Business and finance
Accounting and finance
BA or BSc
Overview
Accounting and finance studies how organisations record, interpret and raise money. A degree can give exemptions from some professional exam papers, but it does not make you a qualified accountant. Professional bodies set those exams, and many accountants start from other degrees or from apprenticeships. Students who enjoy it like structured problems with numbers and rules, and they should check which exemptions a particular course actually offers this year.
You want a degree aimed at accounting or finance, knowing the professional qualification is separate.
Economics is more theoretical. Business management is broader. Mathematics is not an accounting qualification.
People who like numerical accuracy and business context.
What you will study
Universities do not teach the same modules. The lists below are a general shape, not a syllabus.
Year 1
- Financial accounting
- Economics or quantitative methods
- Business context
Later years
- Management accounting
- Finance
- Optional placement
Skills
Useful before you start
- Numeracy
- Organisation
- Writing
Developed during the degree
- Financial recording
- Analysis
- Professional scepticism
Teaching and assessment
Teaching often includes Lectures, Workshops.
Assessment often includes Exams, Coursework.
Typical weekly commitment
Estimate.
Entry requirements
Indicative patterns from published UK admissions information. Not an offer. Actual requirements vary by course, university and year. Pearson Edexcel International A Level and Cambridge International A Level are not treated as the same qualification as GCE A level.
Indicative requirements by qualification
The A-level band is the catalogue reference. IB and American lines come from the named university guides under the table. They are not a conversion every university uses, and they are not an offer.
| Qualification | Indicative requirements |
|---|---|
| A Levels | BBB–ABB. No single A-level is universal. Mathematics is useful and sometimes preferred. |
| IB Diploma | UCL publishes 34 points for ABB. The other end of this band is not in that table. A required A-level subject must be Higher Level in UCL's rule. Each Higher Level subject in that table is at least 5. UCL equates A* to 7, A to 6 and B to 5. This is one university's table. |
| American curriculum | That Manchester guide gives AP 5, 4, 4 for ABB. The other end of this band is not in the guide. Bristol publishes a GPA of 3.2, or 3.4 for competitive courses, and does not use one AP pattern for every degree. |
- University College London: Undergraduate entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, School of Social Sciences: Americas country guide. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, Civil Engineering: USA country entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Bristol: USA international qualifications. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
A-level subjects
No single A-level is universal. Mathematics is useful and sometimes preferred.
Often recommended: Mathematics, Economics, Business.
GCSE and IGCSE
Mathematics and English are commonly expected.
Indicative only. Exemptions from professional papers must be checked with the professional body, not assumed from the degree title.
Other ways in
- Accountancy apprenticeships can lead to the same professional exams without this degree.
Admissions tests and extra requirements
No admissions test is stored as usual for this course. A university can still set one for a particular year.
Course costs
For many standard full-time courses in England, the home-fee maximum in 2026 to 2027 is Up to £9,790. This is the maximum standard full-time fee published for approved English providers with a TEF award and an access and participation plan. It is not the fee a named university charges, and it does not decide whether you pay home or international fees.
Clinical, laboratory and studio courses are not given a different home-fee figure here, because the regulated maximum is not the same thing as an international or clinical fee.
International tuition is set by each university and is not stored here. Clinical courses are often much higher than classroom-based courses. A school in Qatar does not decide home-fee status.
Source: Changes to tuition fees: 2026 to 2027 academic year. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Living costs, field trips and professional fees are not included.
Where you could study
UK degrees in this subject are numerous. This page does not list every university, because a list without a checked entry requirement would look more certain than it is.
No individual UK course page is stored yet for this subject. Use the university site.
No overseas course has been checked for this subject yet.
Where could this degree take you?
Management accountant
Common route
A relevant degree. Professional accountancy exams are still required. Other degrees also lead onto graduate schemes.
Financial adviser
Alternative route
A possible start. The advice qualification is separate.
Investment analyst
Alternative route
Finance content helps. Economics and mathematics are also common.
Stockbroker
Alternative route
One of several possible degrees.
Business analyst
Alternative route
Useful numerical background. Not a dedicated business-analysis qualification.
Explore your pathway
A course sits between school subjects and a career. It does not guarantee either admission or a job.