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Business Management with Accounting and Finance – BSc (Hons)

Three year bachelor's degree

Introduction

The overall aim of the programme is to provide students with a thorough grounding in theoretical and practical aspects of business management and accounting and finance, through modules drawn from the Management School departments. The programme provides a wide variety of options that open up different career choices, providing high expected returns in terms of professional and vocational relevance.

Duration

Three years (full-time)

Intakes

  • October
  • January (Foundation start)

Fees 2025/2026

  • International €18,000
  • EU/UK €10,800

Location

Language of Instruction

English

Page Section

Programme overview

The Year 1 establishes the foundations of a broad spectrum of business management and accounting and finance theories and concepts.

Year 2 builds upon this foundation, through the introduction of more advanced concepts and operational aspects of business, management and accounting and finance.

Year 3 draws the previous years’ teaching and learning together through introduction and development of accounting, finance and strategy.

Students’ acquisition of knowledge and understanding is facilitated through the teaching and learning strategies pursued by the various departments from which BSc (Business Management with Accounting and Finance) modules are drawn. Teaching and learning methods used on the programme include lectures and small group teaching via seminars, tutorials, computer workshops, simulations and workshops. Students’ knowledge and skills are developed through taught material, exercises and coursework of increasing challenge and complexity throughout the programme.

Programme structure: Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Year One Modules

Introduction to Management

This module introduces a variety of traditional and non-traditional ideas about management, followed by the theory and practice of team working and capability for management. The aim is to provide students with an essential understanding of the basic theories relevant to the management of work organisation and to enable students to identify and understand the limitations inherent within these theories.

Introduction to Business Analytics

Business analytics focuses on developing new insights and understanding of business performance based on data analysis.

Designed to give you the kind of skills that are sought after in many organisations, this module introduces you to a range of quantitative techniques for collecting, analysing and interpreting data and develops your understanding of how to apply these techniques to management problems to draw practical conclusions. The module provides the foundations for statistical methods in follow-up modules.

The computing side of the module introduces the use of word processing, spreadsheet software for statistical calculations, and writing of management reports.

You will learn not only the fundamental analytical techniques, but also when and how to apply them to management problems and how to interpret the results. This module also involves you working as a junior business analyst on a simple but realistic case study and reporting results and conclusions to a fictional boss.

Principles of Marketing

This module examines the key elements of marketing theory and practice, and how these connect with other aspects of business management. The module is arranged into three themes, with the first examining the fundamentals of market offerings, including brands, products and services.  The second theme focuses on the competitive marketplace and explores how organisations understand and engage with consumers, including a look at recent developments in digital marketing. The final theme consolidates learning by considering how marketers obtain and utilise information to inform innovation and the marketing planning process. The module also aims to support students in the development of key transferable skills such as critical thinking, analysis and delivering effective business presentations.

Economics for Business

This module provides an introduction to key economic concepts and analytical tools which underpin their applications in a business context. It is targeted at students majoring in business-related degrees and covers a range of important topics for understanding the business applications of economics relating to the behaviour of both consumers and firms as well as the possible role of government in addressing market failures.

Introduction to Accounting and Finance

This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the basic concepts and techniques of Accounting and Finance, which include financial accounting, managerial finance, and financial statement analysis

An important element of this module is that it provides exposure to the business and financial environment within which the discipline of Accounting and Finance operates, using real-world financial data for actual companies.

The course covers concepts, techniques and interpretive skills that relate to the external financial reporting of companies and their relationship to the stock market, and to the use of accounting information for internal management purposes.

Employability and Careers

This module is designed to support the first stage in your journey towards securing a future graduate job role which you will enjoy and thrive in doing! In the first year, we combine gaining business insights from visiting employers alongside a focus on two important stages for employability preparation: ‘Opportunity Awareness’, career opportunities available to Business Management graduates and how this knowledge relates to ‘Self-Awareness’, personal interests, motivations, values & skills.

Year Two Modules

Management Accounting for Business Decisions

This module provides an introduction to the use of management accounting information for management purposes. This includes an examination of cost-volume profit analysis, the concepts of direct and indirect costs, and various costing methods. The importance of budgets to organisations and their impact on performance are also discussed.

Principles of Financial Accounting

This module examines some of the main features of financial reporting by UK companies, the associated regulatory requirements and the conceptual bases of these (UK Companies Acts and international accounting standards). Also examined are specific reporting topics of current interest and concern, including the basics of consolidated accounting.

Principles of Finance

This module covers project evaluation methods, risk, return and the cost of capital (including the capital asset pricing model), corporate financing (including dividend policy and capital structure) and an introduction to options.

Accounting Information Systems and Auditing

This module provides an overview of the design and main features of accounting information systems (AIS). It introduces methods used by business to meet the financial information needs of external parties and management and includes systems used for collecting, recording and storing transactions data, internal controls and effective design of AIS

Statistical Methods for Business

The overall objective of this module is to develop students’ abilities to describe, analyse and interpret data soundly, making effective use of computer software. These skills will help students demonstrate to prospective employers that they have practical skills that can immediately be put to good use to solve problems for organisations either in the public or private sector. The lecture materials and problems that students are asked to solve in tutorials relate to typical problems that organisations have to solve in practical situations where data analysis skills are required.

