Accounting (including foundation year)

Description

Our BA Accounting (including foundation year)will be suitable for you, if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for an undergraduate course, and you want a programme that takes you to the right academic level as well as improves your English language and academic skills. This four-year course includes a foundation year (Year Zero) ,followed by a further three years of undergraduate study.

During your Year Zero, you study four academic subjects relevant to your chosen course. Our compulsory English language and academic skills module supplements your academic subjects. After successful completion of Year Zero in our International Academy, you transfer to the relevant school, department or centre to complete your course.

On this course, you can also take an accelerated route if you demonstrate high ability during your first two terms. This means that you then continue through your third term, and during the summer of your first year, to study material equivalent to the first year of our three-year courses. Success in your September examination allows you to progress into your second year.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 11950 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

The special characteristics of our courses are flexibility and choice. In your first year, you usually take four or five modules that include pre-requisite(s) for your course but, in many cases, mean you can try subjects you have not come across before. If you are taking a humanities or social science, then you have the greatest choice, as most of our first-year modules do not assume any specialist knowledge.
With a small number of exceptions, if you successfully complete the first year of your BA, then you are qualified to enter the second year of that course and a range of other courses: for example, if you take economics, politics, philosophy and sociology, then you have a choice of at least nine possible single or joint honours courses at the end of your first year. This means you can change your course, providing you have taken the appropriate pre-requisites and places are available. We offer a range of optional modules in your second- and final-years and most courses allow you to undertake a final-year project, an individual piece of research on a topic that interests you.
We operate a credit framework for our awards, which is based on principles widely used across the UK university sector. Each module has a credit rating attached and our standard three-year course consists of 360 credits (120 credits in your first year, and 240 credits across your second and final years).
Please note that module information on our course finder provides a guide to course content and may be subject to review on an annual basis.tics of our courses are flexibility and choice. In your first year, you usually take four or five modules that include pre-requisite(s) for your course but, in many cases, mean you can try subjects you have not come across before. If you are taking a humanities or social science, then you have the greatest choice, as most of our first-year modules do not assume any specialist knowledge.
With a small number of exceptions, if you successfully complete the first year of your BA, then you are qualified to enter the second year of that course and a range of other courses: for example, if you take economics, politics, philosophy and sociology, then you have a choice of at least nine possible single or joint honours courses at the end of your first year. This means you can change your course, providing you have taken the appropriate pre-requisites and places are available. We offer a range of optional modules in your second- and final-years and most courses allow you to undertake a final-year project, an individual piece of research on a topic that interests you.
We operate a credit framework for our awards, which is based on principles widely used across the UK university sector. Each module has a credit rating attached and our standard three-year course consists of 360 credits (120 credits in your first year, and 240 credits across your second and final years).
Please note that module information on our course finder provides a guide to course content and may be subject to review on an annual basis.

Preliminary year

Business and Management;
Economics;
Introduction to Probability and Statistical Methods;
Core Mathematics; and
Academic Skills

Year 1

Introduction to Accounting and Finance;
Introduction to Management;
Quantitative Methods and Finance; and
Economics for Business

Year 2

Financial Reporting and Analysis;
Portfolio Analysis;
Corporate Finance;
Management Accounting I and II; and
one Essex Business School option

Year 3

Company Financial Statements;
Advanced Management Accounting;
Issues in Management Accounting;
one Essex Business School option; and
one Essex Business School option or one outside option

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 5

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• A-levels: 180 points, including DD at A-level or equivalent
• GCSE Mathematics: C
• GCSE English: C or above (or equivalent) Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 45 level three credits at pass (or above).

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 5.5 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component or equivalent (subject to final approval).

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Essex.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at Essex, please visit: www.essex.ac.uk/studentfinance.

Accounting at the University of Essex is a comprehensive program designed to equip students with a deep understanding of accounting principles, financial management, and the broader economic context in which businesses operate. The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills, preparing graduates for careers in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, and related fields. The foundation year provides an accessible entry point for students who may not initially meet the direct entry requirements, offering foundational modules in mathematics, economics, and introductory accounting to build necessary skills before progressing to the full degree. The program emphasizes the development of analytical abilities, ethical considerations in financial reporting, and technological proficiency with accounting software. Students benefit from the university’s strong links with industry, offering work placements, guest lectures from professionals, and real-world case studies to enhance employability. The degree also covers key topics such as corporate governance, taxation, auditing standards, and management accounting, enabling students to understand the regulatory environment and ethical responsibilities of accounting professionals. Assessment methods include written exams, coursework, group projects, and presentations, fostering a variety of skills valuable in the professional arena. The university’s modern facilities, dedicated academic staff, and supportive learning environment create ideal conditions for academic success. Graduates from the program are well-prepared for professional certification exams such as ACCA, CIMA, and ACA, and many go on to pursue careers in accounting firms, financial institutions, government agencies, or start their own ventures. The program is also designed to develop transferable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork, which are highly valued across numerous sectors. By choosing Accounting at Essex, students embark on a pathway to a rewarding career in finance and business, supported by a university renowned for its research, teaching quality, and strong industry connections.