undeRgRAduAte COuRse guide 2012 ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL•ROBERT GORDON UNIVERSITY•ABERDEEN
ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
Accounting and Finance What and when: course overview …and course detail
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How will I be taught? 14 Key facts 15 What next? 16
Choosing a course isn’t straightforward. There’s loads of detail you need to know. Where will I study? What topics are covered? How will I be assessed? You also want to gain a ‘feel’ for things – ideally, direct and honest from some current students and graduates. In this brochure we’ve combined hard facts about the degree as well as real views of students and graduates. And we’ve tried to keep things short and clear, so you don’t get put off by more information than you need. Our aim is to give you a quick, genuine and useful insight into our courses. If there’s anything more you’d like to know, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE BA (Hons) UCAS N420
INTRODUCTION:
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Iain AbernEthy Accountancy and Finance is a great career: challenging, rewarding and packed with opportunities to succeed, try new areas and work globally. Giving you a head start in it has always been our priority. That’s why our Accounting and Finance course rates as 100% for graduate employment (Virgin Guide to British Universities 2010). It leads the way in providing practical hands-on skills, together with broader abilities – all of which make you an ideal employee. There has long been a demand for high-calibre graduates like ours. With (on average) just 70 students a year, you’ll be joining an elite group.
LeARning And deVeLOPMent diReCtOR, JOHnstOn CARMiCHAeL
… currently has four RGU placement students. “We’re delighted with the calibre. In return, they get good experience; are expected to pick up information and take a degree of responsibility. A key element is developing communication and teamwork skills – it’s where students see a big difference. They gain an appreciation of business, the do’s and don’ts of meetings, writing skills… Our objective is that RGU students return after graduation and study for professional exams. Such students tend to do very well in their exams, then progress well with their career.”
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ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE BA (Hons) UCAS N420
PROSPECTS:
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Career options Our graduates are highly sought after by employers. You’ll be well-prepared for a career in areas such as financial and management accountancy, taxation, auditing and corporate finance. In the past few years, over half our graduates have gone on to work as a Trainee Chartered Accountant, and qualify with The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).
Many others work for companies in industry and study for qualifications with The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). The Honours degree is fully accredited with ICAS and graduates are given excellent exam exemptions by ACCA, AIA, CIMA and ICAEW. Our graduates have had an excellent pass rate in these exams. Job options > CA Trainee > Financial Analyst > Tax Consultant > Treasury Accountant
Rachel Corsie BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance
“At the very outset, the RGU open day and course information was more personal and detailed: it was more welcoming than the experience I had at other universities. And when it came to the course itself, I found every aspect of it enjoyable: tutorial groups – and the campus itself – encourage interaction and contribute to a fulfilling experience. The way
modules are delivered make them easy to follow, and lecturer support means any problems can be quickly overcome. The third year placement was really beneficial, and helped to develop my organisational and communication skills. More than that, meeting new people at university via the course, as well as through clubs and societies, allows you to combine studying and socialising – which for me was very important.”
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ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE BA (Hons) UCAS N420
PLACEMENTS:
AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE Placements nothing beats real experience. it makes your studies seem real, tests your understanding of topics, and helps you get an idea of what you might like to do after graduating. Plus it’s a great thing to have on your CV. (In fact, many of our graduates are offered full-time jobs by their placement employer.) Ours is the only accounting degree at a Scottish university with a yearlong work placement.
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How do i find my placement? Our Placement Office arranges opportunities with a wide range of employers, who then advertise the position using the university’s internal IT system. You choose which to apply for, and employers decide who to interview and subsequently employ.
Who can i work for? Your placement must be in either a professional accounting firm, or in the accounting or finance department within another relevant employer. We have a number of firms who have offered placements for many years, and used successive placement students to fill a permanent post within their organisation.
“Aberdeen is an innovative and entrepreneurial city. Studying in a city full of enterprise and successful business people is a great inspiration.”
Adam Kerr BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance
“When I left school I was in a position to attend any university in Scotland, but I opted for RGU – and there were compelling reasons behind my decision. Its Accounting and Finance degree is widely acclaimed, and it lived up to that billing. Also, an early visit to Aberdeen Business School and its impressive facilities left an indelible impression – I wanted to study in such surroundings. “Ultimately, however, the prospect of an industrial placement in third year was the clinching factor. It presented an opportunity to get ahead of other students before even graduating. My placement with a firm in London was the most incredible experience; it confirmed I’d made the right decision in choosing RGU.”
