Accounting with Placement Year BSc (Hons)

Durham University

Course details

Developed with strong links to the accounting profession and industry, when you graduate from this professionally-accredited degree you’ll be perfectly placed to embark on a career in the world of accounting.

Year 1

Core modules:

Financial Accounting teaches techniques of double entry accounting and its application in recording transactions, adjusting financial records and preparing non-complex financial statements.

Skills for the Professional Accountants develops skills that employers are looking for in future employees. You will be given opportunities to acquire, develop and apply these skills using real-world accounting scenarios.

Fundamentals of Management Accounting teaches you to understand, apply and critically appraise fundamental knowledge and techniques that underpin the area of management accounting, from planning and control to costing and decision making.

Ethics in Accounting will introduce you to social and ethical contexts in which accountants operate, using real-world examples. You will learn about professional codes of ethics for accountants, learn to identify when an issue arises and develop the skills to propose alternative solutions.

Economics for Finance introduces basic principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomics explores areas including the role of consumers and businesses in the marketplace, markets in action, market structure, strategic rivalry and growth strategies. Macroeconomics includes exchange rates and balance of payments, globalisation, fiscal policy, inflation, unemployment and economic growth.

Business and Technology explores business and its environment. You will look at the influence of technology on organisational structure and how accounting function contributes to the efficient, effective management and development of an organisation, its people and their use of information systems.

Business Law for Accountants provides an overview of the principles of English law, the legal framework within which businesses operate, and requirements and restrictions imposed by relevant aspects of English law. Areas covered include employment, partnerships, company law, criminal, and insolvency and administration.

Principles of Taxation enables you to understand general objectives of tax and to complete basic calculations in relation to income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, corporation tax, and VAT. You will also learn to prepare basic tax computations and provide tax advice to individuals and companies.

Year 2

Core modules:

Financial Management explores areas of financing, managing financial risk and investment decisions. You will learn how businesses operate and how accounting and finance functions support businesses in achieving their objectives.

Performance Management covers major techniques in modern management accountancy including decision making, appraising risk and budget control.

Taxation looks at areas such as income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, corporation tax, inheritance tax, VAT and stamp taxes in more depth.

Financial Reporting explores international accounting and reporting concepts and ethics, single company financial statements and consolidated financial statements. You will also learn about International Financial Reporting Standards and how it applies to specified scenarios.

Assurance develops your understanding of the critical aspects of managing an assurance engagement (including audit engagements). It covers the process from acceptance, planning and managing through to concluding and reporting.

Business Strategy and Technology provides you with an understanding of how an organisation develops and implements strategy, including any ethical implications.

Year 3

Core modules:

Research Methods in Accounting The Dissertation

Examples of optional modules:

Corporate Reporting

Tax Planning for Business

Corporate Governance

Audit and Assurance