BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance with a Year in Industry
Course
options
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Science
- UCAS Course Code
- N40N
- Typical Offer
- ABB
- Contextual Offer
- BBC
- Course Length
- 4 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2026
Why you should choose us
Course Overview
Understanding accounting and finance is vital to speaking the language of business. UEA’s BSc Accounting and Finance with a Year in Industry degree will help you master this language, giving you a huge competitive advantage in the business world. People who are highly literate in accounting and finance often rise to the top of businesses.
In UEA’s Accounting and Finance with a Placement Year BSc, you’ll learn financial accounting and reporting, and management accounting, alongside core business disciplines. This pairing will give you a broad foundation from which to enter a variety of career paths. Our teaching is constantly changing, informed by the fast-developing world of business and accounting research. At UEA, you’ll be at the cutting edge of the accounting and finance world.
Throughout the course, you’ll develop your understanding of business finance and accounting as you learn how to understand, interpret and act on the financial accounts of a variety of business structures. You’ll learn how to communicate an argument in a way that’s meaningful and persuasive to the key decision makers in that business. You’ll also learn how to use your professional judgement to understand and influence business decisions. You’ll even have the chance to explore how accounting influences sustainable decision-making and wealth distribution in society, and how politics can influence accounting. With this course option, you can also gain valuable industry experience and develop your skills with a year in industry placement.
Our Norwich Business School is in a region that’s varied and welcoming, with a thriving business innovation and enterprise community. All our teaching is informed by both our world-leading research and our real-world business experience. That means you’ll gain knowledge of the key current issues for industry and employers.
After your degree, you’ll be well placed to enter careers such as financial accountancy, management accountancy, auditing or tax planning. The expertise this degree gives you is also a great way into the financial services sector, opening up careers in investment banking, retail banking, fund management or insurance. If you’re interested in starting a business of your own, there’s also no better foundation for individual entrepreneurship.
Year in Industry
You’ll spend your third year working in a reputable organisation in a relevant sector. This opportunity will give you valuable work experience and the chance to build your professional skills and confidence, which is a great advantage in today’s competitive job market. You’ll return to UEA in the fourth year to complete your studies.
Accreditations
When you successfully complete this BSc degree you may qualify for some examination exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Association of International Accountants (AIA), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), depending on your choice of modules.
This course is part of Norwich Business School's Academic Partnership Program with the CQF Institute, which is dedicated to supporting the professional development of students studying in the field of finance and quantitative finance.
Study and Modules
Structure
Our BSc undergraduate degrees in the Norwich Business School share a common first year. This structure offers you a broad view of business as well as the flexibility to move to a different course if you find a new passion during your first year. As you continue through the course, you’ll be able to specialise and tailor your studies to your academic interests as well as your career goals.
In year one, you’ll explore the essentials of modern business, providing you with a solid grounding in financial and management accounting, corporate finance, quantitative methods for business, economics, digital business, and other related subjects.
By the end of your first year, you’ll not only have a strong foundation in your chosen subject but also a broad understanding of key business disciplines. This well-rounded knowledge will be invaluable in your future career, as you’ll be required to work collaboratively across different areas of a business. The most successful accounting and finance specialists are often those who can understand and communicate complex issues from various perspectives. Gaining a wide range of skills and knowledge early on will set you up for long-term success in your chosen role.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
In the first year of your course, you’ll be supported in learning how to study at university and discovering the tools and resources available to you. Studying at university represents a new stage in your academic career, and you’ll be encouraged to engage in more independent study.
Teaching
Throughout your degree, you’ll hone your skills and build your knowledge through a mix of lectures, seminars, and workshops.
All our teaching is informed by the latest research and real-world business experience which means that you’ll benefit from the latest thinking in the industry. Business is ever-changing, so you won’t just learn to understand, evaluate and apply the leading theories of today, you’ll also develop the critical skills needed to examine and use new theories and methods that come to the fore during your career.
Independent study
You’ll also learn through self-directed study – a skill that’s highly prized by employers. You’ll undertake IT lab work, using online resources to practise textbook questions. You can also enhance your studies by getting involved in student-led, extracurricular business societies.
Teamwork and communication
Throughout your studies, you’ll work alongside students from other Norwich Business School courses. This will build your teamwork and communication skills, as well as help you gain insight into other business disciplines. In our experience the best accounting and finance specialists are the ones who not only have technical knowledge but also the ability to communicate well with non-specialists. Working alongside other Norwich Business School students during your degree is a great way to develop this skill. We attract students from across the UK and all over the world, so the relationships you build here will be great practice if you aspire to an international career or want to work for a multinational company.
Guest speakers
Throughout your time at UEA you’ll have opportunities to gain insights from guest speakers from the business world. You’ll also hear from UEA alumni about their roles in business. These events will allow you to see the real-world application of what you've learned and help you to connect with businesses as well as other students and staff across Norwich Business School.
Employability
Your career is our priority, and employability is embedded in our degrees in a variety of ways from guest speakers to accreditations with accountancy and finance bodies. During our flagship Employability Week each year, you can meet potential employers and speak to successful UEA alumni about how they achieved their goals. We also hold a Professional Skills week which will help you to develop skills such as networking and communication that future employers need.