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ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE BA (Hons) UCAS N420
PLACEMENTS:
…AND MAKE YOUR MARK Jennifer Cardno BA (HOns) ACCOunting And FinAnCe
“My teachers at school had positive things to say about the course at RGU, and that influenced my decision on where I would study. The variety of study modules, not least those covering accountancy topics, offers a good solid grounding, while the smaller tutorial groups provide everyone with a chance to contribute. The
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lecturers are very easy to contact and always willing to help with any problems. “Beyond the technical skills learned, the course gives you confidence because of the nature of the tutorials and the requirement to deliver presentations. I’ve now started in a graduate position – with the company where I had my placement – and developing such confidence prepares you for your professional life after university.”
“There’s a good balance between coursework, exams and presentations, and the well-constructed timetable allows you to plan your time effectively.”
some of our placement partners Chartered Accountancy Firms > Anderson Anderson and Brown > Crowe Clark Whitehill (based in London) > Deloitte > Ernst and Young > Hall Morrice > Johnson and Carmichael > KPMG > Meston Reid > PricewaterhouseCoopers Companies > BP > Deutsche Bank (based in London) > Marathon > Shell > Simmons International > Talisman > Total
What will i do? Put your knowledge of accounting and finance into practice, and develop many new technical and interpersonal skills. At a firm of Chartered Accountants you’ll probably be involved in preparing financial statements; audit; taxation and corporate finance. At a company, this might be: prepare monthly financial statements and budgets; compare actual vs budgeted figures and prepare specialist reports for management.
How will i know how i’m doing? The employer will assess you, and you’ll be supported by an academic member of staff who will make several visits to monitor your progress during the year. Can it help beyond my degree? Absolutely. At the end of their placement, many students are offered the option to return to the firm after graduation. If your placement was in a Chartered Accountancy firm, then the firm can also opt to count the placement as part of the three years of CA training. This means you could qualify much earlier than graduates from other Accounting and Finance degrees.
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ACCOunting And FinAnCe BA (Hons) UCAS N420
WHAT & WHEN: COURSE OVERVIEW… YEAR 1 You develop generic skills: writing reports, presenting and working in a small team. You’ll use these throughout your course. They’re also skills employers view as essential. Approximately 75% of our students have studied accountancy before coming to ABS. However, you don’t need to have done so to enter at this stage – and if you haven’t, we give you extra support if you require it. The financial accounting module includes the basic theoretical and practical knowledge needed to prepare financial statements. A book-keeping case study and the SAGE computer package allow you to record accounting transactions as they would be in a real company. Management skills are taught in several modules in years 1 and 2, this allows you to apply your technical accounting and finance knowledge in a general management context to prepare you for working in the business world.
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YEAR 2 You study specialist modules in financial and management accounting and business finance. The two financial accounting modules cover many of the international accounting and financial reporting standards, and preparing published financial statements using these standards. During semester 1, we advise you on writing your CV and interview techniques. This helps when applying for the year 3 work placement.
YEAR 3 In year 3, almost all students undertake a one year (minimum 48 weeks) work placement in an accounting or finance position. You could work in a professional accounting firm, or the accounting department of a company (including one in financial services). You also further develop your academic knowledge by studying two modules in auditing, using distance learning. International standards on auditing are taught in these modules. If you choose not to do a work placement, or can’t get one, then you’ll study classroombased modules instead.
YEAR 4 In each semester, you study compulsory modules in management accounting, taxation, corporate finance and corporate ethics. The grade you achieve in each module in this year determines your Honours classification.
DEGREE LINK PROG. Completed an HND in Accounting at one of our partner FE Colleges? You can enter directly into year 3. There, instead of doing a placement, you study financial and management accounting, business finance, auditing, financial markets as well as completing a literature project which develops your research and report writing skills. After passing year 3 on this nonplacement route, you can either: > graduate with an unclassified BA Accounting and Finance degree, OR > go into year 4 to complete the Honours degree
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ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE BA (Hons) UCAS N420
…& COURSE detail Year 1
Year 2
Semester One
Semester One
>> Business Ethics >> Financial Accounting >> Management Concepts >> Personal and Business Finance Semester Two >> Business Law >> Introductory Economics >> Management Accounting >> People Management If you left now, you’d have… Certificate of Higher Education Accounting
>> Advanced Business Law >> External Reporting >> Financial Decision-making >> Quantitative Business Techniques Semester Two >> Business Information Systems >> Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship: Foundation >> Finance for Business Decisions >> Management and Cost Accounting If you left now, you’d have… Diploma of Higher Education Accounting
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YEAR 3 Placement Route
Direct Entry Route
Semester One
Semester One
> Placement > The Theory of Auditing Semester Two > Placement > The Practice of Auditing No exit award at this stage Non-Placement Route Semester One > > > >
YEAR 4
Corporate Governance Economic Environment Literature Project Theory of Auditing
> > > >
External Reporting Financial Decision-making Literature Project Theory of Auditing Semester Two
> Finance for Business Decisions > Management and Cost Accounting > Money and Financial Markets > Practice of Auditing
Semester One > Corporate Financial Management > Financial Reporting Issues and Applications > Management Accounting Decision Making and Control > Personal and Business Taxation Semester Two > Corporate and Capital Taxes > Corporate Ethics > Financial Accounting for Groups and Companies > Management Accounting Issues and Applications
If you left now, you’d have… BA Accounting and Finance
If you left now, you’d have… BA (Honours) Accounting and Finance
Semester Two > Money and Financial Markets > New Business Project > Practice of Auditing If you left now, you’d have… BA Accounting and Finance
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How will I be taught?
