Accounting and Finance

Accounting and finance provide the technical foundation and analytical tools on which organisations in every sector depend for managing resources, evaluating performance, and making informed decisions. At Birkbeck College, the BSc Accounting and Finance is a programme that develops both quantitative and analytical skills for careers in accountancy alongside a range of transferable competencies in decision-making, management, and perceptive analysis. Birkbeck's distinctive character as a university designed for working adults means that the degree is structured to be accessible to students who are combining study with employment or other commitments.

The programme covers financial accounting, management accounting, finance theory, and the quantitative methods that underpin financial analysis. You will develop the ability to prepare and interpret financial statements, to apply management accounting techniques to business decisions, to understand the structure of financial markets and instruments, and to evaluate financial risk and return. The analytical and critical thinking skills that serious accounting and finance education develops are as important as the technical content: the degree prepares you not just to apply established methods but to evaluate their appropriateness in different contexts and to exercise the kind of professional judgment that employers and the accounting profession require.

Graduates of accounting and finance programmes work across the full range of sectors that require financial expertise. Public accounting firms, corporate finance departments, investment and asset management, banking, management consultancy, regulatory agencies, and the public sector all recruit accounting and finance graduates in substantial numbers. Many graduates pursue professional qualifications with chartered accountancy bodies, and the academic content of a well-designed degree often provides partial exemptions from professional examinations.

Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in finance, accounting, or related fields. Birkbeck's London location provides access to the financial and professional services sector, and the programme is designed to serve students who are already building careers in this environment alongside their studies.