Accounting and Finance

UCAS code: N921

Here's what University Academy 92 (UA92) says about its Accounting and Finance course.

Accounting and Finance is your gateway to a career in a vast range of industries – graduates with a finance background are in high demand from employers, and can go on to work at the highest level of organisations of all kinds. The skills you develop over the three years will help you provide decision-making, planning, organisational, and financial advice to everyone from the government to digital start-ups to global brands. You’ll graduate ready to step into the workplace as a trainee Chartered Accountant, or as a management trainee. Wherever you end up, you’ll be well prepared to fly high.

This University Academy 92 (UA92) course is awarded by Lancaster University and delivered by UA92 at the UA92 campus in Manchester. For more information, take a look at our website: www.ua92.ac.uk

Character and Personal Development Each academic year, in addition to your four subject modules, you’ll study an extra credit-bearing module, which focuses entirely on character and personal development. You’ll get to take on a real-life project, based on a live scenario, set by one of our industry partners.

You’ll experience first-hand the current issues facing the industry, get the opportunity to apply your subject knowledge, challenge your perspectives, step outside your comfort zone and build key employability skills to prepare you for your future career.

These experiences are instrumental in developing transferable skills and key competencies such as leadership, resilience and well-being, communication, problem-solving and team-working. To help you track your progress and further refine your developing skill-set, you’ll meet regularly with your own personal development coach throughout years 1 & 2.

Our industry-led approach means our leading partner organisations are integral to the UA92 experience; co-developing course curriculums and providing unique experiences for our students. Each academic year is split into 6 blocks, of which you will study for 4. In each block you will study just 1 subject module, allowing you to focus your learning. You’ll study topics in depth, often working in small groups with academic experts and advanced practitioners. The Accounting and Finance subject modules are:

Year 1 (Level 4)

Business and Technology You’ll get to grips with the basic concepts required for effective business management, understand the critical role accounting and finance professionals play in achieving ethical and efficient practices and develop knowledge in key areas such as law and regulations, governance and data protection.

Economics for Business You will study the basic principles of the Macro and Micro-environment, the effects of government intervention on the market, supply and demand and market outcomes.

Introduction to Financial Accounting You will gain an understanding of the basic principles and concepts of financial accounting, the elements that make up financial statements and how they are prepared.

Introduction to Management Accounting In this module you will gain an understanding of the financial and managerial concepts required to enable managers to make better decisions, the purpose of applying costing techniques, as well as, the role of budgets in decision-making and how this can impact organisational behaviour and performance.

Year 2 (Level 5)

Financial Reporting You’ll study the conceptual framework used when preparing financial statements and how to apply it. You’ll also develop the skills and techniques used to analyse and interpret financial statements such as ratio analysis.

Advanced Management Accounting You’ll gain an understanding of the concepts and techniques used to develop a business strategy, approaches to management accounting such as strategic pricing, risk analysis and project appraisal techniques, and the techniques and theories surrounding management accounting.

Corporate and Business Law In this module you’ll develop knowledge and skills in specific legal areas relating to accounting and finance and recognise the need to seek specialist legal advice when necessary.

Financial Management You’ll develop your knowledge and learn how to exercise professional judgment in relation to the financial management function. By understanding working capital management and the need for investment appraisal and business valuations, you’ll be able to make justified recommendations relating to the financial management of an organisation in private and public sectors.

Year 3 (Level 6)

Advanced Financial Reporting You will learn to compare and contrast sources of funding for various projects, analyse and provide recommendations on findings from the interpretation of financial statements and identify the limitations of the tools available for interpreting financial statements.

Taxation You’ll get to grips with the tax systems relating to individuals and groups of companies, as well as the various areas of tax including corporation tax, VAT and income tax; understand the importance of accuracy and the implications surrounding incorrect calculations.

Audit and Assurance You’ll gain an understanding of the importance and process of audit and assurance within an organisation and the regulatory framework governing accounting and finance practitioners.

Project In this module, you will complete a project, on an area of interest in accounting and finance, that demonstrates your research, problem-solving and use practical skills by performing an evaluation and communicating the results.

No traditional end-of-year exams* You are assessed within each subject module – so you learn it, then you prove it.

Assessment methods include individual and group work which is undertaken in a range of formats related to your subject. This may include writing an essay or producing a report, presenting findings or creating audio/visual projects. Practical assessment is favoured where possible, for example, Media and Communication students producing a Podcast, or Sports Coaching students running a coaching session. You’ll have the opportunity to learn, develop and demonstrate a wide range of practical and applied skills and competencies.

*For Accounting and Finance students you will sit some exams within your modules to obtain the necessary exemptions from the ACCA.