Accounting and Finance (with a professional placement year) (2015 entry)

BSc (Hons), 4 years, UCAS: NN4H
Typical A level offer: AAB-ABB

Subject overview

Why business, management, accounting and finance?

How is the world of work and business changing? How do global markets operate, how can we make use of them and what do ethical business and entrepreneurship really mean? These are some of the key questions you investigate when studying business, management, accounting and finance, which involve the application of both practical and conceptual knowledge. As organisations seek to meet business challenges, their futures will increasingly depend on the abilities of their staff. Gaining a business, management, accounting and finance qualification opens doors to new opportunities. 

Why business, management, accounting and finance at Sussex?

    • In the 2013 National Student Survey (NSS), our students rated management studies at Sussex in the top 5 among comparable UK institutions for access to specialised equipment, facilities or rooms. 
    • You will benefit from an interdisciplinary approach to study within an area that is a strong priority for the University. Our School includes the Department of Business and Management, the Department of Economics and SPRU – Science and Technology Policy Research and is housed in the Jubilee Building, which includes two lecture theatres, specialist teaching facilities, a café and social spaces. 
    • Our graduates are highly employable with 85 per cent in work or further study six months after graduation (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey 2012). We offer four-year versions of most of our courses, involving a professional placement year in Year 3. 

Visit Department of Business and Management: Placements

Accreditation

ACCA logo ICAEW logo Our BSc in Accounting and Finance (with a professional placement year) has achieved four paper exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). These exemptions give our graduates a head start in careers as qualified accountants by allowing them to achieve professional status faster. As a student on the BSc in Accounting and Finance (with a professional placement year), you also benefit from a learning partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).


John's faculty perspective

John Bateman

‘Choosing to study for a degree is a big step – studying for one of our degrees is a big step in the right direction.

‘My own path to Sussex was via a number of other educational institutions. I have also acted as a consultant to the UK’s Treasury and have been involved in the governance of a local authority. This made clear to me that graduates with an awareness of the social responsibilities of business are needed in organisations of all kinds.

‘My colleagues are both research-active academics and high-calibre business practitioners. I think our students benefit from this synergy. We design our courses to be relevant to the needs of industry but also to equip our students with the skills to handle the challenges of the working world.’

John Bateman
Director of Undergraduate Courses in Business and
Management,
University of Sussex

Course content

This course has recently been redesigned to include specialist first-year modules in financial and management accounting, and in finance. Combined with the study of law, economics and business management, this provides you with a firm foundation for the further study of accounting and finance that satisfies professional accreditation requirements. 

We continue to develop and update our modules for 2015 entry to ensure you have the best student experience. In addition to the course structure below, you may find it helpful to refer to the Modules tab.

How will I learn?

You learn through a mix of lectures, seminars and workshops, discussing business issues and applying analysis and techniques to current high-profile businesses and also to case studies. Seminars allow you to talk through ideas with fellow students and to develop your thinking and knowledge. The seminar format encourages you to present in a group setting, which builds the valuable skills of confidence and articulacy. Your work is assessed via individual and group projects, essays and examinations.

For information on teaching methods and learning resources, visit Studying at Sussex

What will I achieve?
  • a clear sense of the organisational environment in the 21st century and readiness to take on employment in a management position 
  • in-depth knowledge of modern approaches to business, management and finance, and an understanding of the relationship between people, organisations and business and management in different organisational structures 
  • an understanding of financial requirements for business, including published financial information, and an ability to assess the financial performance of companies. 

Sussex Choice

Broaden your studies, develop your interests and gain a valuable career edge with Sussex Choice. Find out about the opportunities your course offers in the accompanying tabs.

Core content

Year 1 

You take Introduction to Business and Management • Introduction to Business Law • Introduction to Economics • Introduction to Financial Accounting • Introduction to Management Accounting • Principles of Finance • Theory of Investments.

Year 2 

You take Corporate Finance • Financial Accounting and Reporting • Financial Institutions and Markets • Management Accounting and Information Systems • Statistics for Economics and Finance. You may also choose options such as Taxation.

Professional placement year (optional) 

We offer four-year versions of most of our courses, which involve a professional placement year in Year 3. We assist you in finding a suitable placement. To be considered for a professional placement, you must achieve suitable academic progress in Years 1 and 2 of your course, have strong work ethics and a good spread of A level results. Alternatively, you can organise your own placement. Students on our corresponding three-year courses may opt to undertake a professional placement year and must then transfer from the three-year to the four-year course in Year 2. The opportunity to transfer is subject to the availability of a suitable professional placement opportunity. Students on our corresponding three-year courses may also be able to arrange short summer placements at the end of their second year. 

