Accounting and Finance

Accounting and finance is the discipline at the centre of how every organisation understands its financial position and makes decisions about resources, investment and risk. Accounting provides the language and systems for recording, summarising and communicating financial information; finance adds a forward-looking analytical dimension, concerned with how capital is raised, how assets are valued and how financial risk is understood and managed. Together they provide the foundations for careers across the full breadth of financial services and the commercial world.

At the University of Salford, this three-year programme is designed to develop the essential skills and knowledge for high-level careers in accountancy, finance, banking, insurance and general management, as the university's own description puts it. You will study financial reporting, management accounting, taxation, corporate finance, auditing, investment analysis and the regulatory frameworks that govern accounting and financial practice. A year abroad is built into the programme, giving you the opportunity to study at a partner institution overseas and to develop an international dimension to your financial education.

Salford's practical orientation means the degree develops professional as well as academic capabilities: you will learn to work with real financial data, prepare accounts and reports, and develop the analytical and communication skills that accounting and finance professionals use throughout their careers. Many graduates use the degree as the academic foundation for professional qualification, and the programme is designed to provide the knowledge base for the main professional accountancy routes.

Graduates go on to careers as accountants, auditors, financial analysts, tax advisers, management accountants, finance managers, investment professionals and banking specialists across a wide range of sectors. The year abroad gives Salford graduates an international dimension that is increasingly valued by employers. Further study in accounting, finance or a related professional qualification is a common next step.