BSc (Honours) Accounting and Finance

Accessibility

Our qualifications are as accessible as possible, and we have a comprehensive range of support services. Our BSc (Honours) Accounting and Finance uses a variety of study materials and includes the following elements:

• Online study – most modules are online; some have a mix of printed and online material. Online learning resources could include websites, audio/video, and interactive activities
• Pre-determined schedules – we’ll help you to develop your time-management skills
• Assessment in the form of short-answer questions, essays, and examinations
• Using and producing diagrams and screenshots
• Finding external/third-party material online
• Accessing online catalogues and databases
• Specialist software, such as Excel
• Online tutorials
• Group-work

Every module has its own Accessibility Statement with more detailed accessibility information – you’ll find these on individual module descriptions. Visit our Disability support page to learn about our services.

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.

However, a basic understanding of mathematical operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division would be helpful.

To help you plan your progression through this qualification, we recommend that you also read the entry requirements of each module. Some modules require you to successfully complete modules at one OU level before you can progress to the next.

Preparing for study with an Access module

Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.

You’ll also benefit from:

• feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
• support from a dedicated team throughout your study
• detailed written feedback on your work.

Skills for career development

The ability to analyse, report and manage financial information is a much sought-after skill in organisations. By completing this degree you’ll be equipped with transferrable skills and knowledge that can be applied in many areas of an organisation. Here are some of the skills which this degree will help you acquire.

• Understanding the contexts within which an accounting and finance professional operates including wider organisational, ethical and governance issues
• Understanding, applying and assessing a range of qualitative and quantitative concepts, methods, tools and techniques
• Interpreting financial and accounting information.
• Communicating and presenting accounting and finance information clearly and succinctly.
• Constructing logical and coherent arguments and applying critical thinking.

Career relevance

The skills and knowledge you’ll develop by studying this degree will equip you to follow a number of career paths, and are recognised by employers as having great value for work in accounting, finance and business management areas. A qualification in accounting and finance can lead to opportunities in a wide range of areas such as auditing, taxation, management and financial reporting. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree such as becoming a Chartered Accountant or a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Accreditation

After successfully completing this degree, you’ll be eligible for exemptions from the following Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) CGMA professional examinations.

At Certificate level:

• Fundamentals of Business Economics (BA1)
• Fundamentals of Management Accounting (BA2)
• Fundamentals of Financial Accounting (BA3)
• Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance and Business Law (BA4)

At Operational level:

• Managing Finance in a Digital World (E1)
• Management Accounting (P1)
• Financial Reporting (F1)
• Operational Case Study Exam

The Open University Business School is one of the few institutions worldwide that are triple-accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), and Association of MBAs (AMBA).These are internationally recognised quality standards which independently validate the quality of the School’s teaching, research and operations. The School undergoes regular reviews to ensure that standards are maintained and has successfully retained its triple accredited status since 2004. This qualification is accredited through inclusion in these reviews.

Other careers

Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, accounting, finance, management consultancy and the public sector.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.

You can achieve this degree in as little as three years and have a maximum of 16 years to complete it. Our module-by-module approach gives you the flexibility to complete your qualification at a pace that works best for you.

3-year degree

You can complete this degree in three years by studying at a pace equivalent to full-time. That’s similar to a student at a campus-based university.

• You'll study 120 credits a year.
• You'll need 32–36 study hours per week.

For a year-by-year breakdown of modules, take a look at our 3-year degree pathway in the Course details section.

6-year degree

You can complete this degree in six years by studying part-time. That’s roughly half the rate of a student on a full-time course at a campus-based university.

• You'll study 60 credits a year.
• You'll need 16–18 study hours per week.

For a year-by-year breakdown of modules, take a look at our 6-year degree pathway in the Course details section.