Visit Department of Business and Management: Placements

Final year 

You take Advanced Financial Accounting • Advanced Management Accounting • Corporate Social Responsibility • Strategy. You also choose options from a list including Auditing • Law of Business Organisations • Mergers and Acquisitions • Regulation of Financial Markets and Institutions. 

Visit Course types: single honours, joint honours, major/minor

Back to module list

Economic Foundations of Finance

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Introduction to Business and Management

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Introduction to Business and Management is an introductory study of contemporary organisations and their management. It explores the types of purposes of organisations, their stakeholders (CSR) and changing environments together with their key managerial processes – entrepreneurship, organisational structure, leading, strategic planning and change.

The focus throughout is on helping you achieve a critical and reflective approach, and learning to apply relevant concepts, tools and models.

The coursework component of assessment requires you to choose an organisation that is of interest to you and to explore, critically, the way in which it handles a process of your choice. You are supported in this by the submission of a structured proposal on which formative feedback is given.

Seminar activities are participative and require preparatory work which is signposted though downloads and links on Study Direct well in advance.

Lectures are interactive, employing the use of quizzes and featuring clips from YouTube, such as Dragons' Den excerpts.

An unseen examination completes the assessment profile and you tackle a case study (which revisits keys concepts) in the final seminar as a formative exercise.

The module provides a platform for later study by encouraging skills in critical thinking, academic writing, concept acquisition and research. Introduction to Business and Management aims to facilitate the transition to university-level learning smoothly, meaningfully and enjoyably.

Introduction to Financial Accounting

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Accounting is the 'language for all business', which translates information about organisations to users for the purposes of control, financial performance assessment and valuation.

This module is designed to teach you how to understand this language and be able to communicate in it. It will equip you with an understanding of the major accounting concepts, the necessary skills, knowledge and insights to understand how and why financial statements are created and how they have developed.

You will be exposed to how financial transactions and events are recorded, and will learn how to compile rudimentary financial statements for various business entities.

Introduction to Management Accounting

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Introduction to Mathematics for Finance and Economics

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module introduces you to the basic mathematical methods and techniques used in economic analysis, and will enable you to use these skills independently and with confident. These skills also have a transferable content and are useful in other disciplines and applications.

Introduction to Statistics

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Principles of Finance

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Theory of Investments

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Accounting Information Systems

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

Corporate and International Finance

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

Financial Accounting and Reporting

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

This module covers International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and International Accounting Standards (IAS). It provides a balanced and comprehensive framework to enable you to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills to appraise Generally Accepted Accounting Practice critically and to evaluate proposed changes from a theoretical base.

Financial Institutions and Markets

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

This module introduces the various types of financial institutions and their role in society including banks, insurance companies and investment managers. It then provides an overview of the major financial markets and products and how these are related to each other and to the institutions introduced earlier. Finally, behaviour of financial institutions and ethical principles of finance are discussed. A provisional outline of lectures, including one revision lecture at the end, is as follows:

  1. Introduction and purpose of module: overview of lectures, textbook, interplay with other courses, finance as an occupation, philanthropy and origins of finance
  2. Commercial banks: origins, adverse selection and moral hazard, operational risks, capital adequacy, regulation, deposit insurance and Sharia/Islamic finance
  3. Investment banks: importance in markets and society, secret of high profit, divisional analysis, shadow finance and leasing
  4. Insurance: origins, life and health, principal-agent problem, AIG blow-up and regulations
  5. Investment managers: 40 Act, mutual funds, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital
  6. Debt markets: term structure, leverage cycle, rating agencies, usury and consumer finance protection
  7. Equity markets: corporations, stock exchanges and capital raising
  8. Real estate:REITs, mortgages, securitisation, boom and bust cycles and specialty finance
  9. Derivatives:options, forwards, futures, arbitrage and hedging risks
  10. Crises and regulation: recent financial crisis, historical perspectives and attempts at regulatory reform
  11. Capitalism and ethics: morality of finance, 'doing God's work' and different political frameworks
  12. Revision

Introduction to Business Law

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

This module aims to develop knowledge and skills in the understanding of the general legal framework, and of specific legal areas relating to business.

