BSc (Hons) Accounting and Economics (with Foundation Year)

This module is your introduction to the nature, purpose and conceptual foundations of financial accounting. You'll develop an understanding of the respective contributions of this branch of accounting and the different objectives and needs of a range of users of financial information. You'll study accounting techniques for collecting, classifying and recording financial information as well as the presentation of this data in the form of accounts for small businesses and companies.

Undertand the nature, purpose and conceptual foundations of management accounting. You'll develop an understanding of the respective contribution of management accounting to a company. You'll also prepare and interpret management accounting information for planning, decision making and control in a range of simple business scenarios. Through the development of skills in technical areas and practice in time-constrained assessment, this will help to prepare you for future examination-based assessment in this subject, whether for academic or professional qualifications.

In this module, you will learn about the fundamentals of macroeconomics. You will cover key areas such as consumption, investment, savings, taxation, and the foreign sector. You will gain an understanding of how these variables relate to each other and how they impact the economy. Throughout the module, you will use real-world situations to illustrate the relevance of macroeconomics to your life as a student. You will develop the skills necessary to analyse and evaluate government policies on economic issues, identify the strengths and weaknesses of market economies, and prepare an argument and analysis of a particular macroeconomic event or change.

By the end of this module, you should have a solid understanding of macroeconomic theory and its real-world applications. You will be able to analyse and evaluate economic policies and their impact on the economy, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of market economies as a mechanism of resource allocation.

This module on microeconomic analysis will introduce you to economic models and analytical methods of reasoning. Through diagrammatic and mathematical models, you'll explore consumer and producer behaviour and learn to recognise relationships between economic variables. You will learn to recognise relationships between economic variables and present these relationships diagrammatically, as well as interpret market data and apply it to real-world scenarios.

By the end of the module, you will have a comprehensive understanding of microeconomic principles and be able to apply these principles to real-world situations, as well as evaluate economic policies using the analytical tools and models that you have learned. In addition to developing your academic literacy and research literacy skills, you'll grow skills in self-management, communication, problem-solving and critical thinking.

Concentrate on developing your analytics skills that are essential for the current and future job market in a data driven business environment. Your focus will be on developing analytical communication and proficiency. You'll use analytics tools like Excel, techniques and functions, basic and advanced use of spreadsheets, advanced word processing and using advanced PowerPoint applications. You'll be equipped with foundational analytical skills that are needed for advanced study and professional practice in various fields, like finance, accounting, business management and economics.

An introduction for you to the essential quantitative techniques that are relevant for studying economics, finance and business. You'll be made familiar with appropriate statistical software that can be used for applied economics analysis. Using Excel as the primary calculative software tool enhances your learning because you'll learn transferable employability skills, engage with real-world data and learn how to interpret your obtained results.

You'll progress your competence in the application of mathematical techniques relevant to problems in economics, finance and business, and grow your understanding of the essential mathematics of finance and develop an understanding of the basic techniques of optimisation in the context of economics, finance and business.

An introduction for you to the essential quantitative techniques that are relevant for studying economics, finance and business. You'll be made familiar with appropriate statistical software that can be used for applied economics analysis. Using Excel as the primary calculative software tool enhances your learning because you'll learn transferable employability skills, engage with real-world data and learn how to interpret your obtained results.

You'll progress your competence in the application of mathematical techniques relevant to problems in economics, finance and business, and grow your understanding of the essential mathematics of finance and develop an understanding of the basic techniques of optimisation in the context of economics, finance and business.

An introduction for you to the essential quantitative techniques that are relevant for studying economics, finance and business. You'll be made familiar with appropriate statistical software that can be used for applied economics analysis. Using Excel as the primary calculative software tool enhances your learning because you'll learn transferable employability skills, engage with real-world data and learn how to interpret your obtained results.

You'll progress your competence in the application of mathematical techniques relevant to problems in economics, finance and business, and grow your understanding of the essential mathematics of finance and develop an understanding of the basic techniques of optimisation in the context of economics, finance and business.

On this placement, you will be able to access a 40-52 week work-based learning or placement opportunity to help develop your employability and enterprise skills. You will gain first-hand knowledge and experience of making applications to, and working in, a placement role. You will set your own work-based targets and reflect upon your progress in the role you have on your placement. Halfway through your placement, you will make a presentation to your line manager and placement tutor which summarises your gained knowledge on your placement and the tasks you have/will complete in your placement role.

This is an opportunity for you to study Business topics abroad in order to experience a different national, educational and business culture and to build on your knowledge, understanding, skills and competencies you have acquired during the earlier part of your course. This will help you to develop those skills to a higher level and to acquire new skills. All the topics studied will be relevant to your degree.

You will undertake an international study exchange at a university outside the UK, arranged by the University’s exchanges office. This international study exchange lasts for one academic year and is taken after the conclusion of your second year of studies (Level 5).

This 24-week placement is your opportunity to develop your employability and enterprise skills, within the UK or Europe. You will gain first-hand knowledge and experience of making applications to, and working in, a placement role. You will set your work-based targets and reflect upon your success in your placement role. At the end of the placement, you will make a presentation to your line manager and placement tutor which summarises the knowledge and skills you have developed on your placement.

This module aims to begin to develop Pre-Master’s students’ academic reading, research and critical thinking skills in preparation for postgraduate study and to support the development of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) literacy skills.

