Accounting and Business Management with Placement

Accounting and business management together address the two sets of knowledge most central to running any organisation effectively. Accounting provides the technical framework for recording, reporting and analysing financial information, developing the capability to produce financial statements, manage budgets, assess risk and support decision-making with reliable financial data. Business management broadens this to encompass strategy, marketing, operations, organisational behaviour and human resource management, giving you the wider understanding of how organisations function and are led.

The combination produces graduates who can operate confidently across the finance and management dimensions of any business.

At the University of Gloucestershire this four-year programme includes a placement year, giving you a sustained period of professional experience in an accounting, finance or business organisation. The placement is a core element of the degree, not an optional extra, and is designed to develop your professional skills, deepen your understanding of how the technical knowledge you study applies in practice, and enhance your employability significantly at graduation. Across the programme you will cover the technical areas of financial and management accounting alongside the core disciplines of business management, with curriculum content designed to be relevant to the needs of employers and aligned with the expectations of professional accountancy bodies.

Graduates are well placed for careers in accounting and financial management across all sectors, including roles in audit, tax, corporate finance, management accounting, treasury and financial planning. The business management dimension also makes graduates suitable for broader commercial roles in general management, operations and strategy. Many go on to complete professional qualifications in accountancy with bodies such as ICAEW, ACCA or CIMA, and the placement year experience typically makes this transition smoother.

Others pursue postgraduate study in business administration or financial management. The combination of technical qualification, business understanding and work experience this degree provides is a strong platform for a varied and progressive career.