Assessment
You’ll encounter a range of assessment methods across different modules, contributing in various proportions to your overall mark. Assessment methods include examinations, course tests, coursework, essays, reports, presentations, and projects. We use formative assessment in each module so that you can gain feedback on your skills and understanding before completing summative work.
Feedback
You’ll receive constructive feedback on both your formative and summative assessments to help you develop your understanding and skills and improve your performance at assessment.
Structure
After exploring the essentials of business in your first year, you’ll study financial reporting, management accounting and business finance in your second year. You’ll also choose to study either data manipulation or statistics because these skills are highly valued by employers.
You’ll have your choice of optional modules from those offered to BSc-stream Norwich Business School students, including modules focusing on tax and management. This means that you can start to tailor your expertise to your interests and career goals.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Optional B Modules
(Min Credits: 0, Max Credits: 20)Optional C Modules
(Min Credits: 20, Max Credits: 40)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
In the second year of your course, you’ll have some compulsory modules and some optional modules where you’re free to choose topics of interest. Employability Week and Professional Skills Week are both designed to build your confidence and skills during your time at university and help you reflect on what you might like to do after university. Several modules in the second year have accreditations with professional accountancy bodies which can help your future career.
Assessment
You’ll continue to encounter a wide variety of assessment techniques spanning coursework, examinations, reports, presentations, and projects. You’ll have both formative and summative assessments, allowing you to receive feedback before you submit work for marking.
Due to the requirements of accounting accreditation and accountancy professional bodies, some modules are more weighted towards exam assessment.
Feedback
You’ll continue to receive constructive feedback on both formative and summative assignments, enabling you to reflect on your learning journey and improve your work.
Structure
In your third year, you’ll spend a year working in industry. This is a fantastic opportunity to apply the theory and practical skills you’ve been learning at UEA to a workplace environment. You’ll get a clearer picture of the sort of career you want to have as you gain critical experience which will help you stand out to future employers.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Your learning experiences during your year in industry will differ depending on where you undertake your placement, but you can expect a focus on the practical application of skills and the process of real-world accounting.
Assessment
During your year in industry, you'll not receive traditional assessment but rather will be set work which helps you reflect on your experience and progress during your placement.
Structure
In your final year, your studies will become more advanced as you go beyond learning the theory and practice of accounting and finance. You’ll begin to engage critically with different theories and develop your own ideas. You’ll also delve into the most current debates facing business today. You’ll take one compulsory module and five optional ones.
Our annual modules fair will help you choose the right options for your future.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 40)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 60)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
The final year of your course includes a range of optional modules, allowing you to build on your knowledge of your specialist interests or explore the field of business more broadly. You’ll be able to have more in-depth conversations with your lecturers about subject content as you master critical thinking and analysis skills. Teaching and learning will incorporate current business issues, case-studies and the latest research to address business problems.
Assessment
Assessment will continue as it did in the first two years, with the complexity of work assigned reflecting the greater complexity of third-year studies. However, you’ll still have the opportunity to submit work for feedback in formative assessments before you’re required to complete summative assessments.
Feedback
You’ll once again receive constructive feedback on all of your work. Your greater depth of knowledge in your final year will allow your instructors to engage with your work on a deeper level, helping you maximise your potential.
Employability
After the Course
Norwich Business School is where great business careers begin. Our degrees have a proven track record of leading to successful careers in accounting, management and financial services.
You could go to work at major international companies such as EY, PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, Sky, Next, Unilever, Goldman Sachs, HSBC and IBM, in roles such as trainee accountant, business analyst, auditor, insurance broker and more. The skills you’ll gain on this course are valued by all employers, so a wide range of sectors will be open to you including banking, commerce and retail.
Careers
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Chartered accountant
- Financial accountant
- Auditor
- Investment banker
- Tax adviser
- Entrepreneur
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A levels
ABB
Contextual offer: BBC
General Studies A Level is not accepted.
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDM
Contextual offer: DMM
BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers.
Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 30 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 15 credits at Level 3
Contextual Offer: Pass Access to HE Diploma with Merit in 30 credits at Level 3 and Pass in 15 credits at Level 3
T levels
Merit
LIBF Diploma
LIBF Diploma is accepted as equivalent of 1 A Level.
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate
3 subjects at H2, 3 subjects at H3
Scottish Highers
AAABB
Scottish Advanced Highers
BCC A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progressions
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement, or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students.
A levels
ABB
General Studies A Level is not accepted.BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: DDM
Combinations of BTEC and A levels
Extended Diploma: DDM
Diploma: DD plus B at A level.
Extended Certificate: D plus BB at A level.
BTEC in Public Services, Uniformed Services and Business Administration are all excluded from our BTEC offers
International Baccalaureate
32 points overall
- UEA International Study Centre
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, UEA International Study Centre offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, UEA International Study Centre offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
-
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Progressions
Once enrolled onto a course at UEA, your progression and continuation (which may include eligibility for study abroad, overseas experience, placement, or year in industry opportunities) is contingent on meeting the assessment requirements which are relevant to the course on which you are enrolled.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information: