Accounting and Financial Information Systems BA Hons Greenwich Campus gre.ac.uk/business
Why study this programme? The Business School has an excellent reputation in accounting and finance. We provide excellent opportunities for students to obtain the highest level of professional qualification exemptions available. We are also rated 4th for accounting and finance in London by the Guardian league table 2015. This programme, developed with professional accountancy bodies and City of London financial institutions, enables students to enhance their knowledge and skills in accounting, finance and information technology, as well as providing a broad foundation in key business areas. The City - a common shorthand description for the financial services sector - comprises a mixture of institutions providing services such as insurance, investment banking, asset management (including shares, bonds and trusts) and commercial banking. London has the largest foreign exchange centre in the world and is geographically ideally situated to trade with the world s other major financial centres during the business trading day. The accountancy, banking and finance sectors offer high salaries, making them a career of choice for graduates looking for rewarding jobs. This programme places emphasis on integrating accounting, financial and systems theory with the practical application of information technology skills using current business software. Information management and systems play a major role in the management of the finances of many organisations. On completing your second year, you will have the opportunity to undertake a sandwich year on an industrial placement. This will provide you with insights and experience that will aid both your final-year studies and your subsequent employment prospects.
Students are guided into taking the Bloomberg Attitudinal Test (BAT) which is a global online test to assess their financial knowledge, aptitude and career skills. The BAT is an online test which is aimed at helping students and recent alumni connect with financial employers worldwide. Employers want graduates to have distinctive, relevant experience. Our Greenwich Employability Passport scheme is designed to recognise and reward extra-curricular activities such as part-time work, volunteering, society membership, or attending our special guest lectures, to help give you a competitive edge in the job market. Why study with us? The Business School is renowned for high teaching standards. Our staff s wealth of international business knowledge and experience in industry is combined with the commitment to support the learning of each student. Our specialist Department of Accounting & Finance is one of the largest accounting and finance departments in the UK with around 30 academic members of staff and a large number of visiting academics. We offer a wide range of programmes and courses in accounting, audit, tax, accounting information systems, accounting applications, quantitative methods and analysis, financial management, risk management, financial services, banking, financial markets and institutions, and financial modelling. Members of the department maintain close links with UK and international financial institutions, professional bodies, corporations and consultancies to ensure we offer highly relevant and academically stimulating programmes that meet employers needs. Our undergraduate programmes have received the maximum levels of accreditation from the major professional bodies, including The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and The Association of International Accountants. Our Centre for Governance, Risk & Accountability produces cutting-edge research and is actively engaged on projects with industry, the public sector and local businesses. The Greenwich Campus is based on a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the banks of the River Thames. The university s largest campus, it is centred on three baroque buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren at the end of the 17th century. The surrounding town is a bustling mix of markets, shops, restaurants and pubs, as well as some of the most famous museums and tourist attractions in the country. By train, central London is only ten minutes away. My tutors were always approachable and prompt in replying to any given queries within the established communication channels. The research and other facilities provided to students were excellent and commendable. Jerome Anthony Adams BA Hons Finance and Financial Information Systems
What courses will you study? Year 1 Introduction to Financial Accounting (30 credits) This course will give you a comprehensive introduction to the principles, concepts and techniques of financial accounting. You will develop an understanding of the main financial statements required of a business organisation. You will also be introduced to the requirements of the different stakeholder groups. Management Accounting and Ethics in Organisations (30 credits) This course will provide an introduction to management accounting, which is concerned with the analysis of costs, planning and control, and all internal operations within an organisation. Management accounting is more than numbers. You will discover how it forms the basis of decision making which is heavily influenced by an organisation s ethical stance. Quantitative Analysis and Systems (30 credits) This course will develop your analytical skills to build arguments and justify conclusions by using both numerical information and published material as source information. It will outline ways and means by which data and information is gathered, generated, stored and processed in typical business organisations before learning how to analyse that data using mathematical and statistical skills. Business and the Financial Environment (15 credits) This course will integrate the basic subject topics of economics and finance and will give you a sound awareness of factors affecting businesses. It will also provide a firm foundation for understanding the role of the financial system and institutions in the economy. Personal and Professional Development (15 credits) This course will help you to improve your academic skills, such as independent and self-directed learning, so you can gain the most benefit from the academic learning process. In addition, you will develop employability skills required for the accounting and finance professions. Year 2 Computing and Financial Applications (30 credits) The first half of this course will introduce you to the principles of financial information technology. The second half will build upon the skills acquired in the first half and introduce theoretical concepts from other courses so you can start using and building financial software models. Management Accounting and Control Systems (15 credits) This course will equip you with an understanding of a wide range of accounting techniques used by management for the purposes of planning and control. It will increase your understanding of management accounting within organisations.
Information Systems (30 credits) This course will prepare you to become a manager who is able to critically assess the impact and effective use of information systems in organisations for competitive advantage. This broad-based course also explores how the use of information systems in organisations has evolved. Research and Professional Development (15 credits) This course will give you an awareness of the skills, knowledge and personal qualities required for seeking graduate employment. It will focus on developing your interpersonal and communication skills and enable you to reflect on your own employability performance. Option courses (30 credits) One 30-credit option from: Administration, Accounting and Taxation for Small Entities; Banking: Principles, Practice and Regulation; Taxation; Managing Business Finance; Financial Markets, Instruments and Institutions; Islamic Banking and Finance 1; Business and Company Law; European Language; OR two 15-credit options from: Management Accounting Control Systems 2; Project Management (Finance Track); Internationalisation, Trade and Markets; Business Law.
