Accounting for Management

Entry requirements

4 year with integrated placement year / 3 year course without integrated placement year option only available for non-EU students

UCAS Code: N420
Typical offers:
A Levels: AAB (340 UCAS points)
IB: 35 points. Minimum scores of 6, 6, 5 at Higher level. Minimum scores of 5 in English and Maths at Standard level.
BTEC, Access & other: BTEC National Diploma DDD. Access to HE students are eligible to apply for this course.

Further requirements:
5 GCSE grades A*- C to include:
GCSE Maths – grade B
GCSE English – grade C
Please note that General Studies does not contribute towards the UCAS points requirement but is welcomed as an additional qualification.

Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.

Accountants play a key role in the formulation and implementation of business decisions, both strategic and tactical, through their uniquely analytical approach to the assessment of the financial implications of business plans.
Accounting for Management focuses on the crucial role which financial information plays in decisions made by management teams, and in the monitoring and planning of a business organisation's objectives.

Subject guide & modules

In your first year you will study a wide range of business subjects, gaining the broad insight into management required by all accounting professionals.

From the second year you will explore financial and management accounting in depth, participate in events organised in conjunction with accountancy firms, visit businesses and undertake an interactive business game module.

This structure ensures your degree is taught with both a professional orientation and a proper regard for the conceptual bases of the subject. In your final year, accounting studies are taken to a more refined level, similar to professional qualification standard, but retaining theoretical analysis.

Year 1

You will follow the Aston Business School common first year studying a wide range of business subjects. This approach gives you a solid foundation in all of the key areas of business and management. The modules are:

• English Legal Method & Contract Law
• Perspectives on Business and Management
• Information Technology for Business
• Introduction to Macroeconomics
• Introduction to Microecomonics
• Introduction to Financial Accounting
• Introduction to Management Accounting
• Introduction to Marketing Management
• Introduction to Organisational Behaviour
• Principles of Operations Management
• Introduction to Business Analytics
• International Perspectives in Organisations
• Research Project

Year 2

Your degree begins its specialist emphasis upon finance and financial and management accounting.

The modules are:

• Business Policy
• Business Game
• Business, Government & Society
• Financial Accounting
• Financial Management
• Making Managerial Decisions
• Principles of Intellectual Property Law
• Strategic Finance
• Optional Module
  
  

Year 3 

Professional placement year in accountancy, finance or management or you have the option to undertake an international study placement. This year is compulsory for all UK and EU students.

See placement year section or find out more about the Aston placement year.

Final Year

In this year accounting studies are taken to a more refined level, similar to a professional qualification standard, but retaining theoretical analysis. The modules are:

• Strategic Management
• Advanced Financial Accounting
• The Organisational Context of Management Accounting
• Taxation: Policy and Practice
  
• Principles of Company Law
• Auditing and Professional Ethics
• International Finance
  
• Optional modules
  

You will experience a range of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, group-working, case studies and both individual and group presentations. Traditional teaching is supported by a virtual learning environment that is used to host a range of electronic supporting materials.

For example all business students undertake the Business Game module and compete in teams in a computer simulation exercise that culminates in a presentation to a panel of external employers

Assessment is provided by a mix of coursework and examination.

For further information, see the programme specification (PDF).

Our integrated placement year course allows you to undertake a professional paid placement, where you gain valuable practical management experience within accounting, finance or management

We have links to over 1000 different organisations and advertise around 3000 posts each year to our students.

The opportunity to undertake a study placement with one of our international partner institutions is also available if you would prefer.

Find out more about the placement year at ABS.

Accounting for Management graduates can claim exemptions from the examinations of a number of professional bodies.

At present exemptions are available from:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants  
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Association of International Accountants
• Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
• The institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
  

As well as the extensive range of professional exemptions, ABS's outstanding reputation for producing well prepared graduates and the experience gained on the placement year contribute to an excellent employment record.

Our recent graduates were successful in finding graduate accounting and financial management roles with companies including Rolls-Royce, npower, Grant Thornton, Logica CMG, KPMG, Allied Irish Bank, PricewaterhouserCoopers, Unilever, Cadbury's, HSBC, Tesco, Deloitte, NHS, United Biscuits, Ernst & Young, IBM, RBS, bank of New York and BAE Systems.

Further details of ABS graduate destinations.

Our business degrees are designed to also give you a range of transferable and practical skills to succeed within your chosen career. We make extensive use of group working and presentations to prepare you for the reality of working life. Such work develops your team working and negotiating skills.

Our placement year gives you the genuine practical work experience that is invaluable in developing an appreciation of issues such as office politics which cannot be replicated in the lecture room.

Our teaching accommodation has very recently been completely refurbished and all lecture theatres and seminar rooms are fully equipped with the latest teaching aids. Extensive use is made of our Virtual Learning Environment to help support your studies.

Aston Business School has dedicated computer suites for the exclusive use of its undergraduates and many campus areas are WI-FI networked. The university library facilities are extensive, modern and accessible and specialist staff are available to help you find the information you need.

Dr Melina Manochin

Aston Business School employs over 120 academic staff in all key areas of Business, Accounting, Economics, Management, Marketing, Law, Business Psychology and Finance. In the 2008 RAE over 90% of Aston Business School research was rated as internationally significant with high levels of expertise classed as world leading.