Photos of university / #universityofstirling
If you’re planning a career in accountancy or the financial sector, studying at the University of Stirling is the perfect starting point. Stirling ranks among the top 5 places to study Accountancy and Finance in Scotland (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019), boasting 5-star teaching and quadruple industry accreditation.
An accounting degree empowers you to prepare, present and interpret financial information for a wide range of organisations, and the skills you learn will enable investors, lenders, management and others to make key decisions based on financial facts.
The ideal path to a career in accountancy combines a university degree with recognised professional qualifications. Our Accountancy programme has been created with this in mind, and successful completion of the course will ensure many professional bodies give you significant exemptions from their exams.
From a basic understanding of how to prepare financial statements, through to an in-depth knowledge of auditing, taxation and reporting, our Accountancy degree covers everything you’ll need to know to join the thousands of Stirling graduates who have successfully transitioned from this course into the professional world.
Amplify Trading Boot Camp
The course also includes an innovative week-long global financial trading and training boot camp run by our partner Amplify Trading. The boot camp won the CFA Institute Innovative Delivery of Education (IDEA) global award and gives you the chance to trade futures contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. By letting you trade in real time, but with virtual money, the boot camp bridges the gap between an academic understanding of financial markets and how they function in practice.
Student Managed Investment Fund
Our students have established a Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), with support of our academics within the Accounting and Finance Division. It allows you to gain practical experience of managing investments with real money. A student-led project, it will help you to enhance your employability before you graduate – giving you exceptional practical understanding of theoretical aspects of investment valuation.
You can study Accountancy as a four year single honours degree, or combine it with one of eight other courses to broaden your focus. In your first three semesters, your core studies in accounting and finance will be complimented by teaching in economics, business management and business law. Semesters 4-8 will help you to develop an analytical approach to relevant subjects through eleven advanced core modules. Among those modules will be your dissertation, which will introduce you to research methods in accounting and enhance your communication, evaluation and analytical skills.
Modules
The module details given below are subject to change as the University regularly revises and refreshes the curriculum of our taught programmes. The modules outlined below represent those offered in 2018/19 on this course of study.
Teaching
When you study Accountancy at the University of Stirling you can be confident that everything you learn is in tune with the latest industry trends. You’ll learn through a combination of formal lectures, seminars and practical workshops. Small group tutorials will also provide feedback and reinforcement of lecture topics throughout each semester. All our teaching is rooted in world-class research, and Stirling Management School ranked in the top 25 institutions in the UK for Business and Management from a pool of over 100 in the most recent Research Excellence Framework study.
Assessment
You’ll be assessed by a combination of coursework and exams. For Honours students, all advanced modules undertaken during the final two years count equally towards your overall degree classification. In Semester 8 you’ll complete a dissertation on an approved subject.
Study abroad
You’ll have the opportunity to broaden your horizons and study abroad through our well-established connections with several international universities.
Diploma
- SQA Highers: AABB – by the end of S5, AAAB – by the end of S6
- GCE A-levels: BBB
- IB Diploma: 32
- BTEC (Level 3): DDM
- Or other equivalent diploma
Subjects
- Essential subjects: Mathematics National 5 (B), Intermediate 2 (C), Standard Grade (3), GCSE (C/4) or equivalent
- Preferred subjects: Mathematics at Higher, A-level or equivalent
The University of Stirling normally requires citizens of certain countries to complete a Foundation Year for entry to the University. For further information regarding the University of Stirling's Foundation programmes visit the website (link in the description). Additionally, the University will welcome applications from students who have completed one year of relevant university study.
If English is not your first language, you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS: 6.0 with 5.5 minimum in each skill
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Grade C
- Pearson Test of English (Academic): 54 with 51 in each component
- IBT TOEFL: 80 with no subtest less than 17
Want to improve your English level for admission?
Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.
- ✔️ Flexible study schedule
- ✔️ Experienced teachers
- ✔️ Certificate upon completion
📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.
Students domiciled in Scotland and the EU
The University of Stirling offers undergraduate funding opportunities for students domiciled in Scotland or the EU. To find out if you’re eligible to apply for an award, use our scholarship finder.
Students domiciled in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (RUK)
The Undergraduate Choice Scholarship provides a £1,000 cash award to all students from England, Wales or Northern Ireland who meet the conditions of their offer and select the University of Stirling as their Firm or Insurance choice on UCAS.
The University also offers the Undergraduate Merit Scholarship, which is awarded to selected students and provides a £1,000 cash award per year for years 1-3 of study. To be considered for the Merit Scholarship, students require a minimum of AAB at A-level or equivalent.
In addition, students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland who enter in year 1 and progress successfully through years 2 and 3 will receive our Honours Year Scholarship, which covers the cost of undergraduate tuition fees in the Honours year of study.
You don’t need to apply for the awards listed above - we'll automatically identify your eligibility as part of the admissions process.
To explore other scholarships and learn more about funding opportunities, use our scholarship finder.
Students domiciled overseas
The University of Stirling offers generous undergraduate funding opportunities for overseas students. To find out if you're eligible to apply for an award, use our scholarship finder.
What jobs can you get with an Accountancy degree?
Our highly-rated Accountancy course can gain you exemption from professional bodies’ exams, as well as opening up opportunities with finance-related organisations, private and public sector bodies, and a host of other employers. During your degree, you can also take advantage of a range of specialist career services.
- 100% of our Accountancy students are in employment or further study within six months of graduating (Unistats 2016).
- Accountancy graduates from Stirling are working in 21 different countries for companies including JP Morgan, IBM, RBS and many more.
- Your degree grants you exemption from many industry exams – getting you off to a flying start in your journey to becoming a fully qualified Accountant.
Good accountancy courses prepare you for professional life in a range of roles, such as a financial analyst for fund management institutions, a dealer on the stock exchange, an investment banker or a financial market regulator. Recent Accountancy graduates from the University of Stirling have started their careers in some of the following roles:
- Associate, PwC
- Commercial and Performance Analyst, SSE
- Audit Associate, Deloitte UK
- Graduate Finance Analyst, Aston Martin
Graduates who left Stirling up to ten years ago have forged careers in the following areas:
- Chartered Accountant, Dickson Middleton
- Auditor, Audit Scotland
- Assurance Technician, Ernst and Young
- Management Accountant, Standard Life plc