Course overview

Accounting and finance are vital functions in any economy. An effective financial sector contributes fundamentally to the ability of other sectors to flourish. The strong reputation of accounting in the UK has always made it an attractive place in which to study this subject, and the trend towards internationalisation of accounting and auditing standards can only enhance the employability of UK-trained accounting and finance graduates throughout the world.

Students on our finance courses benefit from training on the industry-standard Bloomberg system in our dedicated Bloomberg Suite.

This degree is a two-year course aimed at international students who are qualified to begin degree studies at second or final-year level. Normally, entry will be at second-year level, but exceptionally final-year entry may be possible for those with relevant previous study. If you have an interest in financial matters, an ability to work with numbers and a desire to refine your business communication skills, then this course is for you.

To prepare you for your future career we believe that your degree must be firmly grounded in practice:

Career focused

The entrance criteria of this degree have been designed to comply with the requirements of the major accounting firms' graduate programmes.

Comptent students can have the opportunity to apply their skills to real-life practical problems as part of the department’s partnership scheme with local charities. Recent projects have included re-design of financial reporting systems and identification of weaknesses in financial control over a network of charity shops.

Links with the profession

We constantly work to build and maintain our links with accounting and finance professionals, which brings practical benefits to our students. One example is our professional mentoring scheme, by which year two and three students may be paired up with a practising accountant in the area to enable them to get real-world advice and feedback.

Course content

Year Two

Year two builds on your previous business and finance studies. Alongside the core technical elements of your degree, you will study a range of interesting units to give you a firm foundation in business English.
Core units include:

• Financial Management
• Business Accounting for Finance
• Financial Markets and Communications
• International Economics
• English language Grade 5

Year Three

This year represents the culmination of your studies.
Core units include:

• Advanced Financial Management
• International Financial Management
• International Accounting
• Independent Study for Accountants
• English Language Grade 6

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and learning are usually undertaken in lectures or workshops supported by smaller group seminars, tutorials and practical sessions. Extensive use is made of information technology and other teaching innovations. Staff research and consultancy expertise also actively contribute to the relevance of the programme.

You will encounter a range of assessment methods. Many units use a combination of formal examinations and coursework assessment. Coursework can be the analysis of topical case studies, written reports and essays and formal presentations. The assessed work you complete from the start of the second year onwards can count towards the class of degree you will be awarded.

The University goes to great lengths to ensure all students have an excellent learning experience. Courses are managed by teams of academic and administrative staff who work together to provide a high level of support.

Each course has a course leader who will maintain a close relationship with you throughout your studies. They are also supported by a number of tutors and the University has a range of additional support facilities such as the Academic Skills Unit, Careers and Recruitment unit and counselling that you can access if you need to. You will be assigned a personal tutor who will give you general support and act as the first point of contact for any problems.

In addition, if English is not your first language, there are free courses available to help familiarise you with the use of English for academic purposes.

Career prospects

Careers in finance

Finance is a vital function of any economy. Because of this, there is a range of roles available to numerate, commercial astute and dedicated graduates. Sectors within finance include:

• Commercial banking
• Corporate finance
• Financial planning
• Insurance
• Investment banking
• Money management
• Real estate

Careers in management and commerce

If you wish to widen your focus to industry and commerce, in fields such as banking, consultancy, fund management, insurance, investment and law, this highly numerate and practical degree will put you ahead of the game.

Postgraduate opportunities

Many students have also gone on to do taught or research-based courses at a higher level. The University of Portsmouth is a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Business School has developed a range of interesting and relevant postgraduate courses such as the MSc in Forensic Accounting and the MSc Finance. There are plenty of research opportunities at Portsmouth, which you can explore when you join us.

What our alumni are doing now

Emma Lockley
Course: BA (Hons) Accounting with Finance
Current position: ACA graduate trainee, Menzies Chartered Accountants

'I like the fact that my job is very challenging and gives me the opportunity to work on various different aspects of accounting from accounts preparation to taxation and audit. My job gives me the opportunity to meet new people and travel to various different companies to carry out audits. This position also involves studying towards my ACA qualification, so I am able to revise and take my exams while completing valuable work experience which allows me to put all of this into practice.'

Luke Freeman
Course: BA (Hons) Accounting
Current position: Account Manager, Tennyson Fund Solutions

'The degree followed the structure of the ACCA qualification closely, meaning I found it easier than most when it came to my professional studies. It also combined practical experience with the year in industry, which helped a great deal. Most importantly, the University and course had some fantastic fellow students and lecturers which always helps...

...Being a start-up company means that my role is varied, being involved in all aspects of the running of the company. It also means that I have a great deal of freedom in moulding my role into what I want it to be. I am also in the hedge fund world, an industry difficult to get into and very innovative as the industry grows, which is exciting.'

Linda Luu
Course: BA (Hons) Accounting
Current position: Financial Accountant, Paragon Insurance

'I loved my time at Portsmouth; maybe it was the course, the sea, I have never really thought about it. I was lucky - for my placement I worked for one of the world's largest engineering companies in France. When I left Portsmouth I knew that I wanted to work in the City. It's very social; you could be out every night of the week if you had the energy.'

Jennifer Cave
Course: BA (Hons) International Finance and Trade
Current position: Barclays Capital Money Markets Middle Office

'I studied international finance and trade. The course was varied and not focused on one area. I now work in the money markets middle office for Barclays in Canary Wharf and I will start studying for my Chartered Financial Analyst exams soon.'

Kirsty Smith
Course: BA (Hons) Accounting with Business Law
Current position: Graduate scheme, VT Group PLC

'I love my job. I still don't know exactly what I want to do, so the graduate scheme enables me to develop my career every six months. I get huge support and development as well as being able to study my MSc part time. The company is very diverse, so I get to work in a multitude of cultures with different customers, and divisional aims. For the past six months I have been working with fire brigades and I am now going to work in the nuclear industry - hugely different jobs and fairly different roles, but the opportunity to do that is amazing. I would thoroughly recommend VT as a company to work for to everyone.'

Sonia Brandon
Course: BA (Hons) International Finance and Trade
Current position: Senior Lecturer, University of Portsmouth

'I left Portsmouth in 2001 after doing both an undergraduate and postgraduate degree within the Department. I then started my ACCA exams whilst working as an analyst for one of the major tour operators. However, I loved the theoretical aspect of my studies and when I had an opportunity to come back to Portsmouth as a lecturer, I jumped at the chance.'

Facilities and features

The University has substantially invested in modern facilities. You will attend lectures in the purpose-built Richmond Building, where the Business School is located. Our lecture theatres are equipped with the latest multimedia audiovisual equipment and we have a computer drop-in centre equipped with state-of-the-art computers and software.

The University Library is at the centre of academic life and is only a short walk away from Richmond Building. Open from 8am until midnight every day during term-time, it provides a variety of information to help with study and research.

The Library as also invested heavily in the purchase of electronic resources. There are thousands of electronic journals and ebooks, which can be accessed across campus, from home or wherever there is an internet connection.

For international students we have a dedicated team of advisors to support you as you settle into life in Portsmouth and at the University. One of the team almost certainly has direct experience of your culture and may even speak your language.

Entry requirements

View all the entry requirements for BA (Hons) Finance with Business Communication for the academic year 2013/14 (opens in new window).