Accounting and Finance BSc (Hons) - Completion Award
2 Years full-time or 3 years sandwich | September Start
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Standard Entry
BTEC HNC or equivalent in a related subject.
If you have taken a BTEC HNC programme, we will usually expect you to have performed to an average of Merit standard.
International Qualifications:
We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.
If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English Language Requirements:
International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section: www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
UK Fee in Year 1: £9,250
* The maximum tuition fee that we are permitted to charge for UK students is set by government. Tuition fees may increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, these are subject to government regulations and in line with inflation.
International Fee in Year 1:
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Whilst books are available via the University Library, there are various advised/recommended books you may wish to purchase throughout the duration of this course, costs are approximately £500.00
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
AF5037 -
Personal Finance and Wealth Planning (Core,20 Credits)
You will learn about personal finance and wealth planning with a view to understanding how different financial products can be used to satisfy different client needs and circumstances. You will learn about client appraisal; personal taxation (to include income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax); building an investment portfolio; mortgage finance; the handling of personal debt; insurance planning; retirement planning and estate planning in the financial planning process.
More informationAF5043 -
Decision Making in the Financial Environment (Core,20 Credits)
You will learn how different types of financial decisions are made in the business environment. You will cover three main areas; how financial statements are used in financial decision making; how managers can use cost and revenue information to make short terms decisions; and strategic investment decision making based on investment appraisal techniques. Specific topic areas will include:
Financial statements for decision making:
The reporting frameworks and ethical principles that underpin financial reporting and the importance of international reporting standards
The informational content of financial statements using ratio analysis – an introduction to fundamental analysis.
Short term decision making:
The nature of cost behaviour and an introduction to Cost, volume, profit analysis
Relevant costs for decision making
Budgeting and control (including the use of big data and AI)
Dealing with risk and uncertainty
Strategic decision making
Investment appraisal techniques (payback, accounting rate of return, net present value and internal rate of return) including how to treat taxation and inflation
Practical aspects of investment appraisal (capital rationing, repeated investment decisions and lease v buy decisions)
Managing investment in working capital
Introduction to cost of capital.
The indicative schedule will be
1. Introduction to the module – decision making in the financial environment (to include introduction to financial statements)
2. Using financial statements to make decisions
3. Short term decision making – The nature of cost behaviour and introduction to CVP
4. Short term decision making – Relevant costing
5. Short term decision making – Budgeting and control (Big data, AI)
6. Short term decision making – Risk and Uncertainty
7. Strategic decision making – Investment appraisal – basic techniques
8. Strategic decision making – Investment appraisal incorporation of taxation and inflation
9. Strategic decision making – Specific investment decisions including how to treat risk and uncertainty.
10. Strategic decision making – Managing investment in working capital
11. Strategic decision making – Introduction to the cost of capital
12. Review of module
AF5044 -
Assurance (Core,20 Credits)
Throughout this module, you will learn about the practice of assurance through ‘real life’ scenarios. Topics are viewed and taught as interrelated concepts, with the ethical principles of auditors (Accountability, Integrity, Objectivity, Independence, Competence and Rigour, Judgement, Confidentiality) and the process of assurance being taught alongside one another. The following topics are covered during the module:
The Audit & Assurance Context
What is the role, purpose, and value of assurance? What is the role of the audit profession and what are the key professional ethical guidelines? What are the rules guiding assurance both within the UK and internationally?
Assurance Ethics
What are the ethical frameworks offered to the practice of assurance? How does the nature of the business impact on audit ethics? How does audit regulation promote or comprise confidence in audit ethics? Why do audit ethics matter?
Audit Process
The process of assurance will include understanding; the identification of audit risk from knowledge of the business and the control environment, planning the assurance process, assessment of risk management and internal control deficiencies through the application of assurance approaches, the nature of audit evidence and the methods of collection and formulating and reporting an audit opinion.
GA5001 -
Academic Language Skills for Newcastle Business School (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)
Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.
The topics you will cover on the module include:
• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.
