International Finance and Accounting BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
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Study an ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW accredited degree course with employability skills at the heart of its modules.

Year of entry

Location

Coventry University London (City of London)

Study mode

Full-time
Part-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
5 years part-time (UK only)

Course code

NN3L

Start date

January 2025 - condensed


Course overview

This course may appeal to you if you're interested in becoming a chartered accountant, working at a financial organisation or working in the finance department of any business or public-sector body.

The course gives you opportunities to:

  • Build an understanding of the international finance sector through specialist modules, such as financial reporting, auditing, tax, financial management, business law and financial investment.
  • Develop professional and managerial skills from as early as your first year.
  • Gain exemption from certain ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW exams1.
  • Examine international case studies to gain a global perspective on finance management.

The January start for this course is condensed in Year 1. Please see the ‘How you’ll learn’ section below for more details.

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Global ready

An international outlook, with global opportunities

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Teaching excellence

Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field

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Employability

Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeed

Why you should study this course

  • This highly practical course is designed to make the most of the bustling financial district surrounding the campus. Our lecturers work hard to organise guest lectures, field trips and opportunities for networking with employers2.
  • You’ll be taught by tutors with superb international experience, who will draw on their research and backgrounds in industry to enhance your learning.
  • You will learn how to use the industry-standard software and databases that are available on campus.
  • There may be opportunities to complete internships, consultancy projects and simulations2.

If you choose to start this course in January you will study exactly the same course but over a slightly shorter timescale in Year 1. This is ideal if you missed the September start, want to transfer from a different university or course or just need a bit more time to prepare for life at university.

Accreditation and professional recognition

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

This course is accredited1 by Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the 2023/24 intake. If the accreditation of this course and/or the modules changes, we would seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.


Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

This course is accredited1 by Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) for the 2023/24 intake. If the accreditation of this course and/or the modules changes, we would seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.


Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

This course is accredited1 by Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) for the 2023/24 intake. If the accreditation of this course and/or the modules changes, we would seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.


Exemptions

Please note that this course offers certain exemptions from professional ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW exams, upon successful completion of the course and subject to certain criteria, application, availability, meeting any applicable visa requirements and additional fees. Please visit the relevant websites for further information.

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA);

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA);

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW);


What you'll study

Your first year will introduce you to how money and value fit into business processes. You’ll explore the impact of business on wider society, looking at economics and legal and regulatory frameworks. In your first accountancy modules, you should also take your first steps in learning how to ‘account’ for money. From as early as year one, you should begin developing your professional and managerial skills.

Modules

In your second year, you will have the opportunity to study the core subjects in greater detail and will learn to analyse, critically evaluate and present key information. Key study themes include how accounting informs, supports and measures business strategy, including balancing investment with risk. You will examine the ethical and regulatory frameworks governing finance, including taxation, and take part in hands-on exercises to explore how money is moved and traded around the world.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

You’ll go into year three either straight after successfully completing year two, or after you have successfully completed your year in industry or study abroad (subject to successfully securing a place). In your final year, you’ll be encouraged to take a more high-level approach to finance. You’ll also have the chance to strengthen your research skills as you prepare for your final major project, which you will choose from a range of options.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

The course is crafted very well regarding the subjects; you get to learn almost every single aspect of accounting and you are even introduced to law! I feel like almost everything we have been learning is going to be used in the future, and after studying for three years you will definitely feel like you have been learning things, rather than just 'going' to university.

Gabija Dubickaite, International Finance and Accounting BA graduate, quoted in 2021
Gabija

How you'll learn

This course uses a mixture of asynchronous and synchronous teaching. Asynchronous teaching is where you watch pre-recorded lessons or do different activities to help you understand the content in more depth. Synchronous teaching is your opportunity to join a group of fellow students and, with the help of your lecturers, apply any knowledge you learned from practical exercises.

Part-time study

The course can also be offered on a part-time basis. Part-time teaching arrangements vary, as they are tailored for each course, each year. Please contact enrolment.london@coventry.ac.uk for more information about studying this course part-time.

If you choose to start this course in January it will be run as a condensed programme. You’ll start your course in January and finish your first year in August. Upon successful completion of Year 1, you will progress onto Year 2 in September and then continue to start subsequent years of your course in September, completing your degree at the same time as the September starters unless you opt to do a placement year.


