Business and Finance with Foundation Year

Business and finance is a degree that connects the broad operational and strategic knowledge of business management with the analytical and financial disciplines that sit at the heart of how organisations create and allocate value. Business provides the context, covering marketing, operations, strategy, leadership and organisational behaviour. Finance provides the tools for understanding how money flows within and between organisations, how investment decisions are made, how risk is assessed and how financial statements tell the story of a business's performance.

At Salford, this four-year programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year and a work placement, giving you an accessible academic entry route and substantial professional experience alongside your studies. The foundation year provides the business and financial literacy needed to engage with degree-level content, and is particularly well suited to students who want a more gradual introduction to business and finance study. The programme develops your confidence with both the financial and digital dimensions of modern business, reflecting the reality that business today demands both analytical capability and digital fluency.

You will develop your understanding of financial analysis, accounting, corporate finance and investment alongside the broader business management disciplines, graduating with a combination that is directly relevant to a wide range of commercial roles.

Graduates move into roles in financial management, banking, corporate finance, business analysis, management consultancy, operations and graduate management programmes across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Professional qualifications in accounting or finance are commonly pursued alongside or after the degree, and postgraduate study in finance, accounting or business administration is a natural option for those who want to develop their expertise further.