Are you curious or hesitant about starting a bachelor in accounting? Perhaps you’re not sure what career options it will open up for you, or if it’s worth the investment? Maybe you’ve already made the decision to study accounting, but you’re not sure which programme is right for you. We delve into what skills you will learn, what you can do with this degree after graduating (including what salary you can earn), and we also look at the best bachelor degrees in accounting.
Is it worth studying a bachelors in accounting?
If you love numbers, paperwork, and have an interest in finance, accounting degrees will offer you plenty of opportunities to get acquainted with those. Employers require applicants to have at least a bachelors in accounting to work in the field. However, that is often enough to start working and develop expertise with various certifications throughout your professional life. Additionally, studying accounting will enable you to hone your skills in statistics, financial reporting, business taxation, auditing and litigation. That, of course, depends on the kind of accountant you become.
What can I do with this degree?
There are various types of accounting or accounting-related jobs both in the public and private sectors. For example, you could become an assistant accountant, a management accountant, a certified public accountant, a financial accountant, a corporate accountant, an auditor, an internal auditor, or even a bookkeeper. They all require similar skills, but a different in-depth knowledge of specific fields in finance and business.
What type of accountant makes the most money?
Accountants tend to make a good living. However, there is some variation depending on the type of accounting you choose to pursue, as well as the country in which you decide to work. Here are some indicative figures about average salaries in the EU according to Indeed:
- Assistant Accountant: EUR28,000 – EUR34,000
- Accountant: EUR35,000 – EUR43,000
- Financial accountant: EUR40,000 – EUR50,000
- Internal auditor: EUR48,000 – EUR58,000
As you can see, salaries significantly vary from one type of accounting to another. That is partly because some positions require extra certification and entail more responsibilities. These salaries will always increase if you decide to pursue a master of PhD in accounting.
The Best bachelor Degrees in Accounting
BSc in Accounting and Finance at the London School of Economics and Political Science – LSE (United Kingdom)
The London School of Economics and Political Science – LSE is located in the heart of London. Its three-year programme focuses on accounting and finance through multidisciplinary perspectives. In other words, it explores the connection of these fields in relation to sustainability, governance, policy-making, accountability, and other social science fields. This diverse approach has shown to be very beneficial to the students, as employers find their profile attractive.
This degree costs GBP9,250 per year for UK nationals and GBP21,570 per year for overseas students.
BSc in International Finance in Accounting at Saxion University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands)
Saxion University of Applied Sciences, in the upcoming city of Enschede, offers a four-years-long programme in finance and accounting. A specificity of this bachelor of science is that it includes the ACCA accelerated programme for auditors. This means that you can get up to seven exemptions if you decide to follow ACCA.
On average, students spend 50% of their time working on theoretical concepts and 45% on group and work, such as a multinational simulation. The remaining 5% are dedicated to career counselling.
This degree costs EUR2,168 for EU/EEA nationals and EUR7,800 for other students.
BA (Hons) in Accounting programme at Edinburgh Napier University
The BA (Hons) Accounting programme at Edinburgh Napier University has run for over 30 years and is accredited by all the major accounting bodies both at a national and international level. The programme is based on preparing students for the workplace and trying to ensure that students “hit the ground running” when they enter the world of work. The Professional Advisory Group, composed of employers, representatives from the accrediting bodies and past students, is the vehicle that drives curriculum development and ensures that provision is relevant and up-to-date.
The tuition fees in GBP for 2021 are 1,820 for Scotland, 9,250 for England, UK & Northern Ireland and 13,360 for EU and Overseas.
BA in Accountancy and Business Management at University of Aberdeen (United Kingdom)
The bachelor of accountancy and business management at the University of Aberdeen is a four-year degree. In addition to acquiring accountancy skills, you will train your managerial capabilities. Therefore, this programme can lead to careers in accountancy as well as event management, training and recruitment, human resources, marketing, consultancy, hospitality, and many more. Furthermore, the University of Aberdeen gives you access to incredible infrastructures, such as the Bloomberg finance lab.
This degree costs GBP1,820 per year for Scottish and EU nationals, GBP9,250 for RUK students, and GBP17,200 for others.
BA in Accounting and Finance at York St John University (United Kingdom)
The bachelor in accounting and finance at York St John University is a career-oriented degree. Right from the start, a personal tutor is assigned to you, who will help you to orient your studies and improve your employability. Additionally, you are given the opportunity to do a year in industry at the end of the programme. In other words, you can choose to work in a company for a year and start applying what you have learned during your studies while still being enrolled at university.
This programme costs GBP9,250 per year for UK nationals and GBP12,750 per year for overseas students.
BSc Accounting and Finance at SOAS
Business is global. And the BSc Accounting and Finance programme at SOAS University of London gives students the opportunity to gain a global outlook, regional knowledge and the skills to make an ethical, international impact in the areas of accounting, finance and management. The CIMA-accredited programme is ideal for students whose ambition is to pursue a career in accounting, banking, investments, auditing, taxation, and other finance-related strategic roles in business.
This programme per year costs GBP9,250 for UK & EU students and GBP18,630 for Overseas students.
BA in Business Administration: Accounting & Finance at Anglo American University (Czech Republic)
The Anglo American University, located in Prague, offers all of its programmes as dual degrees. Hence, students receive a bachelor recognised both in the USA and in Europe. This three-year programme is followed in small classes (around 20 students) to create an optimal learning environment with interactions. Furthermore, courses have a strong focus on business ethics in order to tackle important issues like fraud
Studying at the Anglo American University costs CZK538,800 (EUR22,819).
BA in Accounting and Finance (Hons) at Newcastle University Business School (United Kingdom)
The Newcastle University Business School has created this three-year honours programme in accounting and finance for independent students. Indeed, around 80% of your work will be done independently outside of class hours. Moreover, it focuses on a variety of practical, business, and research skills, which you can put into practice during an optional work placement year in an organisation anywhere around the world.
This degree costs GBP9,250 per year for UK nationals and GBP18,600 per year for overseas students.
Lancaster University Leipzig
The BSc in Accounting and Finance at Lancaster University Leipzig encourages students to pursue their interests, develop their strengths, and move towards their ideal career. During first year, students will study accounting and finance using real-world data from actual companies. Students will also discover more about economic issues such as inflation, costs and pricing. Furthermore, students will receive valuable advice on how to build an attractive CV. Second year core subjects include auditing, financial accounting, risk, corporate finance and management accounting for business decisions. Students can select from courses such as law, management decision making and advanced finance topics like hedging. The third year builds on this knowledge while offering specialist options such as ethics, investments and taxation.
BSc Accounting and Finance at the University of leeds
If you’re looking to enter the world of business, with a specialism in the field of accountancy then the BSC in Accounting and Finance at The University of Leeds could be the course for you!
Whilst learning the fundamentals of accounting, you will also gain exposure and understanding of broader topics such as economics and analytics. The degree costs GBP9,250 for UK Nationals and GBP23,000 for international students.
BSc Accounting and Finance (Hons) at The University of Bath
The BA in Accounting and Finance at The University of Bath equips students with all the skills they need to enter a career in accounting or a similar field. Students benefit from learning about topics such as finance and computing, alongside detailed accounting and finance topics.
Third-year students can opt to study a semester abroad through the International Academic Exchange Programme and there are professional development initiatives to help students prepare for the world of work, including CV writing and interview skills.
The annual tuition fees for this probramme for international students are GBP10,500.
Do you still have questions? If you’re still unsure what’s the best programme for you, do not hesitate to contact one of our experts.
Additionally, you can read about The Best Masters in Quantitative Finance and The Best Cities to Study and Work in Europe.
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