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Introduction
Why choose this course?
Key features
 You could gain up to the maximum of nine exemptions from ACCA exams if you choose the appropriate modules and be exempt from up to the first eight exams with CIMA - a great start towards gaining your professional qualification and developing a wealth of industry knowledge to kick-start your career.*
 Benefit from our close links with employers and professional accounting bodies and enhance your career prospects with visiting sessions by industry speakers, work placements and networking events.
 Gain access to the Trading Room, including self-study certifications and online training materials
 Tailor your degree and develop specialist knowledge from one of our optional modules in your final year: Audit and Forensic Accounting or Contemporary Issues in Accounting.
 Benefit from Education 2030, where a simplified ‘block learning’ timetable means you will study one subject at a time and have more time to engage with your learning, receive faster feedback and enjoy a better study-life balance.
Overview
Kick-start your professional accounting career on a course that develops industry-ready graduates, with exemptions from professional body exams to speed up the process of becoming a qualified accountant.
Gain core knowledge and skills with various modules covering topics such as Corporate Finance, where you will explore the main principles of corporate financial decision-making and their impact on real-world financial decisions. As you progress, Management and Strategy will come into play, introducing the theory and practical aspects of managing organisations and the people who work for them. Other modules include Audit and Forensic Accounting, Strategic Decision Management and Contemporary issues in Accounting.
Our Trading Room simulates what it’s like to work in the financial industry in trading, portfolio management, investment banking, corporate finance and financial or economic analysis.
Our close links with employers and professional accounting bodies will give you opportunities to enhance your career prospects. For example, depending on your module choices, you could gain exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (CPA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA), the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and the Association of International Accountants (AIA).
Modules
Year 1
Block 1: Introduction to Financial Accounting
A technically oriented module intended to develop a high level of skill utilising commonly and regularly used financial accounting procedures and techniques. Students will have the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the methods and techniques used by financial accountants to record and present financial information to interested parties. Students will study the principles of double entry book-keeping including year-end adjustments and will learn how to prepare final accounts for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies. They will also be introduced to the skills required to analyse and interpret financial statements.
Block 2: Introduction to Management Accounting
A highly technically orientated module intended to develop a high level of skill utilising commonly and regularly used Management Accounting procedures and techniques. Outline content will include: Management accounting fundamentals such as cost behaviour and cost classification. Accounting for materials, labour and overheads. Different costing methods such as process costing and job costing. Budgeting and forecasting theory and practical application. Basic variance analysis - calculations and interpretation. Introductory level performance measurement.
Block 3: Business Analysis Techniques
This module introduces the ideas of statistics and financial mathematics within a business and organisational context. The module aims to provide students with the basic quantitative techniques to be able to summarise and present financial data in a meaningful way. To assist with this appropriate computer software will be used. In addition, the module aims to enable students to apply financial mathematical techniques to simple, but real-life scenarios. You will also gain skills in business communication and analysis in private and public sector organisations. The ethos of responsible design and the relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) will be reflected in this module.
Block 4: Regulatory and Ethical Decision Making
This module will help to facilitate an understanding of the principle legal issues relevant to a person studying accounting and finance. The module also introduces the subject of Ethics and Ethical decision making for students working in roles within accounting or finance, including the principles of ethical decision-making theories and models for developing moral frameworks.
Year 2
Block 1: International Financial Reporting and Taxation
This is a highly technically oriented module with two main sections: Financial Reporting and Taxation.
In the Financial Reporting section, the module is looking at various sophisticated accounting techniques, procedures and principles that result in the production of accounting reports for external use. The module critically evaluates the impact of the International Financial Reporting Standards and International public sector Accounting Standards upon external reports.
The Taxation section of this module will look at the taxation legislation relevant to unincorporated businesses and employees, including income tax, national insurance and capital gains tax. It will include a mixture of policy and practice relating to the current tax legislation. It will entail carrying out numerical computations, evaluating and using written skills to communicate with a client.
Block 2: Decision Management
This is a technically orientated module that looks at the application of management accounting techniques to quantitative and qualitative information for decision-making, planning and control in a modern business environment.
Block 3: Corporate Finance
Finance is the branch of economic science concerned with the acquisition of money, the allocation and management of money resources, and the maximisation of wealth via optimum investment decision-making. Therefore, by definition, financial management and financial decision making is crucial for all companies as the successful choice of money resources and implementation of investment decisions will secure survival and expansion of the business entity. This module introduces students to some of the main principles of corporate financial decision-making and their impact in real-world financial decisions.
Block 4: Digital Environment
This module explores the nature of technology from accounting and finance perspectives. We will discuss the digital transformation of the finance function and introduce the appropriate technologies allowing students to understand the digital accounting and finance environment. We will explain the ecosystems of organisations and analyse the modern business models in digital ecosystems. The module will also examine the impact of digital transformation on different aspects of management accounting, taxation and other regulatory environment of finance reporting.
Year 3
Block 1: Advanced Financial Reporting and Taxation
This is a highly technically-oriented module with two main sections: Financial Reporting and Taxation. In the Financial Reporting section, the module focuses on examination of and practice of the mechanics of accounting for groups of companies and Whole of Government Accounts together with the study of advanced-level financial reporting standards and techniques and the development of the financial reporting framework and the application of IPSAS to governments.