HR9537 -
Management Research and Analysis (Core,20 Credits)
In this research-based module you will experience a comprehensive coverage of research methods and analysis that will prepare you both for work placement or study abroad opportunities alongside preparation for your final-year “capstone” research module of either Dissertation, Management Enquiry or Consultancy Project and for your future employment, enterprise or entrepreneurial activity.
You will learn how to develop a research question, and linked to this, be able to choose an appropriate method of research, dovetailing both learning experiences to the development of a critical assessment of the academic literature. You will gain a basic understanding of research philosophy, whilst the coverage and importance given to research ethics will play an important part of your learning within the module and you will appreciate as part of your learning how this underpins research of quality and integrity. The role of Ethics in research will cover study design, participant selection, data collection, data handling and storage and presentation of research findings.
You will learn how to apply quantitative and qualitative methods. In the quantitative applications, you will learn about questionnaire design, sampling, presenting and summarising data, statistical inference and hypothesis testing. You will have the opportunity to use a range of appropriate software tools, including Excel and SPSS. In the qualitative part of the module, techniques covered will include interviewing and focus groups to collect data, supported by analysis methods including content analysis and thematic analysis. You will learn how to execute a critical and effective analysis of your research data for both approaches, as well as appreciating the importance of piloting.
HR9588 -
Academic Skills and Employability (Core,20 Credits)
This module has twin aims, firstly supporting your transition into UK higher education by developing your specific skills and attributes to both manage your studies, and to communicate your ideas effectively within the academic community and give you an insight on how these skills contribute to your professional development. The second aim is to equip you with the necessary knowledge and transferable skills to maximise your chances of finding a placement or entering a graduate level role on completion of your degree.
This module will provide you with the skills to manage your studies effectively at level 5. It develops your skills in effective communication, independent and critical thinking, and explores how these can be applied to independent research projects. You will consider how to effectively manage yourself and your studies, how to find appropriate information and use this in your academic writing, develop your academic voice across different communication styles, as well as developing your critical and ethical skills in your studies.
The module evolves through group work and independent study, exploring the concept of employability and career development. You will examine the process of recruitment and selection, and be supported in the production of CVs, cover letters and the use of psychometric tests in order to ensure that you make an impactful application to any employer.
NX9527 -
Newcastle Business School Study Abroad Semester (Optional,60 Credits)
The Study Abroad Semester module is a semester long 60 credit module which is available on degree courses which include the option to study abroad in Semester 2 of Year 2. You will undertake a semester abroad at a partner university equivalent to 60 UK credits.
The study abroad placement is an important element of your course structure and gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning.
When taken and passed the study abroad semester will be recognised in your transcript as a 60 credit Study Abroad Module. The learning and teaching on your study abroad placement will be dependent on the partner and will be recorded in the learning agreement signed by you, the host University, and the University.
SM9532 -
Strategic Frameworks and Cultural Contexts in International Management (Core,20 Credits)
This module aims to provide you with an understanding of and an introduction to the application of key strategic decision making aspects and their interface with cultural contexts. The module extends and develops your learnings from Level 4 (in Global Business Environment). The introduction to global forces shaping international business and the macro business environments at level 4- are taken forward to engage strategic frameworks that businesses may deploy to inform international business.
1. Key cultural paradigms in relation to international business
2. Cultural differences as the Big C in CAGE framework and its application
3. International market entry and growth
4. Introduction to IB strategy frameworks such as Porter’s national diamond, CAGE framework (extending the analytical perspective provided by the Big C, triple A framework and the Bartlett and Ghoshal continuums of choices. Porter’s five forces and generic strategies also put in context)
5. Communicating across cultures
6. Identify and evaluate the issues relating to the management of internationally mobile employees
7. International business protocol
8. Ethics and Responsible Business in context of growth, localised contexts of international markets and managing the value chain in international business
NX9525 -
Newcastle Business School Work Placement Year (Optional,120 Credits)
The Work Placement Year module is a full year 120 credit module available on degree courses which include a work placement year which is taken as an additional year of study between levels 5 and 6. The placement consists of 48 weeks of full time work experience in a host organisation which is relevant to your studies.
