Accounting and Finance with a Foundation Year

Program Overview

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Accounting and Finance with a Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)

Overview

Accounting Degree at Birmingham City University

Looking for a foundation course in accounting in Birmingham? Our BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance with a Foundation Year course has lower entry requirements and can lead to a full undergraduate qualification.

This course has been specifically designed to allow home and EU students, who do not initially meet the Birmingham City University entry requirements for our standard Accounting and Finance degree, to undertake additional level 3 study designed to ensure they are successful on their chosen degree course. The foundation year itself will equip you with the required knowledge and skills to proceed on to any of our undergraduate degree courses offered within Business.

Delivery of the course is flexible and includes a blend of lectures, workshops, field trips and online learning. The modules, which feed into the course are broad and cover key current topics, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and help you to appreciate accounting and finance from a range of perspectives. Ultimately, decision making in this field, calls for one to exercise judgement and intuition and this course helps you to strengthen that judgement.

This course has been designed to be accredited by the major professional accounting bodies, including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), offering significant exemptions from their professional qualifications.

What's covered in this course?

The BSc (Honours) Accounting and Finance degree at BCU provides a valuable insight into the worlds of accountancy practice, commerce, industry and finance. We create graduates who possess a global outlook, with the conceptual and applied knowledge in the fields of accounting and finance that will enable them to make a positive impact on society.

This course offers an accounting and finance curriculum that is up to date, vocationally relevant, challenging and reflects the complex and challenging nature of the accounting and business environment.

You will gain expertise in areas including financial and management accounting, corporate finance, international accounting and finance issues, data analysis and business technology. You will have the opportunity to use software relevant to the modern business environment, equipping you with the skills and experience sought by employers.

You will develop scholarly attributes, becoming an independent learner with the ability to critically evaluate data and evidence, draw reasoned conclusions and communicate effectively in a professional manner.

With our practice-based approach to teaching, you will learn from professionally qualified academics with a wealth of industry experience, and research active academics whose research underpins and informs our approach to teaching.

You will be actively supported and encouraged to undertake an additional professional placement year, providing the opportunity to improve your employability skills. Our students have worked for industry leading accountancy practices including PwC and EY, as well as for organisations such as the NHS, IBM and Vodafone.

The international focus of the course is derived through a variety of means including the study of international accounting standards, student body, the teaching team and the use of international teaching materials. Moreover, you can choose to spend a full semester studying their modules overseas at a partner institution.

This course shares a common level 4 with other accounting courses within Business with full transferability between courses at the end of the year.

Accredited By

This course is accredited by:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)

Why Choose Us?

• We have a strong focus on employability and through placement opportunities and our links with local businesses, we aim to ensure you graduate not only with your degree but also with the skills and knowledge needed to embark on your chosen career.
• The STEAMhouse offers amazing opportunities for entrepreneurial students to kick start and build a business. Services available include the Incubator which helps focus and solidify business ideas and the Hatchery which offers support in getting your business off the ground.
• We pride ourselves on being the University for Birmingham and supporting and giving something back to the local business community. We have strong links with local businesses in the city across several industries. These links help us enhance students’ experiences by giving them access to industry experts for guest lectures, exciting placement opportunities and other chances to engage with the business community as a whole.
• We aim to infuse learning with exposure to real-world experiences. Through the City Trading Room we give students the chance to work on real-life projects using industry-standard software and work with real-world clients. This offers a unique opportunity for students to gain this invaluable experience while they study.
• This course is accredited and meets the high standards of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

• 80 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.
• GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above. If you do not have this or are not undertaking it, we accept other level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests.

A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements

• Qualification| Entry requirements
  • A Level / AS Level |
    • A Level: 80 UCAS Tariff points / CDD (or equivalent)
    • AS Level: Must be in a different subject to A Levels
    • A maximum of four subjects will be considered
  • Pearson BTEC (Diploma / Extended Diploma/ Extended Certificate) |
    • 80 UCAS Tariff points
    • Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications
    • Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
  • T Level |
    • Pass overall (C or above on the core)
    • All subjects considered
  • Access to HE Diploma | Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3
  • OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications | 80 UCAS Tariff points
  • NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualifications | 80 UCAS Tariff points
  • WJEC Level 3 qualifications |
    • 80 UCAS Tariff points
    • Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
  • Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers) | Minimum of 80 UCAS Tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects
  • Scottish Higher / Advanced Higher | 80 UCAS Tariff points from three Advanced Highers (DDD) or two Advanced Highers (DD) plus two Highers (DD)
  • Welsh Baccalaureate | 80 UCAS Tariff points. Considered with three A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
  • IFS / LIBF in Financial Studies |
    • 80 UCAS Tariff points
    • Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)

International qualifications

• International Baccalaureate Diploma
  • Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall
  • For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at grade C/4 or above, grade 5 in Maths (Standard level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted.
• EU / International students
  • Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band.