The three main purposes of the module are to:

1. begin to develop academic reading skills to prepare for postgraduate study in the UK
2. to begin to develop skills in locating, evaluating and using appropriate sources with appropriate citation, and
3. to begin to develop the skill of responding critically to the content and context of reading.

This module adopts a political economy approach and focuses on selected controversial economic issues such as economic growth, inequality, pricing mechanism and resource allocation, unemployment, economics of information, mechanism designs, and so on. You'll examine each issue by comparing and contrasting the philosophy and methods of the neo-classical approach with alternative approaches.

This module is uniquely designed to encourage you to critically evaluate a business from a management accounting perspective. You’ll learn to apply and critique advanced management accounting techniques. While gaining a critical appreciation of management accountants, and their strategic approach, you’ll also analyse their changing role in the modern business environment.

The module will equip you with the skills to apply the techniques studied, and provide you with a critical understanding of the theoretical aspects of strategic management accounting.

Through looking at the practice of financial accounting and reporting, this module enables you to take a critical look at accounting practices in contemporary society. You’ll assess the actual role of accounting in organisations, while contrasting this with its theoretical role.

On successful completion of this module, you’ll be able to demonstrate the capacity to apply international standards and practices, and understand the function of accounting in a range of contexts.

The Accounting Capstone module is designed to help you develop critical thinking and analytical skills to investigate contemporary accounting practices and issues. Through independent research and analysis, you will review various accounting techniques and concepts introduced in prerequisite modules. This will enable you to evaluate their practical applicability and to identify limitations that can impact their effectiveness in a broader social and economic context. By conducting case study analysis, you’ll apply relevant analytical techniques to a broad range of data, you will gain practical skills that you can use in various accounting roles.

This module will equip you with valuable skills that are highly sought after by employers in the accounting field. Whether you aspire to become an auditor, financial analyst, or management accountant, the Accounting Synoptic module will prepare you to approach accounting issues with a critical mindset and practical applicability.

This module extends the basic theory of corporate finance covered in previous years by developing more complex approaches to financial management which can guide decision-making in the face of risk and uncertainty. It also examines corporate decisions concerning capital structure and the choice between internal and external finance and sets these decisions in the context of developments in a range of financial markets. Your learning outcomes include being able to apply investment appraisal techniques to conditions of risk and uncertainty, assess the impact of cost capital for businesses and understand the key principles and techniques of risk management.

You will gain essential knowledge of UK taxation principles and practise based on the study of individuals and companies. You will also learn practical aspects of assessing liability to income tax, capital gains tax, corporate tax and VAT are covered.

Upon completion of the module, you will be able to:

• Outline the UK tax system
• Relate and apply current tax legislation and case law to a range of situations
• Explain, justify and use tax planning principles recognising tax avoidance and tax evasion issues
• Compute tax liabilities, including capital gains tax, for individuals and corporations
• Advise on minimisation of tax liabilities through consideration of exemptions, allowances and reliefs etc.

You will develop your critical and practical understanding of creating and analysing a sustainable investment portfolio. You’ll have access to our Bloomberg virtual trading terminals to develop your practical skills. You’ll also construct an investment portfolio aligned to sustainable investing principles.

This module will include focusing on practical aspects of portfolio management, including establishing key performance metrics, risk measurement and fundamental analysis.

On this module, you will build your understanding of modelling techniques and analytical tools of environmental economics. You will be able to critically analyse a range of environmental issues which impact environmental externalities on economic agents and the range of policy responses available to policymakers.

This module is your advanced introduction to pluralism and competing paradigms in economics, finance and international business. You will investigate contemporary topics by using theoretical and empirical tools in economics and finance where you’ll employ orthodox and non orthodox approaches.

Through the module, you’ll develop a deep understanding of key global trends and outcomes that are relevant to the world of international business. Also, you will progress your analytical investigation skills in the sphere of global economics.

This module focuses on selected important economic policy issues and relevant economic tools of analysis, with a balance between macro- and microeconomics. You will develop key skills and knowledge in the economics of public policy, which are a necessary requirement for a career as an academic economist or as an analyst in a wide range of national and international policy-making institutions.

This module will further and broaden your knowledge of econometrics. You’ll progress and develop your econometric skills that are needed to be able to successfully investigate economic and financial relationships by using appropriate econometric methodologies. You’ll study examples based on both economic and financial data that illustrate the application of the methodologies you’ll learn to use.

How is auditing used in practice? What role does auditing fulfil in accountability structures and in corporate governance?

In this module, you’ll delve into and analyse contemporary issues on audit and assurance engagements. Using a professional regulatory framework, you’ll explore auditing cases that include both historical and current international corporate scandals. You’ll also gain practical and theoretical skills on how to apply International Standards on Auditing on audit and assurance engagements.

In this module, you will develop a sound understanding of the concepts, tools and practical experience of using new data technologies to disintermediate and promote innovation and competition across financial services.

You will learn, through case analysis, about the supporting technologies and how these allow a supporting ‘ecoSystem’ of third parties to compete in providing financial services. You’ll also examine the challenge posed for incumbents competing against challengers and maintaining and innovating bank’s own systems; and the associated public policy issues concerning financial, privacy and competition regulation, building your applicable knowledge of open data and distributed finance.