Accounting

Accounting is one of the most reliably employable degree subjects, providing the financial and analytical skills that virtually every organisation in every sector requires. At its core, accounting is the discipline of recording, classifying, reporting and interpreting financial information, giving decision-makers the data they need to manage resources, assess performance and meet their legal and regulatory obligations. It is also a gateway to professional qualification and to careers in financial analysis, audit, taxation, management consulting and financial management across every part of the economy.

At the University of Bedfordshire this three-year programme develops your understanding of the technical and professional dimensions of accounting, covering financial reporting, management accounting, corporate finance, taxation, auditing and the legal and regulatory environment in which accountants operate. You will also develop the quantitative skills, analytical thinking and professional communication capabilities that employers look for in accounting graduates. The programme is designed to align with the requirements of major professional accounting qualifications, meaning that graduates are well positioned to pursue accreditation through bodies such as ACCA, CIMA or ACA alongside their early career roles, reducing the time and cost of qualification compared to starting without a relevant degree.

Graduates pursue careers in public practice with accounting firms, where they work towards chartered or certified status through structured training programmes, and in roles within industry and commerce as management accountants, financial analysts, finance managers and financial controllers. The public sector, including local authorities, the NHS and central government, also recruits accounting graduates into finance and audit roles. Banking, insurance, investment management and financial consultancy are further destinations for those with an interest in financial markets and corporate finance.

The practical and analytical skills the degree develops transfer well beyond accounting into any role concerned with numbers, evidence and commercial decision-making.