Accounting and Economics

Accounting and economics together provide a comprehensive view of how financial decisions are made and how they connect to the broader workings of markets, institutions, and national economies. Accounting gives you the tools to prepare, present, and interpret financial information that enables investors, lenders, managers, employees, and governments to make sound decisions. Economics gives you the theoretical and empirical frameworks to understand why markets behave as they do, how policy shapes economic outcomes, and what happens when systems come under pressure.

The two disciplines are genuinely complementary: accountants need economic context, and economists need to understand financial measurement.

At the University of Strathclyde this four-year programme includes a year abroad, offering you the opportunity to study in another country and to encounter different approaches to accounting practice and economic analysis. You will develop technical expertise in financial accounting, management accounting, and auditing alongside a grounding in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and quantitative methods. The four-year Scottish degree structure gives you a broader foundation than a three-year programme elsewhere, and Strathclyde's strong reputation in business and accounting provides good professional connections throughout the course.

Graduates from accounting and economics programmes are sought after across a wide range of professional contexts. Many go on to qualify as chartered accountants, chartered management accountants, or chartered certified accountants through the relevant professional examinations, for which the degree provides a strong foundation. Others move into roles in investment banking, financial analysis, economic consultancy, the civil service, and international organisations.

The combination of rigorous financial training and economic reasoning is particularly valued in roles that require both technical precision and strategic judgement. Postgraduate study in accounting, finance, economics, or business administration is also a common next step.