Course summary

Use your love of numbers to gain a sound technical knowledge and understanding of the business world alongside workplace experience at the heart of the field. Learning from leading academic researchers and experienced practitioners in the field, and taking that knowledge into your placement, this degree offers the perfect blend of theory and practice, taking you to the heart of key questions such as: ‘Why do some companies excel and others go bust?’ and ‘How can profits go up while share prices fall? We encourage you to pursue your interests, develop your strengths, and move towards your ideal career, offering flexibility and the opportunity to specialise your studies based on your strengths and interests. Your third-year industrial placement provides you with a positive, practical experience in a graduate role, gaining priceless business skills. You will have the chance to see how well academic theories work in real-life situations, and gain insight into where your talents and interests lie for your future career. The degree is accredited by globally-recognised accountancy bodies (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and CPA Australia). This provides graduates with exemptions from many core professional examinations, depending on your module choices, and means, on graduation, you will be further along the route to qualifying as an accountant than many of your contemporaries. In your first year, you study accounting and finance using real-world data from actual companies, and discover more about economic issues such as inflation, costs and pricing. Second year core subjects include auditing, financial accounting, risk management, corporate finance and management accounting for business decisions. You can also select from courses such as law, management decision making and advanced finance topics. Our careers team will provide you with expert support and guidance in securing a third-year industry placement. Past students have worked with companies such as Deloitte, Lloyds Bank, PwC and Samsung in roles ranging from finance, auditing and accounting to operations, consulting and risk. Your final year builds on this knowledge and experience, while offering specialist options such as ethics, investments and taxation. Throughout, you learn from academics whose global perspectives inform government and regulators, and from practitioners with experience of running businesses and working in accounting and finance. Specialist accounting and finance careers events put you in contact with potential employers, and our expert careers team help you develop practical skills and assets highly-valued in the world of work. Modules prepare you for interviews and assessment centres, build your CV and make you attractive to potential employees, placing you in a strong position to start your future career. Whether it’s a tech start-up or a multinational industrialist, every company needs an accountant. Your studies can also be a route into corporate finance and business. Many Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) began their careers as accountants. The University will make all reasonable effort to support you in finding a suitable placement for your studies. While a placement role may not be available in a field or organisation directly related to your studies or career aspirations, all roles offer valuable experience of working at graduate level, gaining a range of professional skills. If you are unsuccessful in securing a suitable placement, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent non-placement degree scheme and would continue with your studies at Lancaster, finishing your degree after your third year. The University offers a range of shorter placement and internship opportunities for which you would be welcome to apply. .