Accounting and Finance BSc (Hons)

This module investigates the applicable legal, ethical and corporate governance issues that frequently emerge within the fields of business and professional accounting. It will enable students to recognise relevant legal, ethical and corporate governance challenges, to provide strong critical analysis and to suggest solutions to such issues arising in the business context.

The aim of this module is to provide the appropriate foundation in economic theory to enable accounting & finance students to understand the environment within which business functions. Its focus is on the economic decision-making by individuals and businesses. Students are also taught to consider the impact of government policies and actions on businesses and to look beyond national policies to the influence of wider economic and political groupings of states. These aims are summarised below:-

1. To enable students to acquire an understanding of the conceptual underpinning of business economics.
2. To identify and apply economic concepts and methods to the exploration of business issues.
3. To develop and undertake business economic analysis, incorporating macroeconomic issues.

By the end of studying this module, students should be  able to achieve the following learning outcomes:-

1. To identify and understand key micro-economic concepts and methods used in business.
2. To evaluate the factors determining the successful operation of a market economy and economic decision-making by companies and individuals.
3. To understand key concepts of macro-economic theory.
4. To understand and evaluate global economic policies and business activities.

Indictive Contents are:

• Market system & competitive process - demand & supply / price elasticity / pricing / government intervention / market structures / perfect competition / monopoly.
• Economic profit and accounting profit/ agency theory.
• Consumer behaviour/output and costs.
• Macroeconomic concepts - national income circular flow of model / trade cycle / public finance / government policy / balance of payments / exchange rate policies / globalisation and economic development/Trade organisations.

This module helps to provide exemption from professional body examinations on financial accounting.  The module aims to equip students with a thorough understanding of the principles, concepts and regulations of financial accounting. Students will develop the ability to construct and interpret accounting records. 

The module will cover: 

• Understanding and applying accounting concepts and conventions
• Maintaining recording and summarizing accounting data using appropriate accounting systems
• Preparing, evaluating and interpreting simple financial statements while applying appropriate international accounting standards.
• Understanding the context of financial accounting in commercial organizations and public sector bodies 

This module will provide an introduction to the fundamentals of management and cost accounting and will include topics such as: cost identification and behaviour,  planning, budgets, variance analysis, decision making techniques, break even charts and  relevant costing. It will provide the foundations of understanding of management accounting and identify the context for future learning. 

It will include the following indicative topics:

• Context of Management Accounting - purpose of Management Accounting and role of Management Accountants
• Cost identification and behaviour - classification of costs /cost measurement / behaviour of costs / overhead costs / absorption costing / marginal and full cost pricing / high low method
• Planning - functional budgets / cash budgets / fixed and flexible budgets / standard costs / variance analysis / reconciliation of contribution statements/financial and non-financial performance measures
• Control systems - manufacturing accounts / integrated ledgers / job, batch and process costing / financial statements that inform management / managerial reports in a range of organisations
• Decision making -contribution / cost-volume-profit analysis / break even charts / relevant costing / make or buy decisions / limiting factors 

This module is part-accredited by CIMA. It will equips students with essential skills to analyse, interpret, and present data effectively in professional settings. It focuses on developing numerical literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, enabling students to address workplace challenges with evidence-based decisions in organisations. 

Core areas of interest covered include basic statistical analysis, investment decisions, financial reasoning, application of numerical tools, data presentation and interpretation, personal management scheduling, professional writing development plans, career awareness and action planning in real-world scenarios.

The module also emphasizes effective communication using essays, reports and quantitative information and fosters ethical considerations in professional environment. By bridging theoretical knowledge and practical applications, it prepares students for informed, data-driven contributions in diverse business and organizational contexts.

The module explores a number of key themes to introduce students to the concepts of people management and organisations and supports students to develop core skills for managing people and working in teams.  

• The development of management and organisations as subjects - changing theories of management and leadership perspectives
• People in organisations – indicative content: motivation, culture, personality, identity, how people work in groups and effective teamworking, learning in an organisational context
• Managing people in organisations - indicative content: organisation and job design, talent management, goal setting, communication, perception and the psychological contract, job satisfaction, stress
• Skills for managing people in teams and organisations - indicative content: team formation, team working and leading, managing performance, giving feedback, managing conflict

Chinese: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE in Chinese or equivalent. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

French: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed A-Level or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

French: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

German: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module enables students with A-Level German or equivalent to further develop their grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

Spanish: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed a A-Level or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

Spanish: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed GCSE or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

Subsidiary Language for Beginners (20 Credits) Option

This module provides the opportunity to study a new language from scratch and introduces you to basic grammar, vocabulary and cultural contexts. You will apply the language to practical situations using both oral and written skills. 

