BSc Accounting & Finance

Foundations, Skills and Debates is a pivotal module for all first year students which supports the transition from formal education to the business school environment. Engage with other students and develop essential WBS attributes that are not only fundamental for your time here, but sought after by top employers. You will work on creativity, presentation and teamwork skills as well as negotiation, complex problem solving and debate.

Explore the basic concepts, theories and context that underpin and influence accounting and its development. Learn to record and summarise accounting transactions and events, to integrate and understand the impact of accounting adjustments into the accounting records, and prepare and present financial statements. Develop a broad awareness of the influence of elements of the UK system of taxation on business decisions and financial reporting practice.

This module introduces you to the key concepts of Financial Management and prepares you for more advanced study of Finance by encouraging you to develop a critical understanding of the main theories and models. This module will encourage you to reflect on, and engage in critical discussion of, what you are reading in the financial press and to make links with what you are learning in the classroom. You will critically reflect on the importance of ethics, the need for regulation and the impact of politics in financial services provision.

Develop an understanding of the sources and uses of accounting information within organisations. Explore the design of accounting control systems and decision-making techniques both for manufacturing and service organisations, and for profit or non-profit, public or private sector. 

Apply analytical techniques to real world problems, especially in the business context, gain an understanding of fundamental concepts in micro and macroeconomics; and develop a range of appropriate analytical skills, including descriptive, graphical and elementary mathematical methods.

Explore the importance of contract law in the world of business. Consider the ways in which legal systems work. Develop an understanding of the main sources of law and the procedures involved in creating law. Learn to analyse legal problems.

The ability to use and make sense of quantitative information is an essential skill for any student taking a business or management degree. Introduction to Statistics provides you with a basic knowledge of probability and statistical concepts, including the ability to be critical of reported quantitative information - skills that are essential for other modules and careers in business.

Teaching is through a flipped classroom approach, via online pre-recorded lectures and smaller group tutorials and workshops. There is an emphasis on solving real-world problems, using case material where appropriate, and mastering basic statistical tools. You will be encouraged to analyse data in a spreadsheet environment where possible.

The tutorials and workshops offer you the opportunity to work in groups to apply the concepts outlined in lectures and to see how the techniques are used in practice.

You will choose to study Management, Organisations and Society, or Business Analytics in your first year.

Management, Organisations and Society

Explore the historical emergence of large organisations, management and of the ‘organisational society. Be introduced to key social science concepts for understanding Management, Organisation and Society. Learn about topics such as: motivation, knowledge and learning, leadership and change, culture and identity. 

Business Analytics

Business Analytics is used by companies committed to data-driven decision-making. It is the practice of methodical and intelligent exploration of an organisation’s data to gain insight and drive business strategy and operational decisions. Extend your understanding of probability and statistical concepts and further develop your competence in the use of a variety of quantitative tools and techniques. Apply these tools and techniques to solve real-life problems using case study material.