The placement is an important element of your course structure and it will provide you with the opportunity to:
• Experience the environment of a real workplace which will help you decide the type of career you would like to follow after graduation
• Develop your organisational and interpersonal skills required to enable you to work efficiently as a member of a team
• Acquire and develop relevant technical skills associated with the nature of your work
• Identify, analyse and discuss with experienced practitioners how theoretical concepts are adapted and applied to suit practical requirements
• Apply knowledge that will help you to plan and evaluate future study and career development.
This is a Pass/Fail module and so does not contribute to your degree classification. When taken and passed, however, the Placement Year is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Work Placement Module and on your degree certificate in the format “Degree title (with Work Placement Year)”. The learning and teaching on your placement will be recorded in the training agreement signed by you, the placement provider, and the University.
NX9526 -
Newcastle Business School Study Abroad Year (Optional,120 Credits)
The Study Abroad Year module is a full year 120 credit module which is available on degree courses which include a study abroad year which is taken as an additional year of study between levels 5 and 6. You will undertake a year abroad at a partner university equivalent to 120 UK credits.
The study abroad placement is an important element of your course structure and gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. At the end of the module you will have adapted to and appreciated a different cultural and learning environment and developed ability. You will have developed your interpersonal and intercultural communication skills as a result of your learning in an international environment.
This is a Pass/Fail module and so does not contribute to your degree classification. When taken and passed, however, the Study Abroad Year is recognised in your transcript as a 120 credit Study Abroad Module and on your degree certificate in the format “Degree title (with Study Abroad Year)”. The learning and teaching on your study abroad placement will be dependent on the partner and will be recorded in the learning agreement signed by you, the host University, and the University.
NX9528 -
Newcastle Business School Blended Placement Year: Work Placement Semester (Optional,60 Credits)
The Work Placement Semester module is a semester long 60 credit module which is available on degree courses which include the option to take a blended placement year of Work and Study Abroad which is taken as an additional year of study between levels 5 and 6.
On this module you will undertake a semester long work placement. The placement consists of a period of full time work experience in a host organisation equivalent to a full semester of study which is relevant to your studies.
The placement is an important element of your course structure and it will provide you with the opportunity to:
• Experience the environment of a real workplace which will help you decide the type of career you would like to follow after graduation
• Develop your organisational and interpersonal skills required to enable you to work efficiently as a member of a team
• Acquire and develop relevant technical skills associated with the nature of your work
• Identify, analyse and discuss with experienced practitioners how theoretical concepts are adapted and applied to suit practical requirements
• Apply knowledge that will help you to plan and evaluate future study and career development.
This is a Pass/Fail module and so does not contribute to your degree classification. When taken and passed, however, the Placement Year is recognised in your transcript as a 60 credit Work Placement Module. The learning and teaching on your placement will be recorded in the training agreement signed by you, the placement provider, and the University. Combining this with the study abroad semester as part of the third year out of the University, this will be recognised on your degree certificate in the format “Degree title (with Study Abroad and Work Placement Year)”.
NX9529 -
Newcastle Business School Blended Placement Year: Study Abroad Semester (Optional,60 Credits)
The Study Abroad Semester module is a semester long 60 credit module which is available on degree courses which include the option to take a blended placement year of Work and Study Abroad which is taken as an additional year of study between levels 5 and 6.
You will undertake a semester abroad at a partner university equivalent to 60 UK credits.
The study abroad placement is an important element of your course structure and gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. When taken and passed the study abroad semester will be recognised in your transcript as a 60 credit Study Abroad Module. The learning and teaching on your study abroad placement will be dependent on the partner and will be recorded in the learning agreement signed by you, the host University, and the University. Combining this with the work placement semester as part of the third year out of the University, this will be recognised on your degree certificate in the format “Degree title (with Study Abroad and Work Placement Year)”.