This module builds on knowledge gained from module BU4007 Financial Accounting 1 or equivalent. Key topics covered are:

Regulation of financial reporting - framework/ GAAP v principles / IASB /IFRSs/ role of external auditing / ethical principles in accounting/ corporate governance/ compare and contrast the approach to corporate governance in different markets / concept of financial and physical capital maintenance / standard setting process

Financial accounting and reporting- single company preparation IAS1 revised /cash flow IAS7/Statement of Profit or Loss and financial position (Balance Sheet) /application of a variety of IASs to a variety of issues including investment properties and non-current assets, impairment / accounting for taxation / non-current assets held for sale and discontinued operations including relevant disclosures / ethics in financial reporting

Management of working capital, cash and short-term finance - short-term finance and cash investment/ evaluation of working capital position of an entity/ analysis of short-term cash position of an entity

Fundamentals of business taxation - rules and regulatory environment/ types of taxation / direct company taxation/ indirect taxation /employee taxation /international taxation / corporation tax and capital tax calculation

This module builds on knowledge gained from level 4 Management Accounting. It has a focus on short term decision making techniques and capabilities. It will include the following indicative content: 

Cost accounting systems - profit reporting and stock valuation - marginal costing, throughput accounting, activity based costing and absorption costing / environmental costing

Standard costing and variance analysis - sales and cost variances, mix and yield variances, planning and operational variances, variances for service industries

Budgeting - different approaches to budgeting / purpose of budgeting /mechanics of budget construction /forecasting techniques / budgets as a control system / behavioural considerations

Short-term decision making - relevant cash flows / pricing decisions / break-even analysis for multiple products / product mix decisions / joint costs / linear programming the graphical method

Dealing with risk and uncertainty - attitudes to risk / sensitivity analysis / decision trees / probabilistic models / expected values / payoff tables

The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of organisation management in the fourth industrial revolution through the lens of a finance manager. Students are expected to develop a broad and holistic understanding of the finance functions in the digital world, how technologies and finance links to the various business activities of an organisation for value creation.

In addition, this module will also equip students' understanding and practical skills of accounting software, technology development. In overall, to help students be equipped and well prepared for the professional field in the digital age.

This module will provide the experiential process for students with respect to careers in finance. This module aims to enhance students’ prospects of gaining graduate level employment, which will enable them to:-

• Enhance their work readiness and employability prospects through identifying relevant transferable skills for their chosen career path,
• Clearly articulate their career plans and take steps to prepare for their first graduate role,
• Take responsibility for their own learning and acquisition of workplace employability skills,
• Articulate, in writing, their employability skills.

This module provides a structured, university-level work placement for 4, 5 or 7 weeks as one continuous block / period with a placement provider (i.e. a local employer from the private, public, or charitable sector). It is designed to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.  

The placement can either be organised by you or with support from university staff.  

All work placements within this module must be university-level; this means:  

• Undertaking high-skilled work commensurate with level 5 study (e.g. report writing, attending meetings, delivering presentations, producing spreadsheets, writing content on webpages, social media, marketing services/products etc)
• Physically placed (albeit part of it can be hybrid) within an employer setting in one continuous block / period for 5 weeks for a minimum of 140-147 hours over the course of the entire work placement
• Where applicable, your existing part-time employer can be approached/used as the placement provider, if the high-skilled work criterion above is fulfilled for the full duration of the placement.  
• All quality assurances/agreements provided by the University are adhered to, by you and the employer.  

The work placement context may not necessarily, reflect your degree discipline per se, but rather, it will give you an enriched experience to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting. 

Choose one of the following:

1. Professional Placement (40 Credits) Optional
2. Term abroad (40 Credits) Optional
3. One of the following Language options

Advanced Language Development and Global Sustainability (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at advanced level. The second half of the module includes a placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a sustainability issue in a target language country. The first half of the module will prepare you for placements abroad where appropriate as well as a deeper understanding of sustainability in target language contexts. 

Developing Intercultural Literacy and Cross-Cultural Skills (40 Credits) Optional

• The multiple facets of global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication
• Culture shock
• Cultural adjustment
• Self- assessment of needs: identification of the range of transferable skills, competencies and attitudes employees need and employers expect graduates to possess-with a strong focus on understanding the intercultural competencies (ICC) needed to live and work abroad.
• Critical analysis/evaluation of individual requirements in relation to culture/cultural adjustment/culture shock/visas/medical.
• Critical analysis/evaluation of skills already acquired in relation to key skills related to ICC.
• Devising strategies to improve one’s own prospects of working abroad in the future.
• Devising an action plan to address gaps in transferable skills based on organisational analysis and sector opportunities.

