Accounting and Finance with Foundation Year

Accounting and finance are the fundamental disciplines through which organisations track performance, manage resources and communicate their financial position to investors, regulators and the public. The combination of quantitative rigour, analytical thinking and professional judgement that accounting and finance graduates develop is valued across virtually every sector of the economy, and the demand for qualified practitioners remains consistently strong. At Birkbeck College, part of the University of London, this four-year programme includes a foundation year and is designed for students who benefit from a structured period of preparation before the main degree begins.

Birkbeck's distinctive educational model has traditionally served students who are working alongside their studies, and the programme is designed with a commitment to accessibility without compromising academic quality. The foundation year builds your mathematical skills, analytical thinking and academic confidence before you move into the main degree, which covers financial reporting and analysis, management accounting, corporate finance, taxation, auditing and the regulatory environment in which financial professionals operate. You will also develop quantitative and analytical skills alongside the decision-making and communication capabilities that professional accounting roles require.

Graduates pursue careers in public practice, working towards professional qualifications such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA alongside roles in accounting firms, and in finance functions within industry, commerce and the public sector. Banking, insurance and investment management also attract accounting and finance graduates, as do financial analysis, management consultancy and business advisory roles. Many graduates complete professional accountancy qualifications alongside their early career, and the degree's alignment with professional qualification frameworks means the path to chartership can be pursued with some mapped coverage from the degree.

Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in finance, management or economics.