Accounting and Finance

Accounting and finance together underpin the financial operations of every organisation, from small businesses to global corporations and public sector bodies. Accounting creates the system of records, reports, and analysis through which financial performance is measured and communicated. Finance builds on that foundation to address investment decisions, capital structure, risk management, and the workings of financial markets.

Studying both disciplines gives you a comprehensive picture of the financial world and prepares you for the broad range of professional roles that both fields support.

At the University of Sunderland, this part-time programme allows you to study accounting and finance alongside other commitments, with a 48-week paid sandwich placement built into the structure. This placement is a significant feature: you earn while gaining real industry experience, developing practical skills in a professional accounting or finance environment before completing your degree. The programme is also designed to provide exemptions from some professional accounting examinations, reducing the time and effort required to achieve chartered status after graduation.

You will study financial and management accounting, corporate finance, taxation, auditing, and the legal and regulatory frameworks within which financial practice operates.

Accounting and finance graduates enter a wide range of careers. The major professional services firms, banks, financial institutions, commercial companies, public sector organisations, and charities all employ accountants and finance professionals in large numbers. Many graduates go on to complete professional qualifications with bodies such as ACCA, ICAEW, CIMA, or ICAS, achieving chartered status that provides professional recognition and access to senior roles.

Roles include financial accountant, management accountant, auditor, financial analyst, and corporate finance adviser. The paid placement built into this programme provides both work experience and a financial contribution to studying, making this a particularly practical route to a professional accounting career.