The module is divided into four parts:

  1. the English legal system
  2. contractual obligations
  3. tortious liability; and
  4. the contract of employment.

Management Accounting

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module, whilst considering contemporary debates and controversies, will equip you with an appreication of the traditional management accounting techniques and consider their applicability, strengths and weaknesses. Through an exploration of ‘new’ techniques including those employing Information Technology, develop an understanding of current and future directions in the field.

Principles of Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module explores the causes and effects of human interaction in an organisation and how humans at individual, group and organisational level influence organisations. Organisational performance depends on appropriate incentives to individuals, developing effective teams, designing an attractive job environment and managing organisational structure.

Focusing on these issues, the module is divided into four themes based on the level of analysis:

  • individual – we will look at the individual's contribution to organisation and the factors affecting their behaviour
  • group – the nature and significance of groups in organisations will be discussed and the range of skills required for effective team work and factors affecting working in groups will also be explored
  • organisational – organisational design and culture, inspiring workers through norms, beliefs and behaviour, and management in the work place will be explained
  • human resource management – we will examine the aspects of developing human capital through recruitment, training, development and reward, which will create a sustainable commitment to organisational goals and to ensure high performance.

There will be two forms of assessment for this module with an equal weighting for coursework and an unseen exam. The coursework component will invovle a Group Report analysing concepts of human resource management and organisational behaviour in a chosen organisation. Formative feedback for this assessment will be provided by peers and tutors on the work-in-progress presentation of this report in seminars.

An unseen exam at the end of the term will cover the remaining assessment. You will participate in a role playing game in your final seminar analysing and discussing the concepts taught during the lecture as a formative exercise.

Introduction to Econometrics (level 5)

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

Taxation

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

You will develop the skills to compute taxes for individuals, single companies and groups of companies. Issues involved in preparing taxes for corporations engaged in International Trade and for Multinational Corporations will also be covered.

Advanced Financial Accounting

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 4

This module expands upon the framework of financial reporting considering contemporary debates and controversies.
The developing nature of regulatory regimes associated with financial reporting in an International context will be explored as will the role of social and environmental issues within corporate reporting.
The reliability and usefullness of reporting from the point of view of a range of stakeholders with particular reference to Taxation authorities will be considered.
Current Taxation processes and procedures will be evaluated in the context of both local and global policies and regulatory frameworks.

Advanced Management Accounting

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 4

Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

The module aims to provide an investigation of the relationship between organisations and their stakeholder groups, and the social accountability and responsibilities that a corporation holds towards different stakeholders.

The module will introduce you to concepts of corporate governance, socially responsible investment and ethical issues relevant to contemporary business. It will be contemporary, interesting, stretching and relevant, and should build on and integrate with other modules that you have taken and/or are taking.

Applied Econometrics

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

This module examines in greater depth topics covered in the Introduction to Econometrics module. The module explores the analysis of time series data with particular reference to unit root testing, cointegration and dynamic modelling, and also examines the use of models with limited dependent variables (eg the probit model).

Auditing

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 4

Business Strategy Report

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

This module provides the opportunity for you to prepare a report on the strategic position of a business or organisation (governmental or not-for-profit) of your choice. You will have the chance to integrate the skills you have developed in your previous modules into one extended research project.

The project requires you to research the strategic position (including market environment, resources and cababilities) of an organisation. Based on this analysis, you will propose a strategy for the organisation over the next five years.

The final report should reflect your research skills and understanding of previous course material. During the first two weeks of the module, you will receive research methods training, supplementing the Research Methods module in the second year.

Critical Perspectives on Management and Organisations

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 4

This module aims to introduce you to a number of advanced topics in the field of organisation and management studies. It draws upon contemporary research and adopts a critical and analytical perspective to study complex issues that surround the management of organisations today.

Some of the topics that will be covered are:

  1. Organising in post-modernity
  2. Unpacking the foundations of institutions
  3. The turn to (theory and strategy of) Practice
  4. Managing boundaries
  5. Organisational identity & Organising Identity
  6. Sense making in organisations and organisational learning
  7. Power/Knowledge, Resistance and Politics in organisations
  8. Management fads & fashions

Financial Derivatives

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

Innovation Systems

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

Science, technology and innovation (STI) play fundamental roles in our societies. STI are pervasive in our lifestyles and our social organisation and crucial for economic growth. However, until a few years ago science and technology had been regarded as external factors that social actors used at convenience without inquiring how they were created. 

