Accounting

BA (Hons) Accounting

Mode of study: Full time or Sandwich (Optional)
Duration: 3 or 4 YEARS

Globalisation, complexity and ever increasing competition have meant that the global demand for qualified accountants has never been higher. Accountants are at the centre of every organisation and the work they do has become increasingly complex and diverse, offering great opportunities for accounting graduates.

In addition to a wide range of careers in accounting, finance or financial services, an accounting degree can also offer a proven route into general management.

Our BA (Hons) Accounting is an innovative four year programme aimed at preparing our students for a career in the accounting profession. We will provide the opportunity for students to achieve a one year's paid placement in the accounting profession.

Typically, students find jobs in either industry or professional practice and go on to complete the higher level exams for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) or the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Features
Accreditation and exemptions
In addition to obtaining a degree in accounting this programme also offers an accelerated route to qualifying with one of the professional accounting bodies such as ICAEW, CIMA and ACCA.

Work placement
The placement year allows you to consolidate the management education you have acquired and provides a platform on which you can build when you return to your studies.

Career focus
The entrance criteria of this degree have been designed to comply with the requirements of the major accounting firms' graduate programmes.

Links with the profession
We constantly work to build and maintain our links with accounting and finance professionals, which brings practical benefits to our students. One example is our professional mentoring scheme, by which level 2 and 3 students may be paired up with a practising accountant in the area to enable them to get real-world advice and feedback.

Counselling
We are proud to be able to offer some students the opportunity to train as financial counsellors, and use their new skills to help others. In particular, each year a small number of students train as Citizens Advice Bureau counsellors in order to specialise in offering debt advice to the population of Portsmouth.

Other students train with the University's own Student Finance team (the 'Money Doctors') in order to offer support to their fellow students.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and learning are usually undertaken in lectures supported by smaller group seminars, workshops, tutorials and practical sessions. Extensive use is made of information technology and other teaching innovations. Staff research and consultancy expertise also actively contribute to the relevance of the programme.

You will encounter a range of assessment methods. Many units use a combination of formal examinations and coursework assessment. Coursework can be the analysis of topical case studies, written reports and essays and presentations. The assessed work you complete from the start of the second year onwards can count towards the class of degree you will be awarded.

The University goes to great lengths to ensure all students have an excellent learning experience. Courses are managed by teams of academic and administrative staff who work together to provide a high level of support.

Each course has a course leader who will maintain a close relationship with you throughout your studies. They are also supported by a number of tutors and the University has a range of additional support facilities such as the Academic Skills Unit, the Maths Café, careers unit and counselling that you can access if you need to. You will be assigned a personal tutor who will give you general support and act as the first point of contact for any problems.

In addition, if English is not your first language, there are free courses available to help familiarise you with the use of English for academic purposes.