Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year)

Accountants are indispensable to every business; without them, a company would not know whether it was making a profit or a loss. But there’s so much more to modern accountancy than just balancing the books.

Accountants are also seen as business advisers, providing strategic financial guidance to senior executives. Our Accounting and Finance course provides an excellent path to many varied professional careers in areas such as banking, insurance, financial services, general management and the not-for-profit sector.

This hugely rewarding and highly useful programme develops your technical knowledge and professional skills and has been designed to give you a systematic understanding of current issues in accounting.

You learn how to produce accounting information and deploy strategic advice. Learning and teaching takes place in small class sizes to prepare you to work in management teams, and modules focus on applying theory to real business scenarios.

A Foundation Year is the perfect way to boost your academic skills, build your confidence and develop your wider subject knowledge so you can succeed at Winchester. This course offers an extra year of study at the start (Year 0) which leads onto a full degree programme (Years 1, 2 and 3).

A Foundation Year is ideal if you are returning to education after a break; haven’t quite achieved the entry qualifications required; are wanting more support during the transition to studying at university; or are unsure about which subject you wish to pursue.

In Year 0, you will study a set of modules from across the Faculty of Business and Digital Technologies which are designed to develop your academic and practical skills. This broader focus in your first year introduces you to studying at university level and provides you with a better understanding of Accounting and Finance and related subjects.

You will experience a variety of teaching methods including lectures, discussion-based seminars and independent study. You will also receive support to boost your academic skills to prepare you for the rest of your time at Winchester. Find out more and hear from our Foundation Year students at winchester.ac.uk/foundation

In Year 1 (second year of study), you are introduced to mandatory modules in financial accounting, finance, and management accounting. In addition, you gain a thorough understanding of the business environment and personal income tax computations.

In Years 2 and 3 (third and fourth year of study), you focus on more specialised study. You develop transferable skills in international financial reporting, business law, ethics and governance, research methods and data analysis in Year 2. You then choose from a range of optional modules in Year 3 that focus on advanced financial accounting, strategic performance management, investments, financial risk management, or disruptive change in accounting and finance

You are taught by academics with professional experience as accountants, who support your personal development and help kick-start rewarding and fulfilling careers in multiple fields.

Throughout the course, you develop a range of transferable abilities and professional practice skills highly prized by employers. These include critical evaluation, self-direction and problem-solving, as well as a sound grasp of analysis, presentations and negotiation techniques.