In this module we will explore how science and technology are shaped by social forces and how science and technology shape social phenomena. The processes by which socio-economic and technological phenomena shape each other are complex and dependent on historical circumstances. In order to try to see through this complexity we will adopt systemic approaches taking on economic and sociological perspectives.

Innovation system and network approaches look into how various socio-economic actors (university, small spin-off firms, large corporations, governmental agencies, activist organisations and the wider public) interact with each other. For example, these interactions may lead to knowledge transfer, may result in the construction of new regulatory regimes or may lead to political conflicts. 

This module aims to 'open up' the black box of how science, technology and innovation (STI) to understand their emergence and show that STI can be created, directed and managed for diverse purposes, encouraging critical views on past and current STI uses.

Knowledge, work and organisations

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

This module looks at the pivotal role that knowledge workers play in the creation, application and diffusion of knowledge within and between firms.

You will consider new approaches to managing learning processes in the firm, including developments such as knowledge management and communities of practice, and the novel organisational structures that have emerged to coordinate knowledge-­work activity.

You will explore the diffusion of knowledge between firms through different types of knowledge-worker communities and networks, as well as the role of labour mobility. You will also consider how certain skills are emerging to play a critical role in the knowledge economy - for example, consulting services and knowledge brokering. Finally, you will consider how labour market institutions that impact careers, skills and training of knowledge workers, shape different approaches to knowledge generation. 

Law of Business Organisations

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

This module aims to develop knowledge and skills in relation to the law of business organisations including the formation and constitution of business organisations, the financing of companies and the management, administration and regulation of companies.

Managing Change

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 4

This module will provide you with detailed theoretical and practical knowledge of how to manage change in a variety of contexts. You will examine the principles of managing change at a number of levels, building progressively throughout the module from looking at individual change, to team change, and organisational change up to complex change at the meso-macro level in complex economic systems (eg large projects of regional, or even national importance).

Within this continuum, topics to be addressed include: cognitive and psychodynamic theories of change, the constitution of teams and their dynamics, models and approaches to organisational change (including cultural change, restructuring, and mergers/acquisitions). The application of specific tools for change will also be a key feature of the course, including tools for planning and project management, as well as team member/stakeholder engagement techniques.

You will engage with theoretical concepts and real-life, empircal case material. These will form the main focus of the interactive seminars, which will employ diverse methods (role-plays, debates, presentations, team-based problem solving) to discuss case studies and to help you gain practical skills from applying tools for managing change.

An assessed feasibility study project will provide an opportunity to operationalise course learning towards practical tasks as well as demonstrating your understanding and process ahead of the unseen exam. The Lecture titles are:

  • Understanding Change in the Individual
  • Change in Teams and Teams for Change
  • From Ad hoc to Scientific Management (the Classical School)
  • From Certainty to Contingency
  • In search of new paradigms
  • Critical perspectives on organisational theory - postmodernism, realism and complexity theory
  • Culture, Power Politics and Choice
  • Planned and Emergent Change
  • A Framework for Change
  • Manging Change, Managing Choice
  • Technological transitions
  • Technological revolutions

New Venture Creation and Business Planning

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

This module delivers a systematic understanding of the integrated component parts that constitute a start-up enterprise. It begins with an overview of the entrepreneurial attributes that underpin the development and implementation of an enterprise. Theoretical perspectives of entrepreneurship and models for assessing added value will form the basis of analysis of the process of start-ups. The module assists students in understanding strategic issues using appropriate frameworks to critically evaluate how entrepreneurs undertake the development of functional processes and to make informed strategic decisions. The theoretical underpinnings will also facilitate analysis of start-ups in a global market environment. Leading on from this, students will develop a critical understanding of the key processes involved in start-ups including web design, marketing, customer relationships, security and legal and ethical issues. The academic rigour of the module is enhanced by the linking application with the use of theory as presented in business models, and business plans.

