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.
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.
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.
I graduated from Surrey in 2018 and I love the university. My best friends are from there. People are usually very cool and open to new cultures. I recommend joining clubs. Great way to make friends and enjoy university
View moreI can definitely recommend the university. People are very cool. Surrey opens doors, there is no doubt that its brokerage network is very strong. I did my internship at HM Treasury because I spoke to an alumni who was there and he gave me a reference
View moreI joined the rowing club during my first year and that was my best decision. I represented the university worldwide, gained discipline and learned how to manage my time effectively. All the recruiters asked me about rowing and how I managed to manage it all.
View moreStudent life in Surrey is very good. There are hundreds of active clubs some with events twice a week. I did rowing at university and enjoyed it a lot. We trained 5 times a week but the university was very supportive. I enjoyed being there 🙂
View moreI really enjoyed studying in Surrey. The campus is beautiful and so close to London that it allows you to combine city and campus. I recommend the walks around the lake at the end of the day and the races at the sports park. I already miss you so much
View moreI really like Surrey. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot more than I expected. The teachers were cool. I became friends with some with whom I still keep in touch. The campus is beautiful. I remember seeing stags walking around campus at less busy times. It was beautiful. Surrey lets you combine the countryside with the city. Surrey is without a doubt the university with the most beautiful campus in the UK
View moreI would say the best thing about Surrey is the clubs. There is a lot of support and funding. For example, the rugby team travels every week and even represents the university abroad. I got to go to spain, scotland, wales and almost every area in the uk
View moreWhen I studied in Surrey I worked as a student ambassador. I highly recommend it and an excellent opportunity to improve your CV and at the same time receive extra money for the application and at the beginning of the year. I also recommend working at union or rubix
View moreI really liked studying at this university. I was very impressed with the campus and the friendliness of the teachers and students. Surrey is a relatively small university, so I met almost every student in my course. This closeness helped me a lot to adapt. I never had to study alone and I didn’t feel alone.
The university also has many societies. I was part of German society where I improved my French a lot. I also recommend the snow finalists trip. I really liked.
View moreI really liked studying and the teachers were good and the students always accepted me even though I am a foreigner. I have always sought to integrate and join societies. Surrey has a place for all students. I remember there were clubs of all kinds like the rowing club, running club and Harry Potter. I joined everything. Surrey helps you combine sport and gym. I had a lot of friends who made the national team and who, at the same time, had incredible grades. Surrey facilitates everything that can help students.
If you want to be the best, Surrey will give you all the tools to be
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