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Accountants are best known for validating company accounts – or auditing – but they also devise and operate financial systems, conduct investment analysis, advise on business matters, and handle individuals’ and corporations’ tax affairs.
Overview
At Kent Business School, our Accounting & Finance degree is designed to respond to the needs of the accountancy profession and is accredited by the UK professional accountancy bodies.
This means you gain a range of skills that are essential to begin a successful career in this rewarding field. Of Accounting students who graduated from Kent in 2015, 94% of were in work or further study within six months (DLHE).
Our degree programme
Led by expert accounting staff from business and the professions, our programme is informed by the latest academic research and our links with global business ensure our teaching is internationally relevant.
You begin the programme with an introduction to accounting, including computer-aided systems, economics and, if you choose, business law. You then go on to focus in greater depth on subjects, including strategic management, investments and the role of the accountant in international markets.
In addition, you can choose from a wide range of Accounting & Finance options in your final year of study, allowing you to develop specialist knowledge.
Professional accreditation
The programme is accredited by the UK professional accountancy bodies and, depending on your choice of modules, can lead to several exemptions from professional accounting examinations once you start working towards chartered accountant status.
We also offer a qualifying taxation module, which is not available at many other UK universities.
Study facilities
Facilities to support the study of Accounting & Finance include:
- a brand new building which houses Kent Business School and the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science
- an extensive library collection of books and journals, including online resources
- the Student Learning Advisory Service (SLAS), which provides information and advice on all aspects of effective learning and study skills.
Inspiring community
Kent Business School provides a friendly, student-focused environment, which helps you to make the most of your studies.
Alongside your lectures and seminars, you have many opportunities to interact directly with the business community. Special events and schemes within the School include:
- workshops and seminars
- business challenges
- enterprise initiatives
- networking events.
You can also get involved with the student-run Kent Business and Kent Enterprise societies, which organise regular events with guest speakers from industry and support budding entrepreneurs with their ventures.
Professional network
At Kent Business School, we pride ourselves on the strength of our global connections. These include:
- BBC
- Barclays
- Cummins
- IBM
- KPMG
- The Bank of England
- Kent County Council.
Kent Business School also has excellent links with business schools globally, including in China, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Spain, Finland and Italy.
Your options
Many Accounting & Finance students choose to spend a year in industry on a work placement. This is a chance for you to put theory into practice while making a valuable contribution to an organisation. You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions apply: see Accounting and Finance with a Year in Industry.
You can also enhance your degree studies by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language, volunteering or by taking a Study Plus course in an area that interests you.
Independent rankings
In the National Student Survey 2016, 86% of Accounting students were satisfied with the overall quality of their course.
Accounting and Finance at Kent was ranked 16th for graduate prospects in The Complete University Guide 2017 and 18th in The Times Good University Guide 2017. Of Accounting students who graduated from Kent in 2015, 94% of were in work or further study within six months (DLHE).
Course structure
The course structure provides a sample of the modules available for this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.
Teaching and assessment
Usually you spend eight hours in lectures and four hours in seminars each week. Some modules have a number of workshops or sessions in computer laboratories. Most of your modules involve individual study using Library resources.
Most modules have an end-of-year examination that contributes 70% to the final module mark; your coursework provides the remaining marks. Both Stage 2 and 3 marks count towards your final degree class
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- develop an understanding of some of the contexts in which accounting operates
- introduce aspects of the conceptual underpinning to accounting
- provide knowledge, understanding and skills, predominantly from a UK perspective, relevant to a career in accounting or a related area and professional training in accounting
- offer the opportunity for students to obtain a range of exemptions at the initial stages of professional examinations
- develop cognitive abilities and intellectual and transferable skills
- examine aspects of the roles and functioning of accounting from a range of social scientific perspectives.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- some of the contexts in which accounting operates
- aspects of the conceptual underpinning to accounting
- the main current technical language and practices of accounting in the UK
- some of the alternative technical languages and practices of accounting.
Intellectual skills
You gain the following intellectual abilities:
- critically evaluate arguments and evidence
- analyse and draw reasoned conclusions concerning structured and unstructured problems
- numeracy skills.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in the following:
- record and summarise economic events
- prepare financial statements
- analyse the operations of business
- undertake financial analysis and prepare financial projections.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in the following:
- locate, extract and analyse data from multiple sources
- undertake independent and self-managed learning
- use communications and information technology in acquiring, analysing and communicating information
- communicate effectively
- work in groups and apply other inter-personal skills.
Careers
Of Accounting students who graduated from Kent in 2015, 94% were in work or further study within six months (DLHE).
You graduate with an excellent grounding in the main theoretical concepts and practical methods of accounting and finance. Studying Kent’s accredited degree also allows graduates to apply to the relevant professional accountancy bodies for exemptions from certain professional exams.
To help you appeal to employers, you also learn key transferable skills that are essential for all graduates. These include the ability to:
- think critically
- communicate your ideas and opinions
- manage your time effectively
- work independently or as part of a team.
Graduate destinations
Our graduates move into a range of careers, including professional training in public practice (chartered accountancy) or in industry, commerce or the public sector, or financial services or general management.
Recent graduates have taken up positions with a wide range of companies, including:
- ABN Amro
- Accenture
- Burgess Hodgson
- Baker Tilly
- Deutsche Bank
- Ernst & Young
- Fidelity Investment
- NHSBC
- KPMG
- PwC
- Royal Bank of Scotland.
Help with your job hunt
Kent Business School has an excellent international reputation and good links with businesses globally. This network is very useful to students when looking for work in industry.
The University also has a friendly Careers and Employability Service, which can you give you advice on how to:
- apply for jobs
- write a good CV
- perform well in interviews.
Independent rankings
Accounting and Finance at Kent was ranked 16th in the UK for graduate prospects in The Complete University Guide 2017.
According to Which? University 2017, the average starting salary for graduates of this degree is £24,000.
What our graduates say
“Kent is consistently ranked highly in university league tables, which is testimony to the high academic standards achieved by its graduates.”
Christine Livingston
Accounting & Finance graduate, now working as an ACA graduate trainee
Professional recognition
The number of professional exemptions available to Kent graduates is a key benefit of the programme. For instance, our optional 'Taxation' module confers an important exemption, which is not available at most universities.
Successful completion of the BA (Hons) Accounting & Finance programme typically provides exemption from the following papers:
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
- F1 Accountant in Business
- F2 Management Accounting
- F3 Financial Accounting
- F4 Corporate and Business Law
- F5 Performance Management
- F6 Taxation
- F7 Financial Reporting
- F9 Financial Management
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
- C1 Fundamentals of Management Accounting
- C2 Fundamentals of Financial Accounting
- C3 Fundamentals of Business Mathematics
- C4 Fundamentals of Business Economics
- C5 Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance and Business Law
- P1 Performance Operations
- F1 Financial Operations
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
- Accounting
- Business & Finance
- Law
- Management Information
- Financial Management
- Business Strategy
- Principles of Taxation
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB |
| GCSE | Mathematics grade B |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis please contact us via the enquiries tab for further advice on your individual circumstances. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 at HL, including Mathematics 4 at HL or SL (Mathematics Studies 5 at SL) |
International students
The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.
Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk
Funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page.