Outline content

The business planning process
Idea generation / development / evaluation
Market identification including exposure to market players
Researching the resources required including equipment, people, funding, seed corn, angle funds,
Segmentation / positioning & differentiation / targeting
Developing the marketing mix (7 P's),
Use of technology to enable the business
Financial planning leading to development of financial statements and realistic related assumptions
Government, Regional and professional organisations/body support systems

Principles of Banking

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 4

This module is an introduction to both theoretical and practical issues related to the modern banking business and begins with an overview of the role and genesis of the financial system and the nature of financial intermediation. It covers the main characteristics and types of banks (eg commercial and mutual, retail and wholesale, role of central banks) and analyses recent trends and developments in banking markets. The module also explores the main items contained in banks’ financial statements and explains how to assess bank performance by using basic financial ratios.

The second part of the module focuses on the main risks of banking, with particular reference to credit risk and liquidity risk, and outlines elementary risk management, and asset and liability management techniques. Moreover, it examines the rationale for bank regulation and distinguishes between the different types of regulation, especially in relation to the recent financial crisis. Particular reference is made to the latest development on Basel III and Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The following topics will be covered:

  1. Banking Activities and the type of banking
  2. Theory of central bank and monetary policy
  3. Banks' balance sheet and income structure
  4. Managing Banks
  5. Banking Industry: Structure and Competition
  6. Banking risk management
  7. Banking crisis in 2008
  8. Bank regulation and supervision

Research Project

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 4

This module provides the opportunity for you to undertake a significant and independent research project. This may be a dissertation in the form of a literature-based analysis of a research problem, or a dissertation in which some primary empirical data is collected and synthesised by you. In BOTH cases, the dissertation is expected to address clear research questions. The research project provides you with the opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge from the degree programme, and to develop research skills. During the first four weeks of the course you will receive research methods training, supplementing the research skills acquired in their first year. Thereafter, you will meet twice a term with an assigned project supervisor.

Strategy

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 4

This is a final-year integrative module in strategy, which develops your understanding and skills as a prospective future manager, specifically for formulating an organisation's overall strategic direction.

The module will help you to develop an understanding of the different approaches to strategy: how choices are made between different possible approaches; the content in which choices are made; and how strategies and structures are designed and implemented.

This module will complement and build on the various management skills already developed through earlier business and management modules.

Back to module list

Professional placement

The majority of our courses offer you the opportunity to do a placement year (40 weeks’ work), allowing you to gain valuable work experience and significantly improve your employability after you graduate. Companies our students are currently on placements with include L'Oréal, American Express, Virgin, GSK and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The placement is in Year 3 and you will earn a salary from the placement employer, normally in the region of £12,000 to £15,000. To be considered for a professional placement, you must achieve good academic results in the first two years of your course and have a strong work ethic. 

It is possible to transfer from one of our three-year courses to a four-year course incorporating a placement year, subject to availability. If you prefer, you can organise your own placement, subject to the Department's endorsement.

Visit Study abroad and placements tuition fees and costs

Visit Department of Business and Management: Placements

Key facts

  • enhance your employability: more than 80 per cent of employers surveyed said they actively sought graduates who had studied abroad (QS Global Employer Survey Report 2011)
  • one of the best-supported study abroad programmes in the UK
  • develop an international perspective at an overseas university in Asia, Australia, Europe or North, Central and South America 

Visit International and Study Abroad: Destinations

Career benefits of studying abroad

Studying abroad makes you stand out from other students when entering the job market. Following a period living and studying abroad, you will return with increased confidence and independence, adept at problemsolving and decision-making. You will have made a new network of friends and may have improved your current language skills or learnt a new language. Employers highly rate these skills as they can be applied in today’s global career paths.

Sussex recognises the value of language skills in preparing its students to become global citizens: as well as our dual-language courses (vist the Languages subject area), we offer students in most subjects the opportunity to take language electives as part of their single-honours courses (visit Sussex Choice: make the most of your course).

After studying abroad, some of our graduates have gone on to careers as translators • sales and marketing professionals • international recruitment consultants • Refugee Projects co-ordinator for the British Red Cross abroad • a CNN presenter • international mortgage administrators • teachers of English in Venezuela, Spain, Germany, Japan and France.

We offer a huge range of destinations across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North, Central and South America. 

Erasmus+

Erasmus +We offer one of the best-supported European study abroad programmes of any UK university. Pioneered independently by Sussex in the 1960s, our study abroad scheme is supported by the European Commission through Erasmus+. Students on this programme usually benefit from nonmeans- tested grants. 

Visit British Council: Erasmus

Study abroad duration and destinations

If you are taking a course with an American Studies component, a dual-language course, or one of our joint courses involving a language, you spend Year 3 of your four-year course abroad. Students from most other courses can apply to do a study-abroad period during their degree. 

