Accounting and Finance BSc (Hons)

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Available with:

  • Foundation Year
  • Placement Year

Accreditations

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Course Summary

Launch your journey to a thriving, high-powered career with our top-ranked Accounting and Finance degree! This is more than just a course – it’s your gateway to success in today’s fast-paced global economy. Taught by academic experts dedicated to turning your career dreams into reality, your transformation from student to professional begins right here.

Immerse yourself in hands-on learning that will build the cutting-edge skills demanded by the finance and accounting industries. With real-world business experiences, you’ll graduate ready to step into a variety of exciting roles. Our focus is your future; we’ve designed the course to ignite your passion for accounting, finance and business. From day one, you’ll gain the knowledge and expertise that top employers are looking for.

Our graduates have gone on to land roles with major corporations, public sector organisations and prestigious firms like PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Deloitte. Whether you're aiming for a career in global finance, corporate strategy or public accounting, we’ll ensure you’re ready to thrive in this competitive, ever-evolving sector.

Seize the opportunity to sharpen your professional edge and make your mark in the world of business with a degree that’s all about your success.

THE 2024 Business School of the Year

Why You'll Love It

Accredited by ICAEW, CIMA, ACCA and CIPFA to ensure brilliance

The course is accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accounting (CIPFA). You will secure major exemptions from the examinations of these key professional accounting bodies as you progress.

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Taught in small workshops by qualified accountants

You will be taught in small interactive workshops where you will have the opportunity to apply all learning in a practical setting. You will have the opportunity to develop technical knowledge and employability skills while working on case studies and many practical questions and scenarios. A team of dedicated, industry-trained qualified accountants will be there to support and guide your learning so that you can maximise your potential.

Man typing on laptop.

Opening doors through connections with top firms

We host employability skills workshops where you’ll hear from firms such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and professional accounting bodies to help you choose your career direction. Annual conferences provide the opportunity to connect with local business leaders, professional guest speakers and recent graduates from the course, offering the opportunity for professional advice and guidance.

Accounting and Finance Conference, Bridge House, CBH016, CBS, Chester Business School,
Education North Awards 2024

What Our Students Think

What You'll Study

The Business and Management Foundation Year area provides a comprehensive suite of topics directly related with business environments. You will be introduced to core areas such as business functions, leadership, management, ethics, marketing, organisational structures, and finance. The Foundation Year ensures you are able to engage with the fundamentals of how businesses operate.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

In Year 1 (Level 4), you will be introduced to the foundations of accounting, law, economics and quantitative methods.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

Year 2 (Level 5) builds upon this foundation, as well as introducing software learning opportunities and exploring finance in a digital age.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

In Year 3 (Level 6), you will continue developing your accounting knowledge, and will have the opportunity to choose optional modules that will enable you to maximise professional exemptions or develop more general finance capabilities.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

How You'll Learn

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This course is designed around in-person study

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Curriculum developed to match workforce priorities

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There may be some online learning activities

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On modules that are awarded professional accreditation, there will be a two or three hour exam at the end of the module.

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term, you will study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. Scheduled contact hours range between approximately six and ten hours per week depending upon the level of study and the complexity of the material being taught.

This course is delivered through in-person learning and workshops, which consists of small groups.

You should expect to spend an average of 30-34 hours per week on independent study, which might include following asynchronous learning material on the University’s VLE, tutorial time with staff, using the University’s library, working with peers and preparing work for assessment.

Teaching will be delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, who are either qualified accountants with professional experience or academic specialists in their field. This will be supplemented by occasional guest lecturers and speakers.

There will be a broad range of assessment methods used throughout the Accounting and Finance course, so that you are exposed to the different types of task you might encounter in the workplace. These will include coursework in the form of reports, case studies, presentations and analysis using software packages. On those modules that are awarded professional accreditation, there will be a two or three hour exam at the end of the module.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Entry Requirements

112UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff

112 points

GCE A Level

Typical offer – BCC-BBC

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM

International Baccalaureate

28 points

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H3 H4

Scottish Highers: BBBB

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above

T Level

Merit

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma: DMM

Extra Information

GCSE Maths at C/4 or above is also required. 

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A Level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

  • IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
  • Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

72UCAS Points

UCAS 

72 points 

GCE A Level 

72 points, including grade D at A Level

BTEC 

BTEC Extended Diploma: MMP  

Irish / Scottish Highers 

Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4

Scottish Highers: CCDD

International Baccalaureate 

24 points

Access requirements 

Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall 

T Level

T Level: Pass (D or E on the core)

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma: MMP

Extra Information

GCSE Maths at C/4 or above is also required. 

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A Level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree.  

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

In November 2024, as part of the government’s Autumn Budget, it was confirmed that some foundation years from September 2025 will have a fee of £5,760 for the first foundation year of a four-year course. This is mainly for courses in the Humanities, Business, and Social Sciences disciplines. The following three years of these courses will be the standard fee of £9,535 per annum.

  Foundation (First) Year Second Year onwards per year
Home Students £5,760 for the first foundation year (2025/26) £9,535 per year from the second year onwards (2025/26)
International Students * £10,750 for the first foundation year (2025/26) £14,450 per year from the second year onwards (2025/26)

* For courses which accept applications from International Students

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships. 

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees and Finance section of our website.

Who You'll Learn From

Helen Clayfield

Programme Leader for Accounting and Finance
Helen Clayfield

Dr Muhammad Sanusi

Programme Leader for MSc Accounting (ACCA Pathway)
Dr Muhammad Sanusi

Lewis Jones

Lecturer
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Langton Mburayi

Programme Leader for Business Finance
Langton Mburayi

Dr Ahmed Kholeif

Programme Leader MSc International Finance
Dr Ahmed Kholeif

Dr Anna Sung

Programme Leader for MSc FinTech and Business Analytics
Anna Sung

Prof Kelvin Leong

Professor of Financial Technology and Data Analytics, PGR Director
Prof Kelvin Leong

Mary Bagby

Senior Lecturer
Mary Bagby

Michael Smith

Programme leader for MSc Banking & Finance
Michael Smith

Dr Vivian Ariguzo

Programme Leader in Banking Finance
Vivian Ariguzo

Where You'll Study Queen's Park, Chester

Home of Chester Business School

Queen's Park is your multi-million pound Business School in the heart of the city.

An exterior photo of the front of Queen's Park in Chester

A corporate learning hub

With links to key employers and entrepreneurial opportunities to help you get the future you want.

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Get supported

At Queen's Park you will have all the support you need from Careers and Employability to Student Suport and Study Skills. A dedicated business library offers printed books, journals and e-books, laptop loan and open access computers. It has pods for team working with friends, or quiet areas for study.

Modern learning, historic city

Our historic buildings offer modern and spacious teaching and learning areas; seminar rooms, PC labs, and student common rooms, a 200-seat lecture theatre, and a unique boardroom and atrium - where you can enjoy career fairs and business events and listen to a host of visiting speakers from industry.

Churchill House, Queens Park, Chester

Close to the city

The Queen's Park Bridge is your scenic five-minute route into the historic centre of Chester, with riverside cafes and bars, Grosvenor Park, and the Roman gardens and amphitheatre all on the way.

Queens Park Bridge, blue sky and white clouds

Get connected

As well as ensuring industry-relevant degree courses, our many business partners offer experiential learning, networking, and industrial placements, all helping you to get connected for your future.

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

A number of our graduates have entered the accounting profession by gaining training contracts with accounting firms, including the ‘Big 4’, leading to ACA qualification. Graduates have also joined a variety of organisations in financial and business roles and as graduate trainees, leading to CIMA, ACCA and CIPFA qualifications. 

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

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