Educational aims
This degree aims to provide you with specialist knowledge and understanding of the contemporary issues in accounting and finance. The programme is designed to develop an understanding of the role of accounting and financial management practices and to develop the skills necessary to pursue a career in accounting, finance and other related areas of business. The programme further aims to equip you with appropriate skills to tackle complex issues within accounting and finance.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
On completion of this degree, you’ll have knowledge and understanding of the:
- contexts within which an accounting and finance professional operates and the challenges they face.
- concepts, theories, methods, tools and techniques of accounting and finance including in relation to other related subjects such as business management, law and governance.
- practices adopted in accounting and finance including technical language, recording and summarising transactions, preparation of financial statements, performance management and decision making.
- current debates and emergent issues related to accounting and finance including associated uncertainties and limitations.
Cognitive skills
On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to:
- identify and systematically gather useful data from a wide range of sources in relation to problem solving within accounting and finance.
- prepare and analyse data in accounting and finance deploying established techniques of analysis and enquiry, including those at the forefront of the disciplines.
- interpret and challenge information and evidence in decision making processes
- make, support and critically evaluate arguments combining concepts, theories and approaches with evidence.
Practical and/or professional skills
On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to:
- understand and engage with governance and ethical issues related to the accounting and finance profession.
- be a self-managed professional in accounting and finance
- learn from feedback and provide other with constructive feedback including the use of digital tools
- identify the skills required in different contexts within accounting and finance as a reflective learner.
Key skills
On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to:
- select and apply principles, theories, quantitative and qualitative methods, tools and techniques to problems and issues
- identify and critically evaluate alternative strategies and approaches
- work with others, both formally and informally, including using a wide range of digital practices.
- communicate and present quantitative and qualitative information effectively for professional purposes, using a range of contemporary communication technologies.
Teaching, learning and assessment methods
The key teaching vehicles are distance learning materials which comprise a range of compulsory readings and examples as well as other materials such as audio/visual materials, and specially prepared study guides directing your reading and illustrating key teaching points. These are presented mainly in electronic (web) format. Your learning of the materials is supported by a tutor who maintains contact with you individually, conducts periodic group tutorials and facilitates online learning via various forums. This tutor is your first and main point of contact, answering your queries, grading and commenting on your work and facilitating group learning.
You are provided with opportunities to enhance your learning by engaging with fellow students, tutors and other members of the module team via online tutorials and forums. Some modules may provide additional online sessions for example library sessions led by library staff and module-wide briefings.
Online tutorials will usually occur prior to the submission of tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) and end-of-module assessments (EMAs) or exams and will be an opportunity to ensure you have consolidated your knowledge and understanding of the relevant materials and acquired general and legal study skills to enable you to complete the assessment.
Assessment of the knowledge and understanding of the components of the programme is achieved through a combination of continuous assessment and exams. The continuous assessment element consists of a series of TMAs – usually one or two for each 30-credit module. These are also central to the teaching of the module since they enable tutors to identify and comment on your knowledge and understanding. Your learning may further be assessed through interactive computer-marked assignments and either examinations or EMAs. Exams are particularly important in an accounting and finance degree, therefore most modules end with an exam. Your module results will be determined by your performance on both the assignments and the examinations.
You will be appropriately supported with assessments through the degree so you can practice your skills in formative assessment before any summative assessment. The complexity of the assessment will increase incrementally across the modules and stages, building upon previous assessments to support you in acquiring the necessary skills.