risk/rewards for investors in fixed income instruments, equities, options, futures and forwards, commodities, and energy derivatives. A practical understanding of portfolio construction and management, along with the pricing mechanics of fixed income securities and derivative instruments will be developed. The module will also cover the applications of derivative instruments in hedging and investment. The structural and regulatory characteristics of each financial instrument and their respective markets will be analysed. Securitisation of financial assets, with a special emphasis on asset-backed securities (ABS), and its implication for financial stability will be analysed. The module will incorporate the use of financial databases such as Yahoo Finance in teaching the concepts, valuation principles and application of financial derivative products.

Building upon your first work experience module, you will undertake approved work experiences and personal and professional development activities, for a minimum of 18 weeks full time employment. This gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of work and develop effective strategies to understand work and organisational life. The module will help you to demonstrate your commercial awareness.

For this module you will undertake an approved work experiences and personal and professional development activities, for a minimum of 18 weeks full time employment. This will provide you with an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of work and develop strategies to deal with and understand work and organisational life. The module will enable you to develop your ability to articulate your graduate competencies and demonstrate your commercial awareness.

On this module you will undertake an approved work experience and personal and professional development activities, for a minimum of thirty-six weeks of full-time employment. This will provide you with an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of work and develop effective strategies to deal with and understand work and organisational life. The module develops your ability to demonstrate your commercial awareness.

On this module you will participate in an approved work experience and a range of personal and professional development activities, for  a minimum of 36 weeks full-time employment. This will provide you with an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of work and develop effective strategies to deal with and understand work and organisational life. The module will develop your ability to demonstrate your commercial awareness.

This module examines accounting theory and its influence in accounting. The module provides you with an opportunity to evaluate and apply different strands of accounting theory to research accounting. The module is designed to provide an in-depth exploration of philosophical debates connected to the generation of knowledge, whilst connecting such debates to those currently employed in accounting. The use of AI is embedded in this module to promote critical thinking and analysis by comparing and contrasting the AI prompt with the literature.

This module provides you with a comprehensive understanding of key concepts, methodologies and applications in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics. It equips you with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyse large datasets, apply AI methodologies in delivering accounting and finance solutions, and make informed decisions based on data-driven insights.  

This module will provide you with a conceptual understanding of contemporary corporate finance and the practical tools and techniques for the financial decision-making process. The module explores the main aspects of financial management, including capital budgeting and investment decision-making, capital structure and finance decision-making, and working capital management. It will enable you to form a critical appreciation of the link between accounting and finance, and the interaction between financial decision-making and capital market behaviour. You will also develop and refine your transferable skills, including communication, presentation skills, critical analysis, time management and team working.

This module provides a critical understanding of contemporary corporate finance and the tools to solve the financial problems confronting business today. You will develop your understanding of the main aspects of corporate finance, including investment decision, financing choices, and dividend decision. Within this module, you will develop a critical appreciation of the interaction between financial decision-making and capital market behaviour. Additionally, you will be able to rationalise and apply your financial skills to practical problem-solving, case studies and coursework. You will gain knowledge of corporate finance within business environments in preparation for a future career.

This module focuses on societal values that advance the well-being of people. You will be equipped with the knowledge and capabilities to critically evaluate societal structures and institutional influences that promote ethical and sustainable frameworks. An evaluation of progress in the implementation of initiatives is strongly encouraged with the view to assess how the principle of human dignity is promoted.

This module  presents the main developments in automated trading and FinTech in the past two decades. A practical understanding of automated trading will be developed by using extensive worked examples of Python and R codes, which are the main languages used in automated finance. The module provides you with a working knowledge of financial technology applications such as blockchain, cryptoassets, crowdfunding and P2P finance.

This module immerses you in the multifaceted landscape of launching a new venture. You will gain knowledge and develop skills relevant to conceptualising start-up commercial activities. Through practice-led learning, you will craft a business plan enriched by industry-led insights and experiential pedagogies, fostering hands-on application of concepts beyond traditional classroom settings. Sustainable development goals will underscore the curriculum, emphasising ethical and socially responsible business practices essential for sustainable growth.

This module introduces you to UK personal and business taxation. It deals with the fundamental principles of UK tax law and practice, including the computation of tax liabilities. This leads you to tackle more complex computational problems and to identify tax planning opportunities. You will be introduced to tax software packages, and gain ‘hands on’ experience of their use. The module gives you an understanding of the ethical dimensions of tax compliance and tax planning, including the role of tax policy in achieving sustainability goals. 

This module is for you to undertake an approved work experience and personal and professional development activities, for a minimum of 30 days full time employment. This will provide you with an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of work and develop effective strategies to deal with and understand work and organisational life. The module will develop your ability to articulate your graduate competencies and demonstrate commercial awareness.

You will learn by reading textbooks, financial reports and journals and using computer-aided packages, as well as attending workshops, computer labs and seminars. You will do interactive exercises in class, online and in groups, work on business simulation case studies and problem-solving exercises and take part in class discussions.

You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team who have a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

The team includes academics, professional practitioners, and technical staff. Graduate academic assistants or trained postgraduate research students may also have input into your teaching under the supervision of the module leader.

You will learn your subject by attending lectures, seminars, computer labs and practical workshops, case studies, role plays, demonstrations, software, guest lectures, mock interviews, fieldwork or external visits.

Seminars and workshops are a great opportunity to discuss what you have learnt with your peers and tutors. Most seminar groups have about 15-30 students.

For one-to-one support, you will meet with either your academic advisor or module leader.

We also will share our library of online resources including PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, online library, newspapers, videos, software, library, etc. throughout your course.

Your work will be divided into credits. Each credit is equal to 10 hours of study time. You will complete 120 credits per year of study, which are broken down into modules of typically 30 credits.

During your first year, your weekly timetable will typically consist of:

• 4 -5 hours of interactive workshops
• 8 hours of seminars.

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop your skills from research and practical skills to critical thinking. Our Sheppard Library is open 24 hours a day during term time. And we offer free 24-hour laptop loans with full desktop software, free printing and Wi-Fi to use on or off campus.

Your knowledge and understanding will be assessed by examinations and practical, authentic written assignments.  Your cognitive skills will be assessed by practice based individual and group coursework assignments, oral presentations and written examinations.

There are formal assessments midway through each module and at the end which will count towards your module and your final marks.

Assessment methods vary in the modules you study. Coursework assessment types vary from presentations, business simulated case studies, online quizzes, portfolio analyses, reflective reports, business reports and academic essays. You'll have the opportunity to develop core graduate competency areas that will equip you for entering the workforce, or starting a business after graduating.

The balance between the two will depend on which modules you are taking. The table below is a good approximate guide.

To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback.