BSc (Hons)Accountancy and Finance
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
- 4 years with year in industry
- 5 years with foundation and industry years
Why study accountancy and finance with a foundation year
Enter the fast-paced world of international finance with this professionally accredited degree, working with global companies to gain the skills and real-world work experience you’ll need for success.
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- The business and law foundation year is ideal for those who are looking at an alternative route into higher education, or who wish to update or broaden their knowledge before progressing onto a full undergraduate degree.
- This degree is in the UK's top 20 for academic support, assessment, feedback and learning resources for finance studies in the 2022 NSS survey.
- An exam and overall pass in a professionally accredited module on this course could lead to exemption from the requirements of professional bodies such as ACCA, IFA, AIA and ICAEW.
- Great employment opportunities: recent graduates have found roles such as accountants, auditors, tax specialists, financial analysts, fund managers and more, at companies such as Deloitte, Smith and Williamson and John Lewis.
- Opportunity to work on live industry briefs with clients including PWC, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Red Funnel, and B&Q.
- Solent Business School, winner of the Outstanding Higher Education Training Provider of the Year at the CMI Awards 2022, holds the Small Business Charter. Solent is one of only 62 Business Schools to have this acknowledgement of excellence in working with SMEs.
This video 'Why study BSc (Hons) Accountancy and Finance' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Designed by experienced academics who’ve worked across key roles in a wide variety of industries, our Business and Law Foundation Year is designed to build your confidence, develop your capabilities and ensure you’re future-ready and ready for the competitive global marketplace.
From core subjects such as business, law, finance, marketing, enterprise, personal development and projects in the community, you’ll gain a solid introduction to the foundations of business and law, study contemporary business challenges, identify future trends and focus on the areas and industries which matter to you.
And throughout the foundation and subsequent full Solent degree, you’ll do more than learn the theory – you’ll learn to apply it through an innovative range of assessment and ‘real-world’ live briefs. Our degrees offer the chance to engage and get hands-on experience of international business and legal challenges and contexts, as well as a variety of extra qualifications, exemptions and memberships in addition to your honour’s degree.
As part of your accountancy and finance degree, you will be taught by professionally qualified staff, you will develop a strong understanding of the industry, and get opportunities to pursue valuable work experience in the real world.
You can engage with specific areas of finance that interest you, and explore both national and international markets to ensure a firm understanding of the global economy.
Solent is a place of study for students from all over the world. Learning with students from a wide range of different backgrounds, you’ll explore new points of view on contemporary discussions and debates, and get a feel for the international workplace.
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Course features
Additional qualification
This course offers additional qualifications for you to obtain with your degree
Foundation year available
If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Placement year
If you apply for this course with a placement year, you have the opportunity to undertake a year in industry between your second and third years
Top-up option
If you have an appropriate Level 5 qualification, you can top it up to a degree in just a year
Who is this course for?
Solent’s Business and Law Foundation Year is ideally suited if you want to build your academic knowledge and confidence to return to studying or progress in your studies. You’ll develop strong academic and organisational skills, and prepare yourself for successful careers in a range of business industries – studying a curriculum that is not just about theory but real-world application.
What does this course lead to?
Our graduates go on to become accountants, auditors, tax specialists, financial analysts, fund managers, business advisers and entrepreneurs. Recent graduates have found roles at Deloitte, Smith and Williamson, Estee Lauder and John Lewis, among others
Meet the team
Teaching staff for the BSc (Hons) Accountancy and Finance degree have experience of working in accountancy and finance in practice or in industry as practitioners and/or are actively engaged with current research within accountancy, finance and economics.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.
And as Solent is an Adobe Creative Campus, all students also have free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes the full suite of Adobe professional software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, Premier Pro, and more. Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
Core modules
Academic and Personal Development
As a future business, finance, marketing, maritime or law professional, awareness of personal strengths and development areas is essential to your success. This module teaches you critical academic and communication skills, and introduces the living CV concept.
Introduction to Business
Understanding the business environment is vital for running a business. Learn about the various forms, purposes, types of ownership and governance structures across different sectors and scales, explore strategy and its implementation, and look at measurement and environmental modelling.
