Program Overview

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Course Overview

Our rewarding and practical Accounting and Finance course develops the technical knowledge and professional skills you will need as a modern finance professional in a complex, dynamic world in which technical roles are increasingly automated.

You are taught by academics with professional experience as accountants, who support your personal development and help kick-start rewarding and fulfilling careers in multiple fields. We tend to favour workshop-style sessions over lectures and you will have the opportunity to apply cutting-edge knowledge and skills to real life scenarios. You will also have the opportunity to attend occasional field trips during your studies.

Throughout the course, you develop a range of transferable abilities and professional practice skills highly valued by employers. These include critical evaluation, self-direction and problem-solving, as well as a sound grasp of analysis, presentations and negotiation techniques. Learning and teaching takes place in small class sizes to prepare you to work in management teams, and modules focus on applying theory to real business scenarios. In your final year, you have the option to complete a dissertation, undertake a consultancy project or work placement, or launch a start-up.

Before moving on to your final year, you may choose to spend a year on a paid work placement in a business relevant to your ambitions, increasing your professional confidence and employability. A number of previous graduates took up well-paid trainee positions with large accounting firms such as Deloitte and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

University of Winchester Pathways to Accounting, Economics and Finance Programme

The Pathways to Accounting, Economics and Finance programme runs for the first time from October 2024. The pathway is an opportunity for prospective accounting, economics and finance students to engage in a series of practical and informative sessions delivered by academics and finance professionals at the Faculty of Business and Digital Technologies.

Participants in Pathways to Accounting, Economics and Finance are eligible to receive reduced contextual offers on the following University of Winchester courses:

• BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance
• BSc (Hons) Economics and Finance

Eligibility for the programme The programme is open to all home/ Channel Islands Year 12 and Year 13 students.

Programme activities include:

• Lectures and seminar activities based on a variety of accounting and finance topics
• Experience of practical problem solving, analytics, and analysis of financial information
• Career guidance and advice from accounting and finance professionals
• Optional interview experience with the Dean of Faculty or Head of Department

All activities are delivered live at the University of Winchester. Some activities are also delivered virtually.

Professional Body Accreditations

Our BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance programme is accredited by prestigious professional bodies known for their commitment to excellence and maintaining the highest standards. This ensures that your experience at the University of Winchester is of the highest quality, aligned with industry best practices. It also helps to boost your employability and can give you exemptions from some professional exams as follows:

• ICAEW: The University of Winchester is recognised as an Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Partner in Learning, working with ICAEW in the professional development of students. This allows you to apply for exemption from some modules when studying for the professional chartered accountant (ACA) qualification after graduating.
• ACCA: This degree is accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and you can apply for up to the maximum exemption from 9 modules when studying for the professional qualification after graduating.
• CIMA: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) accreditation will exempt you from the certificate and operational level modules of its professional syllabus.
• CIPFA: Our programme allows you the opportunity to be recognised for exemption against specific examinations when studying for the Professional Chartered Public Finance Accountant (CIPFA) qualification after graduating.

What You Need to Know

Course Start Date

• September

Location

• Winchester campus

Course Length

• 3 years full-time
• 4 years sandwich (with industry placement)

Apply

• NN34

Typical Offer

• 104-120 points

Fees

• From £9,535 pa

Course Features

• Develop a systematic understanding of current issues in accounting to meet the needs of a globalised profession in the 21st century
• Option to spend a year on a paid work placement in business
• Receive exemptions from selected professional examinations of the main accounting institutes, depending on the choice of modules you select
• Course accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

Course Details

Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.

You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.

In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars, you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.

Independent Learning

Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.

Overall Workload

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.

While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.

Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled Teaching and Learning Activity

• Teaching, learning and assessment: 288 hours
• Independent learning: 912 hours

Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled Teaching and Learning Activity

• Teaching, learning and assessment: 288 hours
• Independent learning: 912 hours

Year 3 (Level 6): Timetabled Teaching and Learning Activity

• Teaching, learning and assessment: 240 hours
• Independent learning: 960 hours

*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.

Teaching Hours

All class-based teaching takes places between 9am – 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Wednesday afternoons are kept free from timetabled teaching for personal study time and for sports clubs and societies to train, meet and play matches. There may be some occasional learning opportunities (for example, an evening guest lecturer or performance) that take places outside of these hours for which you will be given forewarning.

Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.

We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.

