Overview
How are financial and business decisions influenced by economics? How will the economy recover in a post-pandemic world? What impact will COVID-19 and Brexit have on business spending and growth?
We make financial and economic decisions every day, at home and in the workplace. Although we may be free to make our own choices, we are influenced by the actions of other people and institutions across the world. BSc Accounting with Economics explores how these decisions are made and examines the external forces driving them.
On this course, you learn how to be a more effective accountant, business consultant or manager by combining accounting knowledge with economic theories. By understanding key accounting principles, as well as how the economy functions, fluctuates and impacts organisations, you can make better informed recommendations that positively influence business strategy and performance, skills which will be in high demand from employers over the coming years.
On our accounting with economics course you are encouraged to take on a paid industry placement in your third year to put your knowledge into practice and further develop your professional skills.
You acquire knowledge and practical skills by exploring a broad range of topics such as:
- financial and management accounting
- the preparation of financial statements
- costing, budgeting and performance evaluation
- micro and macroeconomics
- international trade
In your first year, we also introduce you to important aspects of marketing, management and finance. These core areas ensure you gain a fully-rounded business education, providing a solid foundation for your second and final years and future career.
In your final year, you have the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice by completing an in-depth, independent research project or dissertation. This will give you the chance to further develop vital employability skills in areas of research, time management and critical thinking.
This course combines expertise from two highly ranked departments, Essex Business School (EBS) and the Department of Economics.
Essex Business School is a signatory of the UN Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) and champion business ethics and sustainability. We encourage students to make responsible decisions for the good of business and society. Consequently, your course will explore important issues of management accountability and explore the political, cultural and social implications of corporate actions.
Study abroad
The four-year version of this course enables you to study abroad during your third year. In all other areas, this version of the course remains identical to the standard three-year variant.
You can study abroad with one of our exchange partners in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, the Middle East, Hong Kong and Japan. In doing so, you experience other cultures and languages, meet new people, and gain intercultural skills that are sought-after by employers.
Placement year
Alternatively, on a placement year you gain relevant work experience within an external organisation. A work placement can give you a competitive edge in the graduate job market by providing you with key contacts within the industry.
The Student Development Team can offer bespoke support throughout the process of researching, applying and interviewing for placements. However, it is your responsibility to apply, prepare for and secure your own role. Our students have gained placements with organisations such as BMW, Samsung and Cummins.
Our expert staff
You are taught by a highly qualified, enthusiastic team of academics and practitioners with wide-ranging research interests. Their expertise ensures you learn about the issues facing today’s accountants and economists.
Essex Business School is an internationally diverse place to study. You’ll often see our academics talking to the media about contemporary business issues.
Our staff specialise in areas including:
- accounting and economic development in the public and third sectors
- regulation and corporate social responsibility
- finance and banking
- accounting and finance in developing economies
- contemporary financial markets and their participants
Lecturer in Accounting Dr Silvia Gaia’s, research covers the fields of corporate governance and financial and socio-environmental reporting. She embeds her learnings in the classes she delivers, particularly related to those covering financial reporting and capital markets so that you benefit from her cutting-edge research.
The Department of Economics is rated consistently highly for student satisfaction and is top five in the UK for research, with over 90% of research rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” (REF 2014).
Our economics researchers are at the forefront of their field and have even received MBEs. Many also provide consultancy services to businesses in London and other major financial centres, helping us develop research for today’s society as well as informing our teaching for the future.
Specialist facilities
Our BSc Accounting with Economics is based at our Colchester Campus.
In our landmark Essex Business School building – the first zero carbon business school in the UK – you’ll see our sustainable approach to business first-hand. Set around a lush winter garden, are a wealth of inspiring teaching and study zones.
Our new building provides you with superb facilities:
- a virtual trading floor with Bloomberg Terminals offering direct use of Bloomberg data, information and analytics
- light and spacious lecture theatres with ‘listen again’ recording to aid your study
- study pods and innovation booths for group working
- a café with an adjacent sun terrace
- study skills workshops and advice
Our business school is located on the University’s Knowledge Gateway, where you may be able to take advantage of networking and work experience opportunities with businesses located on site.