Experiential Overseas Learning (40 Credits) Optional

Preparation for Experiential Overseas Learning will take place at the University of Chester during level 5 and will include:  

• The multiple facets of Global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication
• Theories, models and strategies of learning

Theories and models Intercultural competence

• Theories and models of Integration and Multiculturalism
• Critical thinking skills and models of Reflection
• Experiential learning models
• Self-directed experiential learning

Personal and placement-related skills

• Enhanced independence
• Improved command of multicultural behaviour
• Increased knowledge and confidence in their individual facets of personal identity
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development
• Team building and team work

Part B: Overseas

Students will engage in experiential learning activities overseas for at least 150 hours 

Post Beginner Language Development and Global Cultures (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at beginner level. The first half of the module includes intensive taught sessions in interactive workshop mode which will prepare you for placements abroad or self-directed language development. The second half of the module includes a placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a cultural issue in a target language country. 

Upper Intermediate Language Development and Global Employability (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at intermediate level. The first half of the module includes intensive taught sessions in interactive workshop mode which will prepare you for placements abroad or self-directed language development. The second half of the module includes an placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a business or tourism issue in a target language country. 

Or you can choose ONE of the following:

• University Placement Year Optional
• Subject Placement Year Optional
• International University Placement Year Optional

This module explores the role of auditing and assurance in businesses today. It is primarily concerned with developing the knowledge and understanding of the process of carrying out the assurance engagement and its application within the professional regulatory framework. Students will practise the approaches and techniques of auditing by tackling a variety of case studies. Contemporary issues in auditing will also be explored.

The modules aims to equip students to progress towards chartered accountant status by providing exemption from professional body taxation exams. It will equip students to critically evaluate tax issues, undertake complex computations and critically examine the findings. 

The key areas that will be covered include: 

• Evaluation of tax theory and the taxation system
• Deploying techniques of advanced computations and analysis to understand tax liabilities.
• Synthesis of how different taxes interact with one another.
• Providing relevant advice to clients on managing tax liabilities through tax planning techniques. 

The purpose of the module is to enhance students' understanding of three key drivers of Managing Business Performance:

1. Business in the 21st century is characterised by disruptions to business models by new entrants and incumbents who seek superior performance and competitive advantage. New business and operating models can be developed to improve the performance of organisations and understanding the business model as a framework to understand and manage how to create value is critical.
2. Human capital is one of the key intangible assets of organisations in an age where intangible assets are the dominant means by which organisations create and preserve value. Leadership is a crucial means for managing individual performance and the relationships between people to best achieve organisational goals.
3. Managing projects have become the means by which organisations execute their strategies and understanding of project management concepts and techniques to implement organisational goals and strategies effectively and efficiently.

By the end of the module students should be able to achieve the following learning outcomes:

1. Critically assess and evaluate approaches to business strategy through an understanding of business ecosystems and business model formulation and disruption
2. Critically examine the concepts, models and tools associated with leading and managing organisational relationships
3. Critically discuss the role and importance of project management for contemporary organisations
4. Critically evaluate success factors for the management of business performance 

The aim of this module is to examine strategic finance issues faced by multinational companies from an international perspective. It focuses on how these companies operate within the global financial environment. Students will learn to identify and analyze the various forms and sources of business risks that multinational companies encounter.

Specifically, the module aims to:

1. To enable students to critically evaluate the international financial environment of a multinational corporation, including financial institutions, financial markets and exchange rate systems.

2. To critically examine and evaluate the principal concepts in the theory and practice of international financial management.

3. To analyse, apply and evaluate financial strategies through application of relevant analytical tools to examine and assess major issues and developments in international financial management.

4. To provide a critical understanding of the principles of risk exposures and the management of its international financial operations

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Analyse the environment in which international financial management is undertaken and discuss the structure of a MNC.
2. Critically assess the operations of the currency and derivatives markets and theories of exchange rate determination.
3. Define, assess and apply techniques and methods to evaluate and manage exposures and risks deriving from international business.
4. Apply the principal concepts, theories and appropriate tools in international financial management and reflect upon contemporary thinking to analyse and evaluate the international financial strategies of organisations, capital structure and financing of MNCs.
5. Assess a wide body of empirical research literature on contemporary issues relating to international financial management and critically appraise it. 

This module builds on knowledge gained from module BU5006 Financial Accounting 2 -performance operations or equivalent. Key topics covered are:

Sources of long-term finance - characteristics of ordinary and preference shares and different types of long-term debt/ operating of the stock and bond markets/ share and bond issues/ role of advisors/ cost of equity using dividend valuation model/ post-tax cost of bank borrowings/ yield to maturity of bonds and post-tax cost of bonds/ post-tax cost of convertible bonds up to and including conversion/ WACC and its use.