Entrepreneurial Mindset

Building upon Entrepreneurial Learning theories, this module prepares students to understand the core dimensions of an entrepreneurial mindset and guides students to find and assess opportunities, seek answers, gather resources and implement solutions regardless of context or institutional constraints.

Employability and Careers II

In the second year of your Business Management degree, this module supports your journey towards securing a future graduate job role which you will enjoy and thrive in doing! We combine gaining business insights from visiting employers, recent alumni and networking opportunities, alongside a focus on building graduate labour market knowledge and preparation for the graduate recruitment selection process.

And any three two of the following modules:

  • Microeconomic analysis
  • Principles of Financial Accounting
  • Introduction to Operations Management
  • Spreadsheet Modelling for Management
  • Social Media marketing
  • Techniques for Management Decision Making

For full description of these modules go to Undergraduate Courses | Lancaster University.

Year Three Modules

Financial Accounting I

This module deals with accounting for complex entities, addressing concepts, issues and techniques.

It examines accounting for business combinations, goodwill and strategic investments (associates and joint ventures), and other aspects of consolidation, foreign currency translation, all within the context of modern accounting theory.

Corporate Finance

This course equips students with the knowledge to apply corporate finance theory to real-world situations. It builds on and extends the concepts covered in the basic financial management courses and introduces advanced topics in Corporate Finance. The major topics covered include capital budgeting, capital structure, corporate valuation, real options, equity financing for startups, IPOs, leasing, short term financing, merger and acquisitions, and corporate governance.

Advanced Management Accounting

This module aims to extend students’ understanding of management accounting, focusing on three distinct approaches to the discipline: conceptual, practical and applied. The conceptual material in the course will seek to develop critical thinking skills for students by inviting them to consider the wide range of philosophical and economic theories that fit with the management accounting paradigm. The practical element of the course will introduce students to new management accounting techniques, including the role of uncertainty in management accounting, management control systems and the use of transfer pricing. The applied material will centre on a series of case study classes in which students will be required to engage with case study material and articulate their ideas about how to help the case organisation solve the particular problems that it faces.

International Financial and Risk Management

This module provides knowledge that is important to those concerned with financial management in a multinational setting. Areas covered include the relationships between exchange rates, interest rates and inflation rates, forward, futures and options markets, and corporate exchange rate risk management.

Financial Accounting II

This module develops students’ critical evaluation of advanced financial accounting issues and places this within the international accounting context. Topics covered include the accounting treatments of taxation, pensions and share-based payments. The module also introduces theoretical foundations and empirical research on issues of relevance to accounting practitioners and accounting regulators in topic areas such as earnings management, building on and extending the basics introduced in other modules.

And any three of the following modules:

  • Principles of Strategic Management
  • Sustainability, values and ethics
  • Rethinking Leadership
  • Business and Management in the 21st Century
  • Global Classroom (Media)

For full descriptions of these modules go to Undergraduate Courses | Lancaster University.

Teaching and Assessment

Teaching is delivered via a combination of small group lectures and group-based tutorial coursework (oral and written presentation).

Assessment is through examinations, essays, projects, and oral presentations at both the individual and group levels.

You will be encouraged throughout to undertake independent study to supplement what is being taught/learnt and to broaden your personal knowledge.

Degree Award

BSc (Hons) Business Management with Accounting and Finance students will receive their degrees from Lancaster University in the UK,.

The degree is accredited by globally recognised accountancy body – Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Graduates will be awarded seven out of nine exemptions from ACCA professional examinations.

Students interested in pursuing the full ACCA qualification should register with ACCA as a student member as the first step.

Careers

A degree in management (with accounting and finance) will place students well for careers in a wide range of businesses. Possible careers could be in the following areas:

  • Accounting: graduates employed as accountants would be responsible for maximizing profitability for their clients or employers. Students could also study further to get ACCA or CIMA qualification and gain chartered accountant status, who would be qualified to deal with tax returns and auditing, as well as offering financial advice.
  • Banking: This degree will provide students with valuable skills to go into banking and economic analysis, in the business/commercial sector and retail.
  • Stock Broking: Accounting and finance career prospects go far beyond digits and analysis. Graduate who enjoy dealing with people (a good negotiator and communicator) coupled with the skills from this degree may selling stocks.
  • Financial Management: Knowledge gained in money management, savings and investments in this degree will place students well to become financial advisors, some specialising in mortgages and pensions.
  • Tax advisors: While the degree does not provide specific knowledge on the extremely varied areas of taxation, graduates will be positioned well to develop these skills.
  • General management and clerical roles: the degree provides insights in to marketing and human resources.

Students who decide not to go down an Accounting or Finance career will be well positioned to apply for positions in general management and clerical positions along with posts in sales and marketing, advertising, human resources and people management.

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