Finance and Accounting

Finance and accounting is the language of business, providing the systems, skills, and frameworks through which organisations measure their performance, manage their resources, and account to investors, regulators, and the public. Accounting is concerned with recording, classifying, and reporting financial information, both for internal management purposes and for external disclosure. Finance applies economic and quantitative reasoning to questions of how capital is raised, invested, and managed, and how risk is priced and controlled.

Together they form one of the most direct routes into professional life in business and financial services.

At University College Birmingham, this three-year full-time degree includes a sandwich year and work placement opportunities, giving you significant professional experience in financial or business settings alongside your academic studies. The sandwich year in particular provides extended immersion in a real work environment, which is highly valued by employers and can be transformative in clarifying your career direction and building the practical competencies that classroom study alone cannot develop. You will cover financial and management accounting, corporate finance, investment analysis, taxation, auditing, and business strategy, developing both the technical skills and the analytical understanding that employers in finance and professional services require.

The programme is designed to complement the requirements of professional accounting bodies, providing a foundation for further professional qualification.

Graduates of finance and accounting degrees are in strong demand across financial services, professional services firms, corporate finance functions, and the public sector. Career routes include roles in audit, tax, management accounting, financial analysis, treasury, and corporate finance. Many graduates pursue professional qualifications with bodies such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, or the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and the sandwich placement gives graduates relevant experience to support these routes.