In your first year, you’ll learn the principles of accounting. You’ll explore financial information within companies and corporations and learn to analyse it. There is a dedicated module focusing on professional skills, such as communication and IT-literacy. You’ll investigate the different sides of business and where your role as an accountant sits within these.  

In your second year, you’ll focus on financial reporting, management accounting and financial management. You’ll also learn methods of enquiry and problem solving to ensure you are ready to go out into the real world. This will give you an advantage when you start working, as you will have already developed all those essential skills while you were studying. 

Study abroad/work placement option: Between your second and third year, you can do an entire year abroad at one of our partner universities. They’re based in America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. That means plenty of places for you to go and explore. If travelling isn’t for you, you can do a year’s work placement in the UK. Want to go straight to your final year? That’s an option as well. 

In your final year, you will build on the foundation you have built in levels 4 and 5. You’ll take modules on advanced financial reporting and management accounting. You’ll also have the chance to pick options in areas that interest you, such as research methods, taxation, Islamic finance and banking or information systems. 

Work placement

Graduate with invaluable work experience alongside your degree and stand out from the crowd.  

This course offers you the opportunity to enhance your study and CV with a work placement sandwich year. It’s a chance to explore career possibilities, make valuable contacts and gain sought after professional skills.  

Our dedicated Careers and Employment team are here to help guide you through the process.

If you take up a work placement between your second and third year of study, at the University of Hertfordshire you’ll pay no tuition fee for this year. We’ll ask you to make your decision in your second year, so there is plenty of time to think about it. 

What's next for my career?

Accounting is a thriving industry and talented accountants are always in demand. It’s a high-reward sector with excellent pay and opportunity to progress – potentially to finance director or chief executive level.

Every business needs accountancy expertise, meaning there’s a great range of careers open to you. UK accountancy qualifications are respected worldwide, so if you secure a job at a large international firm there may also be overseas opportunities. Alternatively, you could pursue a management-focused career route, or become self-employed.

Recent Hertfordshire graduates have financial and management roles at Citibank, Amazon, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, John Lewis, TUI, The Walt Disney Company and the NHS.