Fees & How to Apply

UK students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study, which is a foundation year. If you progress to the degree upon completion of your foundation year, the standard undergraduate tuition fee for 2026/27 will apply. Fees for 2025/26 can be found on the relevant course page, but please note that University reserves the right to increase fees in subsequent years in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
• Award: BSc (Hons)
• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 4 Years
• Fees: £5,760 in 2025/26
• Apply via UCAS

International students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study, which is a foundation year. If you progress to the degree upon completion of your foundation year, the standard undergraduate tuition fee for 2026/27 will apply. Fees for 2025/26 can be found on the relevant course page, but please note that University reserves the right to increase fees in subsequent years in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
• Award: BSc (Hons)
• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 4 Years
• Fees: £17,690 in 2025/26
• Apply Online

Course in Depth

Foundation Year

• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
  • Business In Context 20 credits
  • Developing Business and Academic Skills for Success 20 credits
  • Developing Interpersonal and Marketing Skills for Success 20 credits
  • Accounting and Personal Finance 20 credits
  • Foundation Practice Project 20 credits
  • An Introduction to Management and Leadership 20 credits

First Year

• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
  • Governance, Ethics and Law 20 credits
  • Professional Development in Accounting 20 credits
  • Introduction to Economics and Finance 20 credits
  • Introduction to Financial Accounting 20 credits
  • Introduction to Management Accounting 20 credits
  • Data Intelligence 20 credits

Second Year

• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete the following CORE module (totalling 20 credits):
  • International Accounting and Finance Issues 20 credits
• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete 60 credits in semester one from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:
  • Financial Reporting 20 credits
  • Management Accounting 20 credits
  • Integrated Business Accounting 40 credits
  • Corporate Finance 20 credits
  • Entrepreneurial Finance 20 credits
• In order to complete this course you must also successfully complete 40 credits in semester two from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:
  • Principles of Taxation 20 credits
  • Business Technology and the Finance Function 20 credits
  • Business Operations 20 credits
  • Personal Wealth Planning and Management 20 credits
  • Principles of Islamic Finance 20 credits
  • Professional Career Accelerator 20 credits

Final Year

• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 40 credits):
  • Empowering Future Leaders 20 credits
  • Accounting for the Planet 20 credits
• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete at least 80 credits from the following indicative list of OPTIONAL modules:
  • Tax Planning 20 credits
  • Banking, Financial Markets and Institutions 20 credits
  • Audit and Assurance 20 credits
  • Advanced Financial Reporting 20 credits
  • Project Management 20 credits
  • Strategic Management Accounting 20 credits
  • Corporate Financial Strategy 20 credits
  • Islamic Banking and Capital Markets 20 credits
  • Principles of Not-For-Profit Accounting and Governance 20 credits
  • Fintech 20 credits
  • Business Research Methodology and Practice 20 credits
  • Business Research Project 20 credits

Employability

• Your course will prepare and equip you for a career in accountancy, finance, management or business, by relating your studies to the latest practice-based business developments.
• Throughout the course, we have regular visits from professional bodies such as the ICAEW, CIMA and ACCA. These visits help ensure that you are learning the exact skills organisations and regulator bodies are looking for.
• You will also have the opportunity to attain the Microsoft Office Specialist – Excel qualification, enhancing your employability prospects.

Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities

• We are constantly investing in our estate and have spent £400 million on new learning facilities.
• The Curzon Building
  • This course is based at our City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Social Sciences, Law and Business students.
  • The £63m building offers students a unique social learning space, including a dedicated student hub incorporating student support services, in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside development.
  • The Business floors house an extensive number of IT facilities, breakout areas, and specialised rooms. The Marketing Link Agency is designed to replicate a modern marketing firm, allowing students to get real-life experience of working in the marketing sector. There is also the City Trading Room, which features state of the art stock market tracking equipment, keeping you up to date with all the financial comings and goings of the London Stock Exchange and Wall Street.
  • The Curzon building is also conveniently close to Birmingham’s business and financial centre, allowing for strong links between your studies and the real world.

Our staff

• Samantha Roberts
  • Head of the College of Accountancy, Finance and Economics
  • Samantha Roberts holds an honours degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Accounting and Financial Management. She is ACMA, CGMA qualified and after a 15 year career in the banking and finance sector Samantha moved into higher education.
• Margaret Saunders
  • Senior Teaching Fellow / Academic Lead in Teaching Excellence and the Student Experience
  • Margaret Saunders is a qualified management accountant who gained substantial experience in industry prior to making the transition into education. She is currently the Academic Lead for Teaching Excellence and the Student Experience in addition to being a Senior Teaching Fellow in Management Accounting.
• Shaista Mukadam
  • Senior Lecturer
  • After completion of her Chartered Accountancy Professional Qualification from India, Shaista Mukadam worked and audited in many of the multi-national companies in India. She retrained as a lecturer, and now teaches on accounting modules at Birmingham City University. In December 2021, Shaista was presented with Womani Award for 2021 by...
• Kulvinder Singh
  • Associate Professor in Accounting
  • Kulvinder is an Associate Professor in Accounting. He is part of the course leadership team across the undergraduate and postgraduate accounting suite of courses. He is the college subject lead for Accounting, and works closely with the course leaders across the portfolio of courses.