BSc Accounting and Finance Including Placement Year

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Bath

Program Overview

This degree gives you a solid grounding in accounting and finance, preparing you for professional roles in business and financial services. It suits students with strong mathematical ability who want to apply their skills to real-world financial decision-making while benefiting from Bath’s reputation for employability and industry connections.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

You’ll cover the fundamentals of accounting, finance, and economics. Core units include Fundamentals of Accounting, Fundamentals of Finance, Business Economics for Accountants, and Business, Society and Law, alongside Mathematics for Economics and Statistics for Economics. This year builds your technical foundation and introduces the wider social and legal context of business.

Year 2

You’ll specialise further in accounting and finance. Compulsory modules include Intermediate Accounting and Company Law and Intermediate Finance, while optional units allow you to explore areas such as management, economics, or advanced financial topics. This year develops your analytical skills and prepares you for professional pathways.

Final 3 and Final Year

You’ll focus on advanced accounting and finance, with a wide choice of optional modules to tailor your expertise. This year emphasises independent learning, research, and applied financial analysis, preparing you for graduate-level roles or postgraduate study.

Focus Areas

Accounting, finance, economics, company law, quantitative methods, professional development.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates will master financial reporting, corporate finance, and quantitative analysis, while developing critical thinking, ethical awareness, and professional readiness for accounting and finance careers.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Exemptions available from CIMA, ICAEW, and ACCA professional qualifications.
Accredited degree recognised by UK professional bodies, with potential reciprocal recognition abroad.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

85% of graduates from the four-year Accounting and Finance program are in work or further study within 15 months, with an average salary of £31,000 (Discover Uni, 2025).
Recent employers include Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, KPMG, and PwC.
Bath’s School of Management is known for strong industry links and a dedicated Employability Hub.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

One of the most distinctive features of Bath’s Accounting and Finance program is how it integrates academic study with professional practice. You’ll not only gain a rigorous foundation in accounting and finance but also apply your skills through placements, case studies, and access to Bath’s specialist facilities. The School of Management is known for its strong industry links, ensuring that students graduate with both technical expertise and practical experience.

Here’s how experiential learning is embedded into your degree:

Placement Year: You can choose to spend a year working in industry, with recent students securing placements at firms such as Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, KPMG, and PwC. This gives you invaluable professional experience before graduation.
Case Studies and Group Projects: Many modules use real-world case studies and collaborative projects, helping you develop teamwork, problem-solving, and presentation skills while tackling financial and business challenges.
Professional Accreditation Pathways: The program is accredited by CIMA, ICAEW, and ACCA, meaning your coursework directly contributes to exemptions from professional exams — a practical advantage for your career progression.
Specialist Digital Tools: You’ll develop quantitative and analytical skills using advanced statistical and financial modelling software, preparing you for data-driven roles in accounting and finance.
School of Management Facilities: Study in Bath’s modern School of Management building, which includes collaborative learning spaces, seminar rooms, and access to digital resources tailored for business and finance students.
Library and Research Resources: Access the University of Bath Library, which provides specialist databases, journals, and financial market resources to support your coursework and independent research.
Employability Hub: The School of Management’s dedicated Employability Hub offers workshops, employer events, and tailored support to help you secure placements and graduate roles.

This combination of placements, professional accreditation, and access to industry-standard tools ensures you graduate not only with academic knowledge but also with practical, career-ready skills that employers in accounting and finance value highly.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of Bath’s Accounting and Finance program are highly sought after, combining technical expertise with professional accreditation and practical experience. Typical career paths include audit associate, investment banking analyst, corporate tax assistant, and actuarial analyst, with alumni securing roles at leading firms across finance, consultancy, and global business. Bath’s strong reputation for employability ensures you’ll be well-prepared to step into high-skilled roles immediately after graduation:

University Services: The School of Management Employability Hub provides tailored career workshops, employer networking events, and placement support. Bath also offers one-to-one career coaching and access to hundreds of employer presentations each year.
Employment Stats: For the 2022/23 graduating cohort, 89% of Bath graduates secured high-skilled employment within 15 months, placing Bath 6th nationally for graduate prospects. Average salaries for Accounting and Finance graduates are around £31,000.
Industry Partnerships: Bath graduates have gone on to work with employers such as Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, EY, KPMG, PwC, and Zurich Insurance. These strong links ensure placement and graduate opportunities across leading financial institutions.
Accreditation Value: The program is accredited by CIMA, ICAEW, and ACCA, offering exemptions from professional exams and long-term recognition of your qualifications.
Graduate Outcomes: Alumni progress into roles such as finance graduate, investment operations analyst, insurance broker, and strategic finance analyst, demonstrating the breadth of opportunities available.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BSc Accounting and Finance, students can continue their studies at Bath through a Master’s in Accounting and Finance, MSc Finance, or MBA, deepening expertise in global markets, leadership, and advanced financial management. Many graduates also pursue professional qualifications such as the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or complete full accreditation with ACCA, ICAEW, or CIMA, leveraging the exemptions gained during the degree to fast-track their professional development.