View our course listings at Undergraduate study

American Studies students study at one of a range of universities across North America. Language-degree students study at a university in Europe (or La Réunion or Québec, Canada, for French, and Latin America for Spanish) where their language of study is spoken. Language students can also apply to the language assistant scheme managed by the British Council for their year abroad.

Visit British Council: Language assistants

A growing number of overseas universities now have courses taught in English, which enables Sussex students without the necessary language skills to study abroad. Students can also take Erasmus Intensive Language Courses in-country before their term starts.

The University is increasing the opportunities for students to go on short-term non-credit-bearing Summer Schools overseas. In 2013, a number of students benefitted from summer programmes in China and Hong Kong.

For more information on study abroad opportunities, email sussexabroad@sussex.ac.uk

Visit Study abroad for Sussex students

Entry requirements

Sussex welcomes applications from students of all ages who show evidence of the academic maturity and broad educational background that suggests readiness to study at degree level. For most students, this will mean formal public examinations; details of some of the most common qualifications we accept are shown below. If you are an overseas student, refer to Applicants from outside the UK.

All teaching at Sussex is in the English language. If your first language is not English, you will also need to demonstrate that you meet our English language requirements.

Please note: We do not consider applications for direct entry into the 2nd year of any of our Business & Management degrees involving a professional placement year, but we will consider applications for 2nd year entry to our 3 year degrees.

A level

Typical offer: AAB-ABB

Specific entry requirements: Successful applicants will also need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics, with at least grade B.

International Baccalaureate

Typical offer: 34 points overall

For more information refer to International Baccalaureate.

Access to HE Diploma

Typical offer: Pass the Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher.

Specific entry requirements: The Access to HE Diploma would preferably be in Business Studies or include a Business pathway. If not it should be in the humanities or social sciences and applicants may be asked to write a Business-based essay as part of the selection process. Successful applicants will also need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics, with at least grade B.

For more information refer to Access to HE Diploma.

Advanced Diploma

Typical offer: Pass with grade B in the Diploma and A in the Additional and Specialist Learning

Specific entry requirements: The Additional and Specialist Learning must be an A-level (ideally in a humanities or social science subject). Successful applicants will also need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics, with at least grade B.

For more information refer to Advanced Diploma.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma

Typical offer: DDD-DDM

Specific entry requirements: Successful applicants will also need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics, with at least grade B.

For more information refer to BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

European Baccalaureate

Typical offer: Overall result of at least 77%

For more information refer to European Baccalaureate.

Finnish Ylioppilastutkinto

Typical offer: Overall average result in the final matriculation examinations of at least 6.0

French Baccalauréat

Typical offer: Overall final result of at least 13/20

German Abitur

Typical offer: Overall result of 2.0 or better

Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher level)

Typical offer: AAAABB-AABBBB

Specific entry requirements: Successful applicants will need to have evidence of good ability in Mathematics

Italian Diploma di Maturità or Diploma Pass di Esame di Stato

Typical offer: Final Diploma mark of at least 81/100

Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

Typical offer: AAABB-AABBB

Specific entry requirements: Successful applicants will also need Mathematics at Standard Grade, grade 1 or 2

For more information refer to Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers.

Spanish Titulo de Bachillerato (LOGSE)

Typical offer: Overall average result of at least 8.0

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma

Typical offer: Pass the Core plus AB in two A-levels

Specific entry requirements: Successful applicants will also need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics, with at least grade B.

For more information refer to Welsh Baccalaureate.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with not less than 6.0 in each section. Pearson's Test of English (Academic) with 62 overall with at least 56 in all four skills.

For more information, refer to alternative English language requirements.

International Foundation Year and International Year One

If you are from outside the EU and do not yet meet all the University’s entry requirements for degree-level study, visit International Foundation Year and International Year One.

For more information about the admissions process at Sussex, contact:

Undergraduate Admissions,
Sussex House,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 678416
F +44 (0)1273 678545
E ug.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

Related subjects

Fees and funding

Fees

Home/EU students: £9,000 per year1
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £9,000 per year2
Overseas students: £14,450 per year3

1 The fee shown is for the academic year 2015.
2 The fee shown is for the academic year 2015.
3 The fee shown is for the academic year 2015.

