University of Amsterdam | Latest Reviews | Student Reviews & University Rankings EDUopinions

University of Amsterdam - UvA

speciality: Accounting & Finance

2.5

What is an Accounting & Finance degree?

An Accounting & Finance degree focuses on the management of monetary resources available to an organization. Such a degree is aimed at students who want to pursue careers in investment analysis, management, banking, auditing, consulting and financial management. It teaches students how to assess the assets and liabilities of an organization financially and manage the financial risk of their activity.

Accounting & Finance covers the core areas of financial accounting, management accounting and finance but also includes other aspects of the business activity, such as financial management and control, corporate finance, company accounts, investment and business law. Optional module options provided by different universities around the world often allow students to specialize in a particular area such as auditing, taxation, etc.

Benefits of an Accounting & Finance degree

The completion of an Accounting & Finance degree comes along with numerous benefits. Students develop strong analytical, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, which are highly demanded by employers in both the private and the public sector and result in graduates often finding employment in large multinational organizations that offer professional services such as PwC, KPMG and Deloitte. On top of that, established companies around the world offer excellent and well-structured graduate schemes, which help Accounting & Finance graduates to kick-start their careers.

Accounting & Finance degrees are mostly practically oriented. They allow students to put the knowledge and skills they acquire on a daily basis to practice through simulated and real-life business accounts management and work placement opportunities.

Most Accounting & Finance degrees are professionally accredited by professional bodies, such as ACCA, AIA, CIMA, ICAEW and CIPFA, which provides students with the opportunity to become chartered accountants. Students gain professional qualifications in accountancy, which eliminates the need for additional certifications after graduation.

Due to the nature of the Accounting & Finance Degree, which complements business-related subjects, students often have the opportunity to complete a joint honours degree.

Accounting & Finance Degree Structure

An Accounting & Finance degree’s duration varies depending on the country and degree level. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting & Finance can be completed in three years. However, universities also offer students the option to take a sandwich course, which allows them to undertake a year-long placement between their second and third year, which extends the course to four years. Four years is the regular time of completion of this degree in other countries, such as the United States.

The first year of a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting & Finance introduces the core principles of accounting and finance, including financial accounting, management accounting and finance as well as economics and business law. The second year’s focus is usually on managerial and business economics, financial control, corporate finance and company accounts, but optional modules might enable students to pursue their interests in other aspects of Accounting & Finance such as auditing or strategic business analysis. At this point, students studying at Higher Education Institutions in the UK could choose to take an industry placement in order to apply the theoretical concepts and the acquired knowledge to practice in the professional environment. The next stage of this degree is dedicated to further-developing students’ knowledge of financial and management accounting. Optional modules might enable students to specialize in a particular area of their choice such as auditing or taxation in some countries like the UK.

Masters’ degrees in Accounting & Finance usually take between 12 and 18 months to complete depending on the country that students choose for their studies. 

Research-based degrees, such as MPhil and PhD, can take anywhere between 1 and 7 years depending on the country and type of degree. MPhil degrees in Accounting & Finance in the UK usually take 12 months if it is studied full-time and 24 months for part-time studies. PhD degrees in the UK, on the other hand, take about 36 months to complete if studying full-time and 72 months for a part-time program. In the US, students may be required to dedicate between 4 and 7 years on their degree.

2 Student Reviews

Filter reviews
Sorry, no matches found. Try with another keyword
  • BSc Economics ...
    with Econometrics
    avatar
    Unpleasant experience

    My time at this university was overwhelmingly frustrating, marked by a lack of student support that bordered on negligence. The program’s difficulty is exacerbated by an abysmal structure, leaving students with minimal class time and inadequate professor interaction. Exams consistently present absurdly challenging questions, forcing many to resort to external exam prep companies for a fighting chance at decent grades—an outright indictment of the university’s teaching methods. Despite the program’s emphasis on economic theory and quantitative skills, the learning experience feels stunted by this institution’s poor organization and minimal professor involvement.

    Moreover, the blatant bias against certain nationalities, particularly evident in the IMF module’s explicit material, is both offensive and unwarranted. If you hail from Italy, Greece, Portugal, or Spain, prepare to be unfairly scapegoated for the financial crisis. International students face further isolation, with Dutch students sticking to their own cliques and showing little interest in socializing in English. The international body might be inviting, but the overall social climate is far from inclusive.

    While the program itself is relatively affordable, the exorbitant costs of living in Amsterdam offset any financial advantages. In essence, the university offers a thought-provoking but deeply flawed experience, plagued by poor structure, insufficient teaching support, and a distressingly subpar international atmosphere.

    View more
    Programme: BSc Economics with Econometrics
    Degree: Bachelor's
    Graduation: 2025
    Delivery Type: On Campus
    Campus: Amsterdam
    Overall
    Professors
    Internationality
    Career Prospects
    Value
    Student Life
    Facilities
    Accommodation
  • Accounting and ...
    Finance
    avatar
    Masters programme

    The university provides proper guidance for the students. Students are able to excel and ask questions which are answered elaborately. Courses are clear and good to understand, but it is hard to keep up with the materials every week. Professors are good and knowledgeable.

    View more
    Programme: Accounting and Finance
    Degree: Master's
    Graduation: 2019
    Campus: Amsterdam
    Overall
    Professors
    Internationality
    Career Prospects
    Value
    Location
    Student Life
    Facilities
    Accommodation

Receive more information
immediately for free

Sorry, for now, we can only help for business studies.
Our mission is to provide free valuable information for students to guide their decisions. Contact will be by email.
Autocomplete with
Your information is secure
Thanks!
We'll contact you soon via email
Are you managing this university?

If you're the owner or representative of University of Amsterdam - UvA, you can claim this University and build a better profile.

Claim this University
  • +programme_dots+
    +programme_dots_hide+
    +comment_date1+
    +comment_user_logo+
    +comment_user+
    +title+
    +comment+View more
    Programme: +program_name+
    Degree: +degree+
    Graduation: +graduation_year+
    Delivery Type: +delivery+
    Campus: +campus+
    +all_ratings+
  • Overall
    Facilities
    Professors
    Location
    Student Life
    Accomodation
    Internationality
    Value
    Career Prospects
    +reply1_date+
    +reply1_user_logo+
    +reply1_user+
    Official Reply
    +reply+
    Interested in studying at University of Amsterdam - UvA?
    This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our Privacy Policy for more details.
    Close