Accounting and Finance with Foundation Year
Accounting and Finance is the discipline at the foundation of every commercial and public-sector organisation's financial health. Accounting provides the systematic processes for recording, classifying, and reporting financial information, allowing managers, investors, and regulators to understand the financial position of an entity and the results of its operations. Finance extends this into questions of investment, valuation, risk management, and the behaviour of capital markets, equipping students with the tools to analyse financial decisions in conditions of uncertainty.
At the University of Plymouth, this four-year, full-time programme includes a foundation year that provides a supported transition into degree-level study for students who would benefit from additional preparation before engaging with the full accounting and finance curriculum. The foundation year builds confidence in working with financial information and develops the academic skills needed for the main degree. Once you progress into the programme, you will develop expertise across financial reporting, management accounting, corporate finance, taxation, and audit, alongside the broader analytical and communication skills that the profession values.
The degree includes a sandwich year, the option of a year abroad, and work placements, providing substantial professional experience alongside your academic study.
Accounting and finance graduates are among the most in-demand of any discipline. Careers in audit, financial reporting, management accounting, corporate finance, investment banking, asset management, and the public sector are all accessible, and many graduates progress through professional qualification routes including the ICAEW, ACCA, and CIMA pathways. The combination of placement experience and academic qualification that this degree provides gives graduates a significant advantage when entering the profession or pursuing postgraduate study in finance, financial economics, or accounting.