Introduction to Marketing and Consumer Law
Effective marketing allows businesses to develop sustainable and valuable relationships with their audiences. Exploring real-world case studies, this module covers introductory marketing theories alongside branding, customer insight and data, GDPR, consumer rights and the latest innovations.
Introduction to Law
Understand the nature and sources of law and key concepts underlying legal systems. This module will look at the English legal system, consider the different courts and their functions, legal personnel and the legislative process.
Understanding Finance
Understanding finance requirements is key to ensuring a business thrives. You will learn fundamental terms and concepts, such as key performance indicators (KPIs), regulation, cashflow, financial statements and accountability – ensuring you are an asset to your team.
Business or Law Project
Study the value and social impact of enterprise, working as a group to analyse local organisations and provide valuable insights – and developing vital skills that employers are looking for, from research and teamwork to effective communication.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Coursework
- Written exams
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out moreStudy support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
Access Solent provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose the industry?
A degree in finance and accounting provides a broad business knowledge and skills which are constantly in demand and command a high salary. Our degree addresses current thinking and helps you develop professional skills which will give you an edge at interviews. Graduating with exemptions will make you a more attractive addition to an employer’s workforce.
Accountancy and finance as an industry provides an extensive range of careers in accounting related services such as auditing, taxation, management accounting, risk assessment and business consultancy. Finance specialisms include a broad range of industries such as banking and investment companies.
This course covers elements from each of these industry sub-groups, delivered by lecturers with real-world experience.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2023/24 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £13,020 for foundation level. Fees will increase for year 1.
- International full-time fees: £15,000 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2023/24 other costs are:
Optional costs:
ACCA student membership of approximately £50
UK study trip of approximately £50.
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Financial information videos
Student finance - bitesize This video 'Student finance - bitesize' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Student funding - the essentials This video 'Student funding essentials - Student Funding for 2023' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
48 UCAS tariff points from:
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at PPP or BTEC Diploma at MP, T-level Pass (D or E) or equivalent.
- We will consider mature students who haven't recently undertaken a formalised course of study at A-level or equivalent, but who can demonstrate relevant workplace or voluntary experience, indicating their ability to complete the course successfully.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about international qualifications, please contact admissions.
Note to all international students requiring a visa:
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
Any questions?
Contact our admissions team!Call: 023 8201 5066Email: admissions@solent.ac.uk
How to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 25 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Alternative entry options
Alternative entry on this course is available through the Business and Law Foundation Year.
Direct entry into year two or three may be considered for this course.
Holders of AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting or AAT Level 4 Diploma in Accounting are awarded direct entry to the second year on any named accounting programme.
Top-up route:
We welcome applications from students currently studying a Foundation Degree, DipHE, HNC, HND or modules of an undergraduate degree course at another university, who wish to enter directly into Years 2 or 3 of one of our undergraduate degree courses. Please contact our admissions team for more information: contact us
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
-
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
-
or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Solent Business School
Solent Business School supports students to pursue specialist knowledge, equipping them for a fast-paced business landscape. The School and its students are an integral part of business innovation in Southampton with an extensive network of partnerships.
Solent Business School, winner of the Outstanding Higher Education Training Provider of the Year at the CMI Awards 2022, brings businesses to life - our students are entrepreneurial, creative, agile, and digital natives. The School is one of only 62 business schools to hold the Small Business Charter.
Studying business at Solent means more than just learning the theory - you'll put your knowledge into practice through real-world live industry briefs.
Our graduates are connected to the world and ready for the future. Studying with us opens up career options in a wide and fascinating range of industries and is a gateway to working across the globe.
We will prepare you for your future
Solent’s accountancy and finance programme will prepare students for a wide range of graduate level employment opportunities. Suitable roles for graduates include:
- Practice accountant
- Management accountant
- Public sector accountant
- Auditor
- Tax specialist
- Financial analyst
- Fund manager
- Business adviser
- Business manager
- Project manager
We will help you start your career
The Solent Futures team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
Find out moreSupport at Solent
All students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
Find out moreFurther study
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Make your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
- 4 years with year in industry
- 5 years with foundation and industry years