Accounting (including Year Abroad)

Accounting (including Year Abroad) at the University of Essex is a comprehensive undergraduate programme designed to equip students with essential skills and knowledge in financial accounting, management accounting, auditing, and taxation. This degree offers a blend of theoretical understanding and practical application, preparing graduates for a wide range of careers in the accounting and finance sectors. The programme features a unique Year Abroad option, allowing students to spend an additional year studying at a partner university overseas, gaining valuable international experience and intercultural skills that enhance employability. Throughout the course, students will engage with core modules such as Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Corporate Finance, Auditing and Assurance, and Business Law, alongside optional modules to tailor their degree to specific interests and career goals. The curriculum emphasizes the development of analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, which are essential in today’s dynamic financial environment. Lectures are delivered by experienced academics and industry professionals, providing students with insights into current practices and emerging trends in the accounting field. The programme also offers opportunities for work placements and internships, enabling students to gain practical experience and build professional networks. By the end of their studies, graduates will be well-prepared to pursue professional qualifications like ACCA, CIMA, or ACA, or to continue postgraduate studies in related disciplines. The University of Essex’s supportive learning environment, combined with its strong links to industry, ensures students have access to resources, mentorship, and opportunities that facilitate their academic and career development. Whether aiming to work in accounting firms, corporate finance departments, or entrepreneurship, students completing this programme will be equipped with the core competencies and international perspective needed to excel in the competitive global marketplace.

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.

Year 1

Compulsory
Introduction to Accounting; Quantitive Methods and Finance; Introduction to Management; Economics for Business;

Year 2

Compulsory
Financial Reporting and Analysis; Management Accounting I; Corporate Finance; Business Law I; Management Accounting II; Portfolio Analysis;
And one other Essex Business School (Colchester Campus) option.

Year 3

Year Abroad

Year 4

Compulsory
Current Issues in Financial Reporting; Advanced Management Accounting; Issues in Management Accounting;
Optional
Final Year Accounting Option;
Essex Business School (Colchester Campus) option.

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6

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

Requirements

• A-levels: AAB - ABB
• GCSE Mathematics: C
• GCSE English: C
• IB: 33 - 32 points, including Standard Mathematics grade 4 (we consider IB certificates at the Higher level on a case-by-case basis)
• BTEC qualifications, in relevant disciplines, will be considered on an individual basis, depending on the units studied. The standard required is generally at Distinction level.
• Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 6 level three credits at distinction and the remainder at merit (or above).

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component (or equivalent). Different requirements apply for second year entry.

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 undergraduate program designed to provide students with a solid foundation in financial and managerial accounting, auditing, taxation, and related business disciplines. The program typically spans three years in the UK, with an optional Year Abroad, offering students valuable international experience and intercultural skills that enhance their employability in global markets. Throughout the course, students explore core accounting principles, learn to analyze financial statements, and develop expertise in using industry-standard accounting software. The curriculum also emphasizes critical thinking, ethical considerations in accounting, and the development of quantitative and analytical skills essential for a successful career in finance and business.

The Year Abroad component usually takes place in the third year and is available at partner universities across Europe, North America, or other regions, allowing students to immerse themselves in a different cultural and academic environment. During this year, students often engage in coursework related to international accounting standards, global financial markets, and cross-cultural communication. This experience broadens their understanding of accounting practices worldwide and prepares them for international careers. Students benefit from multilingual environments and gain an appreciation of diverse business practices, which are increasingly valuable in today’s interconnected economic world.

The program is accredited by relevant professional accounting bodies, such as ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), which means students can often gain exemptions from certain exams, accelerating their pathway to professional qualification. The university supports students with dedicated career services, internships, and placement opportunities to help them secure employment after graduation. Teaching involves lectures, seminars, case studies, and practical group work, fostering collaborative learning and real-world application of theory. The academic staff are experienced professionals and researchers who provide high-quality instruction and mentorship.

Graduates of the Accounting (including Year Abroad) program at Essex are equipped with vital skills in financial analysis, auditing, tax planning, and compliance, enabling them to pursue diverse roles in accounting firms, corporations, government agencies, or start their own businesses. Many students also choose to continue their studies at postgraduate level, further specializing in fields such as forensic accounting, financial management, or business analytics. Overall, Essex’s program prepares students for a dynamic and evolving profession, emphasizing ethical standards, technological competence, and international perspectives, making their qualification valuable both domestically and globally.