Optional Sandwich Year You can undertake a work placement in your third year. This will help you further increase your career prospects and earning potential by giving you practical experience and industry insight. The Business School Employability Office can help you find suitable placement opportunities as well as giving practical advice on writing CVs and preparing you for assessment centres and interviews. Previous students secured placements with organisations such as the NHS, Walt Disney, SilverDoor and Harans and Co (Chartered Accountants). I managed to secure an internship at IBM UK, which I considered a great feature in my university career. The guidance given to me by the Placements Office, in this regard, under the Sandwich Programme scheme was greatly appreciated. My interpersonal skills and selfconfidence have soared equipping me for any business and professional undertaking. Indeed, the experience I have had at the University of Greenwich is truly magnificent and one I will treasure for life. Jerome Anthony Adams, BA Hons Finance and Financial Information Systems Final Year Designing Financial Applications (30 credits) Today s business computer users are increasingly expected to develop their own software applications. This course explores the abilities that users must cultivate, such as the ability to recognise whether it is feasible to develop a system themselves, what the alternatives are, and how to support a system so that others can use it effectively. Dissertation (30 credits) The dissertation project will form a key element of your degree. It is the point at which the knowledge and understanding you have acquired through the earlier taught courses will be synthesised and applied to a theoretical problem. To reach this level of study, you will have successfully completed the taught course on research methods and design. Strategic Financial Management (30 credits) This course will address the traditional conflict between corporate strategy and financial management. Business strategy deals with creating the future, and the future is by definition uncertain. Corporate strategy is forward looking and focuses on choices between alternatives and deals in mainly, but not exclusively, qualitative issues. Financial management is by definition quantitative and seeks to be a more precise discipline. Option courses (30 credits) One 30-credit option from: Administration, Accounting and Taxation for Small Entities; Banking: Principles, Practices and Regulation; E-Business; Ethics and Corporate Governance; Managing Business Finance; Taxation; A Language; OR the following two 15-credit options: Internationalisation, Trade and Markets; Current Issues in Management Accounting for Business. Career opportunities Graduates may pursue business and finance analyst positions, financial modelling in large organisations, specialist finance or
accountancy trainee positions, consultancy and general business management. Teaching and assessment University of Greenwich lecturers have sector-specific experience, as well as excellent academic credentials. This programme is taught using a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, case studies and presentations. Innovative teaching methods used to provide students with regular lab sessions. This includes integrating laboratory exercises based on SAGE 50 Accounts. Other opportunities include optional International Association of Book-keepers accreditation for an additional fee. Courses combine a strong commercial orientation with academic rigour. You will be assessed through assignments, examinations and presentations. Professional recognition Upon completion of this degree, and having completed any prerequisite option courses, you will be exempt from the following: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants five of nine foundation-level papers Chartered Institute of Management Accountants all five certificate-level papers and one of six managerial-level papers Association of International Accountants foundation-level papers 1 to 6 Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy four of 12 papers. Financial information For information on tuition fees and financial help, please visit gre.ac.uk/finance. Key facts UCAS code: NN43 G BA/AFIS Attendance: 3 years full-time, 4 years sandwich, 6 years part-time Entry requirements: You should have: 280 UCAS points FROM at least two A-levels or equivalent. If you were educated in a language other than English and/or in a country where English speakers are in a minority, you should have a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each skill) or an equivalent rating in another Secure English Language Test. If you have an overall IELTS score of 5.0 or 5.5, you can undertake one of our five- or nine-week pre-sessional English programmes designed to help you improve your academic English before starting your degree studies. Applicants with four or more years of fulltime work experience are considered on an individual basis. Direct entry into the second or third year is available for suitably qualified students. How to apply: Full-time students Home and EU students must apply through UCAS. Please carefully consider the programmes available and apply as early as possible. For further information and UCAS deadlines, please visit www.ucas.com. International students should apply online at gre.ac.uk/apply. For further information, e-mail international@gre.ac.uk. Part-time students Part-time students must apply online at gre.ac.uk/apply.
Your next step University Open Days are held several times a year. They include a programme of talks and offer you the opportunity to speak to staff and students. You may also be given a tour of the campus. Dates can be found at gre.ac.uk/opendays, or contact the Enquiry Unit or International Office for further information. Why not sign up as a Greenwich VIP and create your own Greenwich web page, personalised to your choice of programme and interests? Becoming a Greenwich VIP is a fast route to ordering our publications, booking a place on an Open Day and finding out more about the university. You can also receive text and e-mail alerts, and enter our online competitions. Please sign up at gre.ac.uk/study. Department of Accounting & Finance University of Greenwich Greenwich Campus Old Royal Naval College Park Row London SE10 9LS For further information To find out more about studying at the University of Greenwich, please visit greenwich.ac.uk. UK students Enquiry Unit Telephone: 020 8331 9000 Fax: 020 8331 8145 E-mail: courseinfo@gre.ac.uk International/EU students International Office Telephone: +44 20 8331 8136 Fax: +44 20 8331 8625 E-mail: international@gre.ac.uk This document is available in other formats on request University of Greenwich, a charity and company limited by guarantee, registered in England (reg. no. 986729). Registered office: Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, Greenwich, London SE10 9LS The university reserves the right to discontinue any class or programme, to alter any programme or to amend without notice any other information detailed here. D11264-14 November 14