The Taxation section of this module will consider the taxation legislation relevant to individuals, business and public sector organisations. It will include a mixture of policy (including post crises recovery) and practice relating to the current legislation. It will entail writing reports, carrying out numerical computations and participating in group discussions. Students will be required to analyse and evaluate the legislation.
Block 2: Strategic Decision Management
This is an advanced module that will enable students to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding of management accounting techniques with an emphasis on critical appraisal.
Block 3: Advanced Corporate Finance
This module focuses on those contexts, theories and practices which are important to financial managers within firms. This module requires numeracy skills, an appropriate use of statistics, communication and technology skills.
Block 4: Audit and Forensic Accounting
This module considers two areas of assurance, audit and forensic accounting. The audit section of the module examines the role and processes of the auditor and commonly used audit techniques. The module will examine both the technical practices and the basic theories involved in the audit process as well as providing a critical overview of auditing, including supreme auditing institutions. Including the examination of Supreme Audit Institutions globally.
The forensic accounting section of the module is designed to examine the areas of accounting fraud, cyber-crime and legal valuations within a context of litigation where the accountant acts as an expert witness or primary investigator liaising closely with lawyers and other legal advisors.
Or
Contemporary Issues in Accounting
This module will discuss the contemporary issues in the accounting field and dynamic business environment for students who want to be accountants in future, covering the day-to-day changes in accounting and audit standards, and the issues that the professionals are facing.
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
If no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry criteria
GCSEs
 Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English and Maths
Plus one of the following:
A levels
 A typical offer is 112 UCAS points. You need to study at least two subjects at A Level or equivalent (e.g. BTEC)
T Levels
 Merit
BTEC
 BTEC National Diploma - Distinction/Distinction/Merit
 BTEC Extended Diploma - Distinction/Distinction/Merit
Alternative qualifications include:
 Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE overall 112 UCAS tariff with at least 30 L3 credits at Merit.
 English and Maths GCSE required as separate qualification. Equivalency not accepted within the Access qualification. We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.
 International Baccalaureate: 26+ points.
Mature students
We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band, or equivalent when you start the course is essential.
English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.
Contextual offer
To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find our more about contextual offers
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don’t have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic interview
Teaching and assessments
Overview
You will be taught through a combination of large group sessions, tutorials, online resources and self-directed study. Students are given feedback throughout the course to develop and improve their economic and business strategy skills. Through the use of assessments emphasis is placed on research and analytical skills. Assessment may include, but is not limited to, portfolios of learning, online tests, or exams.
Contact hours
This is a full-time course. Each module is worth 30 credits. It is expected that student will spend a total of 300 hours of study for each module. You should be prepared to devote approximately 10 contact hours a week to your studies and additional independent hours of study in order to succeed. Teaching is through a mix of lectures, tutorials and seminars.
Other: In addition, each module provides a two-hour surgery each week for individual consultation with the lecturer. You will also have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor and careers and/or subject meetings scheduled throughout the year.
Self-directed study: In order to prepare for, and assimilate, the work in lectures and seminars you will be expected to use our on-line resources, participate in flipped or virtual classroom discussions on our virtual learning environment (VLE) and engage in personal study and revision for approximately 25 hours per week.
Accreditations
Professional body accreditation and confirmation of exemptions is required for all programmes, when newly designed and on a regular basis thereafter. This process is underway to seek such approval from the various professional accountancy bodies to ensure that our students can benefit from the maximum exemptions available to them from their professional exams. Our programme has been designed to reflect the professional body requirements where possible.
You can qualify for exemptions and potentially gain a professional qualification at an accelerated rate from the following bodies:
 Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
 The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
 The Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (CPA)
 The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
 The Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA)
 The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
 The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
 The Association of International Accountants (AIA)
The professional accounting bodies award exemptions in line with a student’s prior learning to provide the quickest possible route to qualification. A student with exemptions gains from an employability perspective. Such students are a good option to a prospective employer as the employer will not have to cover the costs of the professional examinations or provide study leave, which may disrupt the work schedule.
These exemptions are subject to approval from the professional bodies.
Career Opportunities
Placements
As part of this course, you will have the option to complete a paid placement year which offers invaluable professional experience.
Our award winning Careers Team can help you secure a placement through activities such as mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and you will be assigned a personal tutor to support you throughout your placement.
We advertise posts in all locations in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, including some international posts.
Our students have taken placements with companies including IBM, Lloyds Banking Group, Ernst & Young, Volkswagen Financial Services and the NHS.
Luke did a placement at EY, one of the top four Audit firms. They were so impressed, they offered him a graduate role after completing his degree.
DMU Global
Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich studies, broaden cultural horizons and develop key skills valued by employers.
Through DMU Global, we offer an exciting mix of overseas, on-campus and online international experiences, including the opportunity to study or work abroad for up to a year.
Accounting and Finance students have recently visited the financial district of New York where they learned about the financial institutions there and gained an understanding of how the most recent financial crisis unfolded.
Graduate careers
A degree in Accounting and Finance opens up a wide range of career opportunities as you develop a broad base of skills that are in great demand with employers.
You may choose to specialise in a discipline that you enjoyed studying on the programme.
Recent graduates have progressed to careers in positions such as Commercial Finance Analyst at Red Bull, Auditor at KPMG, Cost Technician at PepsiCo, Tax Processor at Grant Thornton and Financial Criminal Analyst at Barclays.
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