The degree is taught in two semesters. Each semester has a block of 12 weeks of teaching.
In the classroom
Assessment
You’ll take four modules per semester. Each module involves around three hours of class teaching per week. While this differs from module to module, most have two hours of lectures delivered to the whole class, plus a further one hour tutorial taught to a small group of about 15 students.
We use a mixture of assessments. Most modules are assessed by a two hour exam at the end of the semester, and by coursework submitted during the semester. Other modules are assessed only by exam, or only by coursework.
Outside the classroom In addition to lectures and tutorials, you have to spend approximately another 24 hours outside class time working on your own. For example doing the prescribed reading, preparing answers to the tutorial assignments or researching and writing coursework reports.
All of the teaching staff on the accounting modules are Chartered Accountants, and most completed their training in a Big 4 accounting ďŹ rm.
Enterprise Skills: The Charles P Skene Enterprise Programme Enterprise skills are critical in every 21st century career; they not only boost your employability, but can also be the key to survival when selfemployed. Which is why, at RGU, we now offer all our students real-life experience and tuition in entrepreneurial skills. The Enterprise Programme introduces all students to enterprise skills through a series of lectures, workshops and master-classes. In addition, it provides access to many other exciting activities including a unique business incubator designed to help students transform embryonic ideas into fully fledged business opportunities. To find out more visit www.rgu.ac.uk/business-incubator
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KEY FACTS
Alternative qualifications
Professional accreditation
Equivalent overseas qualifications and some access programmes will be considered.
The Honours degree is fully accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and receives excellent exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the Association of International Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. Students who enter the degree in years 2 or 3 are considered on an individual basis by the Professional Bodies.
Degree link programme Entry to year 3 of the course is possible if you’ve completed an HND in Accounting at one of our partner FE Colleges. (If you enter via this route, you won’t undertake a placement in year 3.) Study options Full-time: 4 years Placement A year’s paid placement in year 3 (minimum 48 weeks). This placement experience can count towards an ICAS training contract requirement.
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WHAT NEXT?
The next thing to do is talk to us. We can answer any questions you may have. Simply call us on 01224 262728 or email UGOffice@rgu.ac.uk We also provide a range of opportunities for you to visit us – so you can see what we can offer you ďŹ rst hand.
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This course guide is intended as a guide for applicants for courses delivered by Robert Gordon University. In compiling it the University has taken every care to be as accurate as possible, and the information in this course guide is correct at the time of going to print, but the course guide must be read as subject to change at any time and without notice. The University undertakes to make every reasonable effort to provide the teaching and academic facilities necessary for applicants’ programmes of study. However the University reserves the right, if such action is considered to be necessary, to make variations to fees and/or to vary the content or delivery method of any course at any time. In addition, the University may, at its sole discretion, discontinue or amalgamate any course(s). In these rare cases the University will notify applicants as soon as possible and reasonable steps will be taken to provide a suitable alternative to a discontinued course.
Open Day
Applicants’ Day
We organise two annual open days in October and November each year. It’s a perfect opportunity to visit us, meet the academic staff, experience the first-class facilities and talk to current students.
When you apply for any course at ABS, you’ll be invited to one of our course-specific Applicants’ Days.
For full details of dates and times, and to see a full programme please see www.rgu.ac.uk/openday.
We realise there’s a lot involved in making your final choice, so we hope to give you all the insight and information you need. Visit Afternoons We hold monthly Visit Afternoons. The visit includes a talk by an Education Liaison Officer, a tour of the facilities and a chance to speak to a lecturer about the course you’re interested in.
Aberdeen Business School Robert Gordon University Garthdee Road Aberdeen AB10 7QE Talk to us. We can answer any questions or queries you may have. Simply call us on 01224 262728, email UGOffice@rgu.ac.uk or visit us at rgu.ac.uk
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