Visit Fee status

Visit Living costs

Scholarships

The scholarships listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.

Visit Undergraduate scholarships 2015

Visit Part-time work

Care Leavers Award (2015)

Region: UK
Level: UG

For students who have been in care before starting at Sussex.

Discretionary Leave to Remain Scholarship (2015)

Region: International (Non UK/EU)
Level: UG
Application deadline: 30 June 2015 - the deadline has now expired

Students that have been granted Discretionary Leave to Remain in the UK and do not qualify for funding from Student Finance England

First-Generation Scholars Scheme (2015)

Region: UK
Level: UG

For students from relatively low income families – ie those whose family income is less than £42,620 per annum.

Sussex Excellence Scholarships (2015)

Region: UK, Europe (Non UK), International (Non UK/EU)
Level: UG

A merit-based award recognising, and rewarding, undergraduate students.

Careers and profiles

The BSc equips you for careers in accounting and finance in the private, public and non-profit sectors. The option of a four-year degree with a professional placement year is particularly appropriate for developing the skills necessary for success in professional accounting and finance careers. 

Recent graduates have taken up a wide range of posts with employers including: auditor, KPMG • platform analyst, Legal & General •marketing assistant, Roche Diagnostics • assistant director, Explore Learning • commercial manager, Marks & Spencer • programme manager, Hewlett Packard • human resource manager, Accenture • managing director, Links Creative • human resource officer, BAE Systems • business developer, Innovation Stream • stockbroker, Cusaru Capital • associate, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) • compliance assistant, Foreign Exchange • managing director, Spyder Security Systems Limited • new business executive, eBay • operations and franchise manager, Apex • recruitment consultant, European recruitment • graduate trainee, John Lewis • sales and research consultant, Chapman Black

Specific employer destinations listed are taken from recent Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education surveys, which are produced annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Our courses prepare you for employment in fields such as management consultancy, marketing and retail management, social enterprise, human resources and chartered accountancy. 

Visit Department of Business and Management: Student perspectives

Careers and employability

For employers, it’s not so much what you know, but what you can do with your knowledge that counts. The experience and skills you’ll acquire during and beyond your studies will make you an attractive prospect. Initiatives such as SussexPlus, delivered by the Careers and Employability Centre, help you turn your skills to your career advantage. It’s good to know that 92 per cent of our graduates are in work or further study (Which? University).

Visit Your career and employability plan

Life in our School

School of Business, Management and Economics

The School of Business, Management and Economics is a unique, research-focused business school, which takes a strong policy-directed view on business practices while also developing the underlying core disciplines.

Our School comprises the Department of Economics, the Department of Business and Management and SPRU– Science and Technology Policy Research.

Contact us

School of Business, Management and Economics,
Jubilee Building, 
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9SL, UK
E ug.admissions@mbs.sussex.ac.uk
T +44 (0)1273 873832
F +44 (0)1273 873715

Find out more at the Department of Economics

Find out about University accommodation

Find out about our exciting location in Brighton

Visit us

Campus tours

Not able to attend one of our Open Days? Book on to one of our weekly guided campus tours.

Mature-student information session

If you are 21 or over, and thinking about starting an undergraduate degree at Sussex, you may want to attend one of our mature- student information sessions. Running between October and December, they include guidance on how to approach your application, finance and welfare advice, plus a guided campus tour with one of our current mature students.

Self-guided visits

If you are unable to make any of the visit opportunities listed, drop in Monday to Friday, year round, and collect a self-guided tour pack from Sussex House reception.

Book your place at Visit us and Open Days

Overseas visits

Meet with Sussex staff in your country at exhibitions, visits to schools and universities, and at a wide range of other events. Forthcoming visits are planned all over the world:

Bahrain • Brazil • Brunei • Canada • China • Colombia • France • Germany • Ghana • Greece • Hong Kong • India • Indonesia • Iraq • Italy • Japan • Kenya • Kuwait • Malaysia • Mexico • Nigeria • Norway • Pakistan • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Singapore • South Korea • Spain • Sri Lanka • Taiwan • Thailand • Turkey • UAE • USA • Vietnam.

In-country representatives

In the International Office, we manage a network of overseas representatives who have been trained to support international students with their application to study at the University. Services representatives provide can include pre-departure information, support in submitting your housing application and advice regarding applying for a UK Student Visa.

Find out more about our overseas visits and in-country representatives

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