“The support on offer from the Solent staff (particularly the High Performance Academy team) was a big incentive.”
BSc (Hons)Accountancy and Finance
Apply on UCAS
Starting in: 2025
Register your interest- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
- 4 years with year in industry
- 5 years with foundation and industry years
UCAS code: AAF2
Institution code: S30
UCAS points: 104-120Flexible entry options available
Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps
Why study accountancy and finance with a placement year
Enter the fast-paced world of international finance with this professionally accredited degree, working with global companies to gain the skills and real-world work experience you’ll need for success.
- 0stin the UK for assessment and feedback in finance studies, out of 91 institutions (NSS 2024)
- 0thin the UK for teaching in finance studies, out of 91 institutions (NSS 2024)
- Top0in the UK for academic support for finance studies, out of 91 institutions (NSS 2024)
- Gain valuable first-hand work experience with a year-long full-time work placement between the second and third years of your degree.
- An exam and overall pass in a professionally accredited module on this course could lead to exemption from the requirements of professional bodies such as ACCA, CIMA, IFA, AIA and ICAEW.
- We are the only UK university to be part of International Marketing Week, a fantastic opportunity to spend up to a week on a real-world business project with one of our 10 partner universities in Europe, working on a live client brief from companies such as Mercedes Benz or Lucas-Bols amongst a range of other national brands.
- Great employment opportunities: recent graduates have found roles such as accountants, auditors, tax specialists, financial analysts, fund managers and more, at companies such as Deloitte, Smith and Williamson and John Lewis.
- Opportunity to attend guest lectures by industry-led speakers from PwC.
- Small Business Charter holder, one of only 62 business schools to have this acknowledgement of excellence in working with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
- Shortlisted for the Target Jobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards (2021), the National Undergraduate Awards (2021) and the Small Business Charter Excellence Awards for Outstanding Support for Student Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (2023).
Course overview
Throughout this industry-focused degree you'll engage with specific areas of finance that interest you and explore both national and international markets to gain a firm understanding of the global economy. You'll also have access to our Bloomberg suite, which delivers real-time business and market news, data, and analysis to the world's leading industries and companies to support critical financial and strategic decision making. Use of the Bloomberg suite is embedded into the curriculum, meaning you'll be at the cutting edge of financial analysis and skills development to help further boost your employability prospects.
You'll also be encouraged to put theory into practice by working on real-life business scenarios, with opportunities to co-design and project-manage a series of business events to build networking skills, meet employers, and discuss key business topics, such as diversity and inclusion, digital transformation and the future of the business landscape, and leadership.
Solent's accountancy and finance degree has strong connections with industry and is accredited by a number of professional bodies. The course content is designed and reviewed in collaboration with industry experts. Our Business Advisory Board, chaired by Pete Markey, Chief Marketing Officer at Boots, is made up of senior leaders across a variety of industries who help to inform our curriculum development, student success, and business development.
The degree is also part of Solent's Business School, which won the Outstanding Higher Education Provider of the Year at the 2022 CMI Awards in recognition of our outstanding positive impact on student employability, enriched experience, and professional development.
Solent University is a place of study for students from all over the world. Learning with students from different backgrounds, you'll explore new points of view in contemporary discussions and debates, and get a feel for the international workplace.
The placement year will allow you to put what what you've learned in your first and second years into practice in the workplace, while gaining valuable real-world work experience before you graduate.
Accredited by
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Solent Business School is a holder of:
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Course features
Additional qualification
This course offers additional qualifications for you to obtain with your degree
Foundation year available
If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Placement year
If you apply for this course with a placement year, you have the opportunity to undertake a year in industry between your second and third years
Top-up option
If you have an appropriate Level 5 qualification, you can top it up to a degree in just a year
Study abroad
You have the opportunity to study abroad in one of our partner universities for a semester on this course
Who is this course for?
This course is ideal for anyone who is hoping to pursue a career in the wide range of jobs related to accountancy and finance sector which is a huge industry area.
If you're looking to gain a year's worth of industry experience as part of your studies, this course is for you. Our course and placements teams will help you find the perfect industry placement in your chosen field.
What does this course lead to?
Our graduates go on to become accountants, auditors, tax specialists, financial analysts, fund managers, business advisers and entrepreneurs. Recent graduates have found roles at Deloitte, Smith and Williamson, Estee Lauder and John Lewis, among others.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
Read more storiesMeet the team
Teaching staff for the BSc (Hons) Accountancy and Finance degree have experience of working in accountancy and finance in practice or in industry as practitioners and/or are actively engaged with current research within accountancy, finance and economics.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.
Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
International opportunities
Broaden your horizons by adding an international dimension to your CV – essential to achieving success in today’s fast-changing, global environment.
Studying, working or volunteering in another country could be the experience of a lifetime. Enhance your degree by developing important global skills such as knowledge of other countries, language skills, intercultural awareness, adaptability and confidence.
For more information, please email international.mobility@solent.ac.uk.
What you'll study
Core modules
Positive Psychology for Success
Lay strong foundations for study and employment success. Build your academic, employability and independent learning skills, and put together a personal professional development (PPD) plan to stay agile, adaptable and future ready.
