Accounting and Finance with a Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)

Ethical behaviours and professional standards are underpinning elements of business activities and as such important parts of any business based education. The module will cover the fundamental principles of ethics and ethical conflict, giving you practical examples and activities that will encourage you to develop your appreciation and understanding of the content and purpose of the differing frameworks, values and attitudes.

Whilst your degree is a highly valued indicator of achievement and ability for employers, a successful career is also dependent on the development of the right attitudes and behaviours. This is reflected in the findings from a survey undertaken by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which identifies that, in addition to qualifications, employers also look for broader skills when recruiting individuals straight from education.

This module is designed to develop your fundamental knowledge and understanding of economic theory at introductory level and to basic finance as well as the financial world within which businesses operate. The Finance aspect of this module includes concepts such as Financial Objectives of Firm, Financial Environment, Time Value of Money, Investment Appraisal, Sources of Short and Long Term Finance, and Cost of Capital, will be introduced. It has many mathematical calculations which include the arithmetic underlying compounding and discounting of financial investments. 

This module introduces the preparation of financial statements for a sole trader and develops the financial statements for a simple limited company.   This module covers in depth the recording, processing and reporting of business transactions and events and will help you develop knowledge and understanding of the underlying principles and concepts relating to financial accounting and give you the opportunity to learn and use the system of double entry. 

This module is designed to develop your fundamental knowledge and understanding of management accounting techniques. It will introduce you to the use of these accounting techniques to support management in their planning, controlling and decision making processes, both within industry and the service sector.

This module is designed to develop your fundamental knowledge and understanding of management accounting techniques. It will introduce you to the use of these accounting techniques to support management in their planning, controlling and decision making processes, both within industry and the service sector.

This module aims to provide you with the sound conceptual understanding and core practical skills necessary to be able to articulate a critical review of the relevant literature applicable to an accounting and/or finance issue. This will enable you to develop the applied skills needed to source, read widely and reference academic literature. 

This module will develop your skills in both the preparation of financial statements for single and group companies (in accordance with the IASBs Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting and relevant International Financial Reporting Standards) and the analysis and understanding of such financial statements.  This module will also help develop your skills in ratio analysis and interpretation.  

This module builds on the prior management accounting knowledge and it is assumed that you have a basic understanding of how costs behave, short term decision making and the major accounting systems (absorption and marginal costing). The content will develop your knowledge of budgetary control and then focus on applying your learning to various short term decision-making scenarios.

The purpose of financial accounting and management accounting is to provide useful information to external and internal users. Whilst financial accounting provides information to external stakeholders, management accounting provides information to satisfy the needs of internal users, however both financial and management accounting are part of the total accounting information system.

Corporate Finance is a rigorous and comprehensive module that is designed to broaden your understanding of the main issues in modern corporate finance.  Corporate Finance is concerned with how businesses raise funds and invest those funds to provide a return to investors. This module aims to equip you with the skills and knowledge required by a   financial manager to make appropriate investment and financing decisions for a business in a global environment. 

In this module, you will study the financial management of entrepreneurial firms (small and medium sized) and venture firms. You will first consider different sources of financing for entrepreneurial firms including bank loans, government funding, angels, venture capital, peer-to-peer financing, on-line banking, and various types of private equity as well as the process of obtaining these sources. It will also include innovative ways of raising funds such as crowdfunding. You will then consider short-term financial planning and cash management, which are crucial to the early stages of an entrepreneurial firm’s development. 

This module will introduce aspects of UK taxation to develop knowledge relating to the tax system applicable to individuals and companies. The module will enable you to develop skills relating to the general principles of taxation, the UK tax framework and regulatory environment. The module will introduce the computational aspects of income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax in respect of individuals and introduce corporation tax and value added tax for businesses.

This module will guide you to develop your understanding of the technologies of the modern age and how they are transforming the business world and the finance function.  

This module focuses on the tools and techniques used by Operation Managers within service, manufacturing, private and public sector institutions to ensure activities are aligned with corporate and market objectives. The module requires you to apply a range of operations management tools and techniques to given scenarios in order to produce a range of verbal, written and numerical solutions focussed on the efficiency, effectiveness and economy of an operation’s processes. 

This module introduces you to personal investments and wealth management of individuals. You will learn about the wealth management process and be able to develop investment policy statements for individuals given their unique goals, constraints and circumstances. In addition, you will develop a thorough understanding of the different global tax regimes. You will also develop analytical skills in estate planning and risk management of personal investments.   