Group financial statements - full consolidated statements (single & group) / capital schemes / currency/ disclosure of interests in other entities/ need for and nature of disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities/ recognition and measurement of revenue, operating and finance leases including discussion of substance over form, financial instruments, provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets, share-based payments and provision for deferred taxation / ethical selection and adoption of relevant accounting policies and accounting estimates / additional acquisition in the period/ calculation of gain or loss on disposal of a controlling interest in a subsidiary in the year/ adjustment to parent's equity/ consolidating a foreign subsidiary and calculation of foreign exchanges gains and losses/ impact of indirect effective holdings on preparation of group financial statements/ disclosure of transactions between related parties / basic and diluted earnings per share calculations / revenue definition, recognition, measurement, accounting and application

Analysis & Interpretation of accounts -  ratio application & interpretation including EPS /segmentation / limitations / advise on action that could be taken to improve an entity's financial performance and financial position taking into account ethical considerations and internal and external constraints

 Contemporary developments - stakeholder information demands / environmental and social accounting / non- financial measures / Human resource accounting/ IFRS & GAAP convergence

This module builds on knowledge gained from module level 4 and level 5 Management Accounting. It has a focus on strategic decision making. It will include the following indicative content: 

Long-term decision making - relevant cash flows, investment decision making, investment appraisal techniques, Payback, ARR, IRR, NPV, annuities, profitability index, capital rationing, pricing strategies

Cost planning and analysis for competitive advantage - activity based costing, activity based management, Throughout accounting, JIT, TQM, target costing, value analysis, Kaizen costing, life cycle costing, the value chain, direct customer profitability, distribution channel profitability, pricing - elasticity of demand, profit maximisation pricing, pricing strategies

Management control and risk - sensitivity analysis, risk and uncertainty, decision trees, probabilistic models, Bayes Theorem, TARA framework, business risk, ethical implications, Big Data, data analytics

Control and performance measurement of responsibility centres -  decision making in different structures, key metrics, benchmarking, Balanced Scorecards, FPIs and NFPIs, analysis of Return on Investment, Residual Income and Economic Value Added and transfer pricing, performance in not for profit organisations

This module is going to focus on primary, secondary and mixed data and how using data analysis can support decision making. It will equip students with essential skills to analyse, interpret, and present data effectively in professional settings. Equip students with the relevant practical skills through the application of advanced Ms Excel techniques and SPSS usage, to analyse variables to address decisions. Provide students with the critical skills required to collect and analyse data; and its presentation by means of relevant methods. 

Data - databases (such as FAME, Yahoo Finance and Investing.com), types of financial data with emphasis on big data, ethics in data handling, annual reports and other source. Data in SPSS - Entering data into SPSS, measuring and setting variables. 

Data mining - Data Visualisation Techniques in Excel-creation of dashboards using pivot tables, lookups and logical statements, use financial ratios to conduct performance analysis of companies with data on available databases.

Data Collection - Exploring techniques and tools for primary data collection and methods to analyse for understanding and presentation. Transferring and exporting collected data into Excel and SPSS for data analysis. 

Financial Statistics in Excel - use the 'Analysis ToolPak' -  and SPSS, descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, standard deviation and variance), Anova (single factor, 'with and without' replication), correlations, regressions, T-Test, and Excel solver (for linear programming).

Financial Markets - market sensitivity (beta estimation), portfolio diversification (variance and covariance matrix), market reaction to announcement (event study-single and multiple events), market efficiency (use time series models such auto-regression and moving average concepts).

The module aims to develop students' ability to apply financial models and related advanced analytical techniques to inform business decisions and to evaluate possible decision outcomes in a competitive business environment.

This is a dissertation module for Finance students. The prerequisite will be  Data Analysis for Decision Making. 

The module is designed to enable students to develop and apply business research and analytical skills that will enhance their employability and rapid progression to management positions in the workplace. It requires them to: 

• Undertake a research project that is 'scoped and framed' within a required degree programme of study.
• Design and conduct appropriate in-depth research in an elected area of study.
• Acquire, consolidate and apply theoretical knowledge, methodologies, and research approaches in a ‘real world’ environment.
• Develop and utilise skills in critical investigation; analysis and synthesis of evidence; reflection and autonomous learning.

This is a self-directed module which enables and empowers students to initiate and develop their own project concept appropriate to their discipline of study.

Students within their final year of studies are very focussed on their ultimate work aspirations, and this module aids them to gain 'graduate trajectory' and enable them to better move into their chosen profession / industry as seamlessly as possible upon graduation.  

After the initial lectures setting out the style and scope of the module and opportunities, students decide on the content of their project and assessment (co-creation), and pitch this to staff by way of an initial project proposal.

Students then receive tutorial support and supervision throughout the year and agree the form that their final assessment will take. Students are encouraged to work with other stakeholders (internally or externally) where appropriate in the developing the project or work.