AF6002 -
International Finance and Responsible Financial Management (Core,20 Credits)
This module is designed for business students to develop a non-technical understanding of the key aspects of corporate financial theory and practice. The module covers the core aspects of raising capital and determining financing, though to investing capital in major corporate decisions, and finally returning value to shareholders.
Specifically you will study in the module; Sustainable Value Management, Stock Market Efficiency, Capital Asset Pricing Model, Portfolio Theory, International Cost of Capital, Capital Structure Decisions, Dividend Policy, Corporate Valuation and International Merger & Acquisition activity.
The module has a focus on business responsibility of all of those areas, concentrating on professional codes of conduct in areas such as the banking industry, accounting and similar finance areas, and the types of dilemmas that graduates could face in professional practice. This module will develop you as a critical and reflective practitioner. In the module you will become more aware of the issues that responsible businesses face when attempting to implement financial concepts and theories into practice.
On completion of this module you will have produced a reflective learning journal (in the form of a Blog) based on your evaluation of theory to real world scenarios. As part of that journal will have watched and reflected on appropriate financial documentaries and movies which explore responsible financial management issues. Finally you will be apply your academic knowledge to a real world case and be able to critically evaluate the tensions between the financial academic theories as a responsible business attempts to maximise shareholder wealth.
critically evaluate the tensions between the financial academic theories as a responsible business attempts to maximise shareholder wealth.
AF6004 -
Contemporary Corporate Reporting (Core,20 Credits)
You will learn how to read and critically interpret both the financial information and narrative content of company reports. To do this, you will study the theory and context of corporate reporting, including ethical issues, and the international framework for reporting, as well as very practical techniques such as ratio analysis. Building on the calculation of ratios studied in previous modules, you will use ratios to help you analyse a company’s performance by selecting appropriate comparators and considering the figures in the context of a company’s industry and its business strategy. You will also consider the role of integrated reporting and sustainability reporting.
You will study impression management theories and apply these to evaluate how companies present themselves in their corporate reports.
The syllabus includes:
• regulatory and ethical framework, including the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting
• Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) and convergence towards International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
• the constituent elements of financial statements: balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, statements of changes in equity, notes to the accounts and accounting policies, and how to interpret these
• other elements of the annual report, such as the corporate governance report and auditor’s report, and how to interpret these
• progress in integrated reporting and sustainability reporting
• efficient market hypothesis, and how the market views the information in corporate reports
• impression management in corporate reporting
• current issues arising
AF6010 -
Strategic Management Accounting (Core,20 Credits)
On this module you will develop an understanding of the nature of Strategic Management Accounting and its use in strategic decision making, planning and control. There is emphasis on the use of information that relates to factors external to the firm, as well as non-financial and internally generated information. Historic approaches of traditional management accounting have been criticised for providing misleading information and are compared and contrasted to more modern methods of Strategic Management Accounting to assist in business decision making.
You will also gain an appreciation of the ethical issues facing the profession.
In particular you will study the following:
• The nature of devolved decision making
• Traditional costing vs alternative costing methods
• Issues affecting Transfer pricing
• The impact of modern manufacturing & the cost of quality
• Environmental & Sustainability factors
• The use of non-financial information & the Balanced Scorecard
• Management control systems (Budgets)
• The concept of Beyond Budgeting
On completing the module you will have an appreciation for Strategic Management Accounting and its role in the strategic management of businesses. You will be able to use that knowledge to aid businesses in the decision making process.
NX9624 -
Management Enquiry (Optional,40 Credits)
The Management Enquiry module is a student-led individual project that enables you to undertake a significant piece of assessed work commensurate with a capstone module. The module aims to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate an authentic engagement with managers and/or professionals in your discipline, and to integrate the knowledge you have developed during your programme to explore the theory in practice. The learning on this module is experiential and problem based, where the focus is upon you discovering, probing and questioning key practice-based issues. Through the module you will be offered the opportunity to develop and enhance key transferable employability skills including; time management, project management, communication (written, aural and verbal), negotiation, persuasion and influence, discovery, initiative, problem-solving and analysis.