The financial crisis of 2008 exposed the failings of the conventional financial system and an alternate was sort. Islamic Finance is a type of financing activities that must comply with Islamic law (Sharia). The concept can also refer to the investments that are permissible under Islamic Law. 

This module, where a programme of study enables it, is open to Business School students, who choose to undertake an international Study Abroad mobility experience within their second year of study.   

*If you choose to study abroad for a semester you will substitute the BCU semester two modules with the equivalent of 60 credits of study from the host University course. If you are unable to cover all 60 credits with the host University modules you may need to choose and complete the 20 credit BCU Study Abroad option module. 

This module will enable you to develop your organisational leadership and consultancy capabilities and relevant professional skills. You will develop an understanding of how leaders make strategic decisions and how effective strategic leadership can influence organisational behaviour and decision- making.

The Accounting For The Planet module aims to develop your understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility, and introduce you to the areas of Sustainability and Environmental reporting. The module will offer you the opportunity to examine the reporting practices of companies concerning non-financial disclosures, and the opportunity to discuss how businesses are taking greater responsibility in helping to move towards a cleaner and more sustainable planet. The module will also consider the six main elements of integrated reporting.

This module builds upon your earlier studies of Principles of Taxation at Level 5 and seeks to explore more complex aspects of income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, corporation tax value added tax and inheritance tax with an emphasis on tax planning.

This module will introduce you to the financial system including the banking system, financial markets and institutions. In addition to exploring the characteristics and functions of financial system, you will be provided with analytic framework that uses economic principles to develop systematic understanding about the determinants of interest rate, the role of monetary policy and bank risk management. 

This module will introduce you to assurance engagements with focus on external and internal audit. You will explore the nature and purpose of these engagements as well as the role of assurance to stakeholders and the capital markets including the increasing pressure for public accountability. You will look to understanding the overall regulatory framework and governance for companies and auditors.

This module will contribute to the intellectual and personal development of students to the level of an honours graduate in the Accountancy field by offering a body of current theoretical knowledge and technical skills relevant to the advanced study of financial reporting at Level 6.   

You will explore the concept of planning an operational change within an organisation through the use of project management tools and techniques. You will be introduced to industry recognised project management tools and techniques.

This module is designed to further develop knowledge and skills in the application of management accounting techniques. Building on the knowledge gained from levels 4 and 5, this module investigates how relevant strategic management accounting techniques, both quantitative and qualitative, can assist managers to control the performance of their business. Strategic management accounting is presented as a service function; a means to an end rather than an end itself. The aims are for you to understand and critically analyse the techniques, to be able to apply them to business situations, to be aware of their limitations, and make appropriate recommendations. 

This module will help students in developing knowledge and understanding of the underlying principles and concepts relating to corporate finance and give the theoretical underpinnings of financial management in corporates. The course gives a broader understanding of the philosophies behind the financial management decisions, capital structure, dividend policies and current developments in and modern theories of finance. The module will enable students to evaluate research and synthesise information about corporate financial issues and problems, ability to solve quantitative problems, presentation of ideas, and participation in debates.

This module introduces you to the financial systems, products and services offered by Islamic financial institutions in the Islamic Banking and insurance (takeful) industries. The module will discuss the product features and mechanisms that are specialised due to the Sharia compliance aspect. It highlights the pertinent risk management issues relevant to the financial institutions involved in Islamic financial activities. You will understand how schools of Islamic jurisprudence permit some forms of transactions, but exclude others, through principles such as the requirement of risk sharing within contracts, the avoidance of excessive risk and the use of real contracts.

This module will introduce you to the not for profit environment including the charity and public sectors. In addition to exploring the differences in structure, financing, governance, management and performance measurement of organisations within the not for profit environment, you will review and evaluate the challenges associated with accounting for not for profits and the implications on their operations. 

Financial technology (Fintech) integrate technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and data science into traditional financial services to make them safer, faster and more efficient. It is one of the fastest-growing industries, with companies innovating in almost every area of finance from mobile banking and insurance to cryptocurrency and investment apps, Fintech has broad applications.

The aim of this module is to provide insight into the methodological foundations of business research, which will enable you to conduct a substantial piece of disciplinary research.

The aim of this module is to provide a framework for you to undertake a substantial piece of disciplinary-relevant research. It is founded upon Birmingham City Business School’s teaching and learning philosophy which integrates theory and practice.