Data Analysis, Tools and Application
Explore how digital technology has fundamentally reshaped traditional business, and how businesses try to keep up. Learn to collect, analyse, and interpret data, and to present your findings effectively.
Marketing, Sales and Negotiation Skills
Discover the critical role of marketing in business, from understanding customers’ motivations to engagement to measuring effectiveness. Learn key marketing concepts and terminology, explore digital and content marketing, and more.
Accounting Skills
A fundamental understanding of how systems and processes operate is essential for the accountant. This module teaches the basics of manual and computerised accounting, from double entry book-keeping to various accounting packages, accounting controls, suspense accounts, payroll, and more.
Introduction to Financial Reporting
This module builds on the techniques developed in Accounting Skills, exploring accounting regulation and teaching you how to prepare key financial statements – income, financial position and cashflow statements – for organisations large and small.
Introduction to Management Accounting
Management accounting provides financial and non-financial information that will help managers make good decisions. This module covers introductory aspects of accounting related to control and decision-making within business organisations, focusing on using relevant techniques to address various business management problems.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Coursework
- Written exams
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out more
Study support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
The disability advice team provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose a career in accountancy and finance?
A degree in finance and accounting provides a broad business knowledge and skills which are constantly in demand and command a high salary. Our degree addresses current thinking and helps you develop professional skills which will give you an edge at interviews. Graduating with exemptions will make you a more attractive addition to an employer’s workforce.
Accountancy and finance as an industry provides an extensive range of careers in accounting related services such as auditing, taxation, management accounting, risk assessment and business consultancy. Finance specialisms include a broad range of industries such as banking and investment companies.
This course covers elements from each of these industry sub-groups, delivered by lecturers with real-world experience.
Our links with industry
You could earn:
Chartered accountant
Up to: £40,000
Starting salaries for graduates can vary depending on the location, sector, size, and type of firm. During training, the average earning potential can be up to £65,000.
External auditor
Average graduate salary: £28,000
On qualification, and as you progress into more senior roles, you could earn anywhere between £32,000 and £45,000. Salaries for external auditors vary depending on the location, size and type of firm.
Tax adviser
Starting salary: £20,000 to £32,000
For graduate trainees. Newly qualified chartered tax advisers can expect an annual salary of £26,000 to £36,000. Working in corporate tax usually attracts a higher salary than working in personal tax.
The stated salaries are published on prospects.ac.uk. Income figures are intended as a guide only.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
Read more stories“The support on offer from the Solent staff (particularly the High Performance Academy team) was a big incentive.”
Solent Futures
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
6th
UK uni for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2022
Accredited by
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Accredited by and with exemptions available:
Solent Business School is a holder of:
Further study
Thinking about studying further than an undergraduate degree? Alumni can get 20% off their postgraduate study.
MSc Financial Management
Explore global trends and get to grips with the challenges and financial sustainability that underpin successful financial management on this industry-focused master's degree.
MSc Project Management
Aligned to the Association for Project Management, this professional course will help you take your career to the next level, by studying methodologies, techniques and processes of project management.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £17,750 per year
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island placement year fee: £1,650
- International placement year fee: £1,650
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2025/26 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, the 2024/25 other costs were:
Optional costs
- ACCA student membership: approximately £100
- UK study trip: approximately £50
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Solent EU Welcome Scholarship (Fee Discount)
This scholarship is available to students from an EU country, with EU nationality, who are applying for an undergraduate course starting in September 2025. The scholarship will reduce your tuition fees to £10,500.
Find out more about the scholarship
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Student finance videos
Student finance Video transcript, with a description of visuals available.Student funding - the essentials Video transcript, with a description of visuals available.
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
104-120 UCAS tariff points
- A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at DMM or BTEC Diploma at D*D or, T-level Merit or equivalent qualification, or a combination of qualifications which comply with the minimum entry requirement of 104 UCAS points.
- GCSE Maths Grade C/4
- Direct entry into year two or three may be considered for this course.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, our trusted partner, QA Higher Education offers the following pathway programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills:
- International Foundation Year - for progression to the first year of an undergraduate degree
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about international qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, our trusted partner, QA Higher Education offers the following pathway programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills:
- International Foundation Year - for progression to the first year of an undergraduate degree
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application.
104-120UCAS points
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:How to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 31 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Alternative entry options
Alternative entry on this course is available through the Business and Law Foundation Year.
Direct entry into year two or three may be considered for this course.
Holders of AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting or AAT Level 4 Diploma in Accounting are awarded direct entry to the second year on any named accounting programme.
Top-up route:
We welcome applications from students currently studying a Foundation Degree, DipHE, HNC, HND or modules of an undergraduate degree course at another university, who wish to enter directly into Years 2 or 3 of one of our undergraduate degree courses. Please contact our admissions team for more information: contact us
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT minimum 80 with a minimum of 20 in each individual component
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 95 in each component or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Make your application
- 3 years
- 4 years with foundation year
- 4 years with year in industry
- 5 years with foundation and industry years