Percentage of the Course Assessed by Coursework

The assessment balance between examination and coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by different assessment modes is as follows:

Year 1 (Level 4)

• 29% coursework
• 60% written exams
• 11% practical assessment

Year 2 (Level 5)

• 47% coursework
• 42% written exams
• 11% practical assessment

Year 3 (Level 6)

• 36% coursework
• 53% written exams
• 11% practical assessment

*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.

Modules

Year 1

• Financial Accounting 30 Credits
• Management Accounting 30 Credits
• The Business Environment 30 Credits
• Discovering Your Subject 30 Credits

Year 2

• International Financial Reporting 30 Credits
• Research and Consultancy Skills 30 Credits
• Financial Management 30 Credits
• Optional Modules Credits
  • Personal Income Taxation - 15 credits
  • Data Analysis - 15 credits
  • Financial Modelling - 15 credits
  • Business and Corporate Taxation - 15 credits

Year 3

• Capstone Project 60 Credits
  • Capstone Project - Dissertation
  • Capstone Project - Placement for Good
  • Capstone Project - Consultancy Project
  • Capstone Project – Start Up For Good
• Advanced Financial Reporting & Analysis 30 Credits
• Investments & Financial Risk Management 30 Credits
• Optional Modules Credits
  • Strategic Performance Management - 15 credits
  • Audit & Assurance - 15 credits
  • Strategic Leadership and Governance - 15 credits
  • Digital Finance - 15 credits

Entry Requirements

UK

• 104-120 points
• A-Levels: BCC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. BBB is comparable to ABC in terms of tariff points)
• BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications
• International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
• T Level: Merit in a T Level

International

• IELTS Academic at 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)

GCSEs

• GCSEs in Mathematics and English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher.
• Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not.

Tuition Fees

2025/6 Course Tuition Fees

UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland	International
Year 1*	£9,535	£16,700

Additional Tuition Fee Information

*(UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland) £9,535 for the 25/26 academic year. Fees for future academic years will be determined in line with our Terms and Conditions. The fee is currently subject to a governmental fee cap for each academic year. It is our policy to charge tuition fees at the level of the cap set by the Government. If the cap set by the Government changes, then we may increase our Fees in line with governmental policy.

*(International) £16,700 for the 25/26 academic year. Fees for future academic years will be determined in line with our Terms and Conditions. We decide the annual level of increase of our Tuition Fees by taking into account a range of factors including the cost of delivering the course and change in governmental funding.

Additional Costs

Optional

• Core Text: it is recommended that you purchase the latest editions of all of the core textbooks. Many of these texts relate to extensive online material for which you require an access code supplied with the textbook. It is possible for students to purchase second-hand copies where applicable. Indicative cost is £50 - £200 per year.
• Volunteering and Placements: you may incur travel costs on optional volunteering placements in the second or third year of study. Indicative cost is £5 - £30 per day.
• Smart Clothing: you may be expected to dress formally for oral assessments. Costs will vary depending on the students existing wardrobe. Indicative cost is £0 - £50.

Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards

We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.

Career Prospects

Many of our Accounting graduates take up trainee accounting positions with accounting firms or departments and go on to become professionally qualified accountants. Others choose to enter a wide range of business careers such as banking, insurance, financial services and general management. Recent employers of accounting graduates include Deloitte, RSM, Ordnance Survey, Larking Gowen, Aztec Group and PKF Francis Clark.

The University of Winchester ranks in the top 25 in the UK for graduates in employment or further study according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024, HESA.

Professional Body Accreditations

Our BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance programme is accredited by prestigious professional bodies known for their commitment to excellence and maintaining the highest standards. This ensures that your experience at the University of Winchester is of the highest quality, aligned with industry best practices. It also helps to boost your employability and can give you exemptions from some professional exams as follows:

• ICAEW: The University of Winchester is recognised as an Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Partner in Learning, working with ICAEW in the professional development of students. This allows you to apply for exemption from some modules when studying for the professional chartered accountant (ACA) qualification after graduating.
• ACCA: This degree is accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and you can apply for up to the maximum exemption from 9 modules when studying for the professional qualification after graduating.
• CIMA: Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) accreditation will exempt you from the certificate and operational level modules of its professional syllabus.
• CIPFA: Our programme allows you the opportunity to be recognised for exemption against specific examinations when studying for the Professional Chartered Public Finance Accountant (CIPFA) qualification after graduating.