You also benefit from the learning resources available within our Department of Economics:
- extensive software for quantitative analysis, available in computer labs across the university
Your future
Boosting your accountancy degree with the study of economics can make you a unique prospect in the graduate job market. An understanding of macro and micro-economic functions means that you are able to apply your accountancy skills in a global context which will be a benefit to employers with an international outlook.
Many of our graduates go on to work as trainee accountants straight after graduation as Essex Business School prepares you for the world of work from day one.
The BSc Accounting with Economics curriculum taught here embeds transferable employability skills in analysis, critical thinking, presentation and communication across all modules.
The Study Skills module in year one will develop your academic skills, while the Student Success modules in year two will build on what you learned in year one and so that you can easily step up to meet the growing academic demands of your second and final years. The Successful Futures module in year two will foster your professionalism and introduce you to the graduate recruitment process, including practical advice to excel at interviews and assessment centres.
Recent graduate destinations include:
- Associate at KPMG – the global professional services network
- Junior Tax Consultant at Deloitte – the multinational and financial services network
- Treasury Analyst at Hiscox, a multinational business insurance and home insurance provider
- Junior Consultant – Valuation & Advisory at Cushman & Wakefield – commercial property and real estate consultants
- Global Finance & Business Analyst at J.P. Morgan – global financial services provider
- Audit Associate at EY – a multinational professional services firm
- Executive at PwC – a multinational professional services network
The School will support you with a range of skills and careers opportunities, including: skills development workshops; employer talks; skills events and careers conferences.
BSc Accounting with Economics students can also take advantage of the services offered by the Student Development Team, including: careers advice; work experience; internships; placements; and voluntary opportunities.
Why we’re great
- This course gives you exemptions from many professional exams.
- The Department of Economics is in the UK’s top 5 for research excellence (REF, 2014).
- We teach you to be accountable, act ethically and make financial decisions that positively impact both organisations and society.
Structure
Course structure
The course structure is designed to provide you with access to the expertise of both Essex Business School and the Department of Economics.
In the first year our current students cover wider business topics that every manager needs to know. However, we are planning some changes to our first year and we’ll be tailoring it more closely to your chosen course. After that you’ll study compulsory accounting modules with Essex Business School, with a focus both on the numbers and on how managers use accounting information to make decisions, and a small number of compulsory economics modules in the Department of Economics. The rest is up to you as your optional modules can be spread across both departments, and by picking certain modules you’ll be able to maximise the number of exemptions available to you from bodies such as ACCA, helping you on the way to achieving chartered status.We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists. ?Please be aware that we are planning changes to our first year to make it more relevant to your chosen course.
Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The course content is therefore reviewed on an annual basis to ensure our courses remain up-to-date so modules listed are subject to change.
Teaching and learning disclaimer
Following the impact of the pandemic, we made changes to our teaching and assessment to ensure our current students could continue with their studies uninterrupted and safely. These changes included courses being taught through blended delivery, normally including some face-to-face teaching, online provision, or a combination of both across the year.
The teaching and assessment methods listed show what is currently approved for 2022 entry; changes may be necessary if, by the beginning of this course, we need to adapt the way we’re delivering them due to the external environment, and to allow you to continue to receive the best education possible safely and seamlessly.
Placement
On a placement year you gain relevant work experience within an external business or organisation, giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market and providing you with key contacts within the industry. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.
Year abroad
On your year abroad, you have the opportunity to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised. The rest of your course remains identical to the three-year degree.
Teaching
- Teaching includes a combination of lectures, seminars and computer-based lab sessions
- Modules delivered by experts in the field as well as guest speakers
- Contribute and interact in lectures through the use of smart technology
- Lecture presentations and notes are uploaded online beforehand to help you prepare in advance
- Optional support classes in Economics
- Complete your final-year project in consultation with a personal supervisor
Assessment
- Assessed through traditional methods of end-of-year exams and multiple choice questions in class tests and essays
- Plus more innovative and creative assessments include laboratory work, poster presentations, real-business case problems and group presentations
- Your first year marks do not count towards your final degree
