Business and Financial Management BA (Hons)

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Gain a solid business education with a focus on finance. Undertake a paid placement. Graduate and start a rewarding career.

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Overview

BA (Hons) Business and Financial Management focuses on specialist modules including financial accounting, management accounting, business finance, financial management, strategic management accounting and international financial reporting.

Financial management is an essential part of any successful business. This course will teach the framework of managing business finances. It can also be the first step to qualification as an accountant.

Why us?

  • This course has over 90% Overall Satisfaction according to the National Student Survey 2018
  • Our Business, Management and Marketing courses are best in the UK for Spend per student and 7th in UK for Satisfaction with feedback according to The Guardian University league tables 2018
  • The Sunderland Business School is a member of ‘The Association of Business Schools’
  • Our Business courses were ranked 3rd overall in the UK in the 2018 UK Engagement Survey
  • Our Business courses were ranked 4th in the UK for Assessment and, 2nd in the UK for Retention and Progression, and 3rd in the UK for Employability in the 2018 UK Engagement Survey
  • Covers key aspects of accounting and finance within a business decision making context
  • Integrates employability within the programme as a core theme
  • Examines business and finance from a national and international perspective
  • 92% of our BA (Hons) Business and Financial Management graduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduating, according to DLHE 2015/16 (based on UK students)
  • 'World-leading' research in Business according to the Latest Research Excellence Framework (REF)

Course structure

Throughout the course the focus is on innovative teaching and learning by doing and reflecting. One technique is problem-based learning, where you work within a small team to explore issues or decide how to manage a situation. This helps you to dissect, challenge and debate issues. Other learning techniques include company visits, guest speakers and cutting-edge e-learning technologies. These are in addition to a combination of lectures, seminars, debates, tutorials and workshops.

Our assessment methods often include coursework and are designed to help consolidate learning. Other methods include assessed case studies and business simulations, presentations, reports, essays, tests and time-constrained assessments.

Year 1 (national level 4):

  • Essential Study and Employment Skills
  • Introduction to Marketing
  • Introduction to HRM and Talent Development
  • Introduction to Accounting and Finance
  • Introduction to Managing and Leading People
  • Introduction to Business Operations and Services

 

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Read more

Year 2 (national level 5):

  • Personal and Professional Development
  • Quality Management for Organisational Excellence
  • Business ESR
  • Financial Reporting for Business
  • Management Accounting for Business
  • Fundamentals of Business Finance
Read more

Year 3:

Work placement (optional)


Final year (national level 6):

  • Developing the Reflexive Practitioner
  • Strategic Corporate Finance
  • Strategic Management Accounting
  • International Financial Reporting
  • Money, Banking and Finance
  • Corporate Governance and Ethics

 

Read more

The Reg Vardy Centre,
Sir Tom Cowie Campus,
Sunderland,
SR6 0DD

54.912052,-1.374524

  • You can access free Wi-Fi throughout the University campus, so you can work from anywhere. If you don't want to carry a laptop around, just use one of the University’s PCs or Apple Macs. We have hundreds of computers for you to use in the Murray Library, St Peter's Library, and the David Goldman Informatics Centre. If you ever have any technical problems, just ask the friendly helpdesk team.

    IT provision

  • The St Peter’s Library contains over 31,000 books related to business, economics, management, human resources, marketing, strategy and tourism.

    Added to this, you’ll benefit from a wide range of journals and periodicals in the St Peter’s Library, many of them in an online format. To help you make the most of the wealth of resources, there’s a full-time librarian who is dedicated to the Business and Tourism sections.

    Further resources are available at the main Murray Library, which has a total of over 430,000 books with many more available through the inter-library loan service.

    Library Services - business and tourism

Facilities

 
You'll be based at The Reg Vardy Centre, on the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s. It’s a modern building with great views of the River Wear, and just a few minutes’ walk from the coast.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer will be in the region of 112 points from a minimum of two A Levels or equivalent (for example 1 x AVCE double award). 

We accept a maximum of 6 points from Level 3 Key Skills qualifications

We also require three passes at GCSE grade C or above, which must include Mathematics and English Language, or a minimum of Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number. If you have studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a grade 4 or above.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Fees and finance

The annual fee for this course is:

  • £9,250 if you are from the UK/EU
  • £10,750 if you are an international student

If you are not sure whether you qualify as a UK, EU or international student, find out more in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

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This information was correct at the time of publication.

Students graduating at the Stadium of Light

Employment

When you graduate from this course you’ll be ready to take on a position managing finances and accounts in a wide variety of organisations. You may also wish to become a qualified accountant. Some of the companies which employ our Business graduates include: Microsoft, IBM, Nike, Adidas, P&G, Lloyds TSB, Marriott Hotels, and the NHS.

Paid placements

To further enhance employability we encourage you to undertake a 48-week placement between your second and final year. It effectively becomes a third year of a four-year course. Placements are paid, with an average salary of £14,000-£18,000 a year depending on your location.

Placements are an excellent opportunity to put your learning into practice and understand the context for your new knowledge. The contacts made during placements can also be valuable for future job offers.

Recent placement employers include: IBM, Procter & Gamble, BT, Nissan, Marriott Hotels, PricewaterCoopers and Adidas.

Student Business Society

The University supports student-led initiatives that help you gain practical experience of management. The Business Student Society organises events and guest speakers, as well as attending tours of various companies. With its professional approach, it’s a great way to put into practice the lessons about how to make organisations function effectively. There is something for every student who is studying a subject related to business.

Career destinations

94% of graduates are in employment or further study within six months of graduating in, according to the Latest Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey. Examples of companies that have recruited students from Sunderland include leading names in IT (Microsoft, IBM), consumer goods (P&G, Nike, Adidas), banking (Lloyds TSB), hospitality (Marriott Hotels, Starbucks), and the public sector (NHS).

Guest speakers

Our invitations to guest speakers allow you to listen to people who are already in the type of management position that you may one day hold. Recent speakers include Maurice Duffy, CEO of Global Blackswan, Mike Johnson, CEO of Castrol and Executive Vice President of BP, Uday K. Dholakia, Senior Partner of Global Consulting, Neil Stephenson, CEO of ONYX, James Ramsbotham, CEO of the North East Chamber of Commerce, as well as other representatives from a number of our region’s largest employers.

Visiting speakers help you relate academic learning to the real experience of people who have already progressed in their careers. It’s all part of broadening your learning so that you’re prepared not just for exams but for life.

  • Sunderland has excellent facilities and lecturers provide a first-rate standard of teaching.
    Gary Waller

    Gary Waller

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Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

BA (Hons) Business and Financial Management - programme specification (.pdf)

Page last updated: 14 August 2018

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