The module has five thematic areas; explore, review, engage, reflect and connect. These form the key elements of the assessed submission.
Part A (35%, 3,500 Words)
• Explore: Interviewing a manager and/or professional in your discipline. In this interview you will either explore a key issue which you feel the discipline is facing or, alternatively, explore with the manager or professional the key issues that they feel they are facing in practice. It is expected that you will apply appropriate interview methods and provide evidence of the interview within the submitted enquiry report (e.g. within the appendices).
• Review: Critically examining the appropriate literature to support the exploration, displaying an ability to critically assess and appraise the knowledge of your discipline related to a specific key issue arising from your exploration.
Part B (65%, 6,500 Words)
• Engage: Displaying an authentic engagement with the discipline problem/issue identified in Part A, by collecting/generating and analysing further live data (beyond the initial interview) regarding the discipline problem/issue. This live data may be primary data (e.g. further interviews with, or questionnaire to, managers and/or professionals in practice) or secondary data (e.g. industry data). Application of appropriate, ethically-considered, research methods and appropriate qualitative or quantitative data analysis.
• Reflect and Connect: Demonstrating an ability to critically evaluate and reflect on the issues arising from the Management Enquiry. Demonstrating how you have connected and fed-back to the participants of the Enquiry (usually the manager and/or participants) your key findings to provide clear prioritised, well-justified, practical and actionable recommendations for change/enhancement/improvement to existing practice to show how the recommendations would potentially affect workplace professional decision making.
NX9625 -
Dissertation (Optional,40 Credits)
The dissertation module aims to equip you with the necessary intellectual and practical skills for undertaking an individual student-led, ethical investigation into an applied business (or the named degree) problem or issue. In addition, the dissertation aims to equip you with key transferable, employability skills, including: time management, project management, communication (written and verbal), negotiation, persuasion and influence, discovery, initiative, creativity and innovation in problem-solving, analysis.
The module is student-led but you are supported by, initially, weekly lectures and seminar-workshops which provide an introduction to undertaking Business-Management research followed by one-to-one or small-group supervision meetings.
The lectures and seminar-workshops will cover the following topics:
1. Developing a research aim/question (focusing and scoping the research)
2. Developing a literature review
3. Writing a research proposal
4. Researching ethically
5. Quantitative research techniques
6. Qualitative research techniques
7. Quantitative analysis techniques
8. Qualitative analysis techniques
Upon completion of the module you will be able to:
1. Conduct independent and ethical academic research involving the application and critical evaluation of appropriate theories and models,
2. Engage critically with relevant literature to establish a framework in which to analyse and synthesise the results of your primary or secondary research
3. Generate / collect relevant primary or secondary data using an appropriate and justified method
4. Analyse your data using an appropriate and justified method of analysis
5. Recognise the ethical implications of your work
6. Critically evaluate the source of your data and the method you adopted
NX9626 -
Undergraduate Consultancy Project (Optional,40 Credits)
The module aims to provide you with an opportunity to integrate the knowledge acquired during the programme and apply this to a consultancy project for a real organisation. This consultancy project provides a vehicle for participants to develop and demonstrate key employability skills, to relate theory to practice, and to undertake a significant piece of assessed work commensurate with a capstone module.
You will work on behalf of an external organisation, which has identified a business problem or question, requiring a solution, working in small group of typically 4 individuals (you will select their own team members), participating in group and individual activities. The host organisation will provide a project briefing, and review; students will be supported by appropriate academic input and guidance from Newcastle Business School in the form of a mentor and via the Business Clinic.
SM9689 -
Responsible Strategy (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will learn about the context of responsible strategic thinking, how to identify and explore sustainable business opportunities as a source of competitive advantage. You will gain an appreciation of the overarching principles of setting and executing a responsible and sustainable organisational strategy. Within the setting of these strategic objectives, you will understand how the associated responsible decision making will impact on both internal and external stakeholders. Your learning will span across private and public sector organisations, MNEs and SMEs and how each of different organisations and industries interact with the responsible and sustainable business opportunities and challenges.
More informationTo start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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