Teaching contact hours

You will typically receive around 13 hours of contact teaching per week. The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group sessions, and online classes. You will also be expected to spend around 42 hours per week conducting self-directed study.

The university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2023/24 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


Assessment

The course follows the university’s assessment strategy and includes a variety of types of assessments. Assessment methods include formal examinations, coursework, reports, essays, group work and presentations. The sequence of assessments within and across modules, semesters and years allows you to gain the necessary skills to succeed and build on what you have previously learned.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes.


International experience opportunities

This course is designed to be taught from a global perspective, which is of major importance because economies are interconnected and financial services organisations either trade internationally, or are impacted by what happens in the wider world.

The course offers a range of opportunities for international travel2. You could go on a field trip to visit institutions in another country or take a sandwich year to work or study overseas. You could also arrange an overseas internship in your final term2.


Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Requirement What we're looking for
UCAS points 120
A level BBB 
GCSE Minimum 5 GCSEs at 4 / C or above including English and Mathematics 
BTEC DDM
IB Diploma 27 points
Access to HE The Access to HE Diploma to include 30 Level 3 credits at Merit. Plus GCSE English and Mathematics at grade 4 / C or above.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

If you do not have the typical entry requirements, you may want to consider studying this course with an international foundation year. Upon successful completion our International Foundation Year - Accounting and Finance will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to progress onto this undergraduate degree.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5 (or an equivalent language test).

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.


Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,250 per year Request fee information

EU £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary**
£16,800 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International £16,800 per year Not available

If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Fees and Finance page.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our international scholarships page.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Additional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Condensed course – January start date

If you choose to start this course in January please make sure you check the Fees and Finance page for more information. Although starting this course in January does not prohibit you from being eligible for student finance, the way it is paid in your first year differs from those who start their course in September.

If you start the course in January, your tuition fees will be paid in accordance with the university’s Tuition Fees, Refund and Withdrawal Terms and Conditions for January starters and for any further years of study, your fees will be paid in accordance with the terms for September starters.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

We have a range of facilities4 available to support our students in putting the theories you are taught into practice.

Take a virtual tour of our campus to explore all of the facilities available to you.

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Bloomberg Trading Floor

Our Trading Floor has been created to reflect the environment where traders work at the London Stock Exchange. It contains Bloomberg Terminals, which provide access to real-time global financial data, which students learn how to use through teaching and simulated projects.

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Standard & Poor Market Intelligence Suite (S&P) 

The S&P Suite contains some of the same tools used by Wall Street. Its databases and tools can help you track performance, identify investment ideas, and keep up with industry news and insights.

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The Talent Team

Need employability support? Our dedicated Talent Team are on hand to help. They can assist you in applying for work placements, graduate-level jobs and offer skills development workshops. They also organise networking events to introduce you to potential employers and industry contacts.


Careers and opportunities

On graduating you should:

  • Be familiar with problem-solving and decision-making, and should have an understanding of how to balance risk and investment.
  • Be prepared to sit additional ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW exams, if desired.
  • Be equipped for a career beyond accounting. The financial acumen, business skills and global outlook you’ll have begun to develop could be a superb foundation for a career in any professional or management role.

On graduating, you should be ready to take the first steps into a high-flying accounting, finance or business career.

You’ll have had the opportunity to gain a wide range of softer skills, such as teamwork and communication, which will be highly transferable across all industries and employers.

Where our graduates work

Graduates of this course have gone on to become chartered accountants and work in big four accounting firms such as PwC, Deloitte and KPMG. We also have alumni working in investment banking and in finance departments in a range of companies, spanning many industries.

Further study

You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University London with the Professional Accounting MSc, Global Finance MSc or Global Financial Services MBA.

You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees, if you decide to progress from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

The course is rich in financial and accounting knowledge, touching on current events and situations in the international world of finance. Although I already had some experience in accounting, the course has really helped to build up my confidence and I feel ready for the job market. The rooms at the campus have the latest technology (Bloomberg Terminals), which is useful for those who want to have a career in the financial market.

Elie Fofana, International Finance and Accounting BA (Hons) graduate, quoted in 2021
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How to apply

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