Cardiff School of Management>Courses>Accounting and Economics - BA (Hons) Degree

Accounting & Economics - BA (Hons) Degree

Entry Year

​The BA (Hons) Accounting and Economics degree at Cardiff Met has a strong emphasis on application and critical understanding. The course is professionally accredited by the Association of Certified Chartered AccountantsChartered Institute of Management Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, so that students may obtain a number of exemptions from these bodies’ professional examinations and was also the first new university to adopt the new CORE curriculum in Economics.

Students selecting the sandwich option undertake a yearlong work placement between their second and third years of study. In addition, we have an ongoing strategic partnership with Graham Paul Chartered Accountants, which provides paid 12-week summer placements for a number of Cardiff Met students, with a view to offering permanent graduate training contracts.

Our Economics tutors work with organisations such as the Government Economic Service to ensure our curriculum is cutting edge and relevant.

This degree will undergo a periodic review in 2023/4 to ensure the course content is and remains current. Should any changes to course content be made as a result of the review, all applicants will be informed once changes are confirmed.

Foundation Year

​This degree can be studied as a three-year full-time degree or a four-year degree that includes a year of foundational study. Our foundation year is intended to prepare you for your subsequent years of studying, offering you the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence.

The foundation year will be relevant to:

  1. Students who have not achieved the required A-level points (or equivalent) score to enter the first year of the degree programme.
  2. Mature students who have been out of the formal education system for some time.


Find out more about the foundation year.

Please note: You will need to apply using a specific UCAS code if you wish to undertake the 4 years including foundation. Please refer to Key Course Information at the bottom of this page.

​​Course Content​​

Degree:

Year One:

  • Financial and Digital Accounting
  • Management Accounting
  • The Economy - Microeconomics
  • The Economy - Macroeconomics
  • Quantitative Methods
  • Global Financial Services

Year Two:

Compulsory:

  • Performance Management
  • Financial Management
  • Intermediate Microeconomics
  • Intermediate Macroeconomics
  • Work Experience OR Volunteering Project

Options*:

  • Financial Reporting
  • Audit and Assurance
  • Taxation
  • Financial Accounting in Islamic Finance
  • Public Finance
  • History of Economic Thought
  • Quantitative Methods 2

Year Three:

Compulsory:

  • Advanced Performance Management
  • Advanced Financial Management
  • Applied Microeconomics
  • Macroeconomics: Theory and Application

Options*:

  • Advanced Financial Reporting
  • Audit and Corporate Governance
  • Advanced Taxation
  • Behavioural Economics
  • Economic Tools for Government
  • Econometrics
  • Industrial Economics
  • International Political Economy
  • Forensic Accounting
  • Advanced Games and Applications
  • Islamic Capital Markets
  • Dissertation
  • Industrial Work Experience

*Please note that optional modules run subject to demand and availability.

Learning & Teaching

In most modules teaching consists of a series of short lectures each week, accompanied by two hours of seminars per week.  Seminars are practically based and are usually run as workshops where students have an opportunity to practise the material covered in the lectures.  All modules are fully supported by the university's VLE for a blended learning approach and students may also make appointments with module tutors and personal tutors at any mutually convenient time.

Students are encouraged to engage with extra-curricular activities including short courses in various computer applications and entrepreneurship.

The teaching team consists of enthusiastic professionals with both industry experience as qualified accountants and relevant research activity.


Assessment

Coursework is generally of a very practical nature to reflect the skills and techniques required by a professional accountant. Assessment for professionally accredited modules includes closed book examinations in order to satisfy exemption requirements.

Employability & Careers​

There is a considerable demand from UK employers for accounting graduates and past experience suggests that a significant proportion of graduates will obtain graduate training places in finance sections of businesses, high street practices and the public sector.

The course is accredited by the main UK accounting bodies and you will be able to obtain exemptions from the ACCA, ICAEW and CIMA examinations. This is therefore a demanding course, which combines academic content with the development of the knowledge and skills required to pass the accounting bodies' final examinations.

Economists are in demand in both the private and public sector. They can be skilled managers, researchers, analysts and strategists.  Research shows that Economics students have higher average earnings than most other graduates, including those studying a general business degree. Figures published by the Complete University Guide in 2016 , show an average starting salary of £28,000 for Economics graduates.

Work Placements:
The provision of work-placements as an assessed part of your academic programme of learning is so important that we provide you with the opportunity to undertake placement as part of your second year studies. We have strong links with the business community and the work-placement programme is designed to enhance your future employability prospects.

Progression to postgraduate study within the Cardiff School of Management is also an option. ​

Entry Requirements​ & How to Apply

Typical Offers

​The following requirements are based on typical offers relevant to entering year 1 of the degree.

If you do not meet these entry requirements, we also offer a Foundation Year which allows progression to Year 1 upon successful completion.​

  • Tariff points: 112
  • Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
  • GCSE: Five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy.
  • English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
  • A level subjects: Minimum three A levels to include Grades CCC. No specific subjects required. Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as a third subject.
  • BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: DMM
  • T Level: Merit.
  • Access to Higher Education Diploma: No specific subjects required.
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 2 x H5. No specific subjects required.
  • Irish Leaving Certificate: 2 x H2 grades. No specific subjects required. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
  • Scottish Advanced Highers: Grades DD. No specific subjects required. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers.

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.


How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

Contact Us

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact the programme leader Judi Stockford: 
Email: JStockford@cardiffmet.ac.uk

We endeavour to deliver courses as described and will not normally make changes to courses, such as course title, content, delivery, and teaching provision. However, it may be necessary for the university to make changes in the course provision before or after enrolment. It reserves the right to make variations to content or delivery methods, including discontinuation or merging courses if such action is considered necessary. Please read our Terms and Conditions for the full information.

Key Course Information

UCAS Codes:
NL41
- 3 year degree
NL4F - 4 year degree (including foundation year)

Place of Study:
Llandaff Campus

School:
Cardiff School of Management

Course Length:
Three years full-time.
Four years full-time if undertaking year-long industry placement.
Four years full-time if undertaking foundation year.
Five years full-time if undertaking foundation year and year-long industry​ placement.​

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