Accounting and Finance (with a professional placement year) BSc (Hons)

Accredited by five industry accounting bodies, this course fast tracks your accounting and finance career. Gain the skills to move straight into the workplace.

Select your start date

This course is available in Clearing.

Key information

Why choose this course at Sussex?

  • Gain exemptions from the leading accounting bodies to fast-track your career.
  • Learn from professionals with industry experience and leading scholars, to combine real-world practice with the latest academic insight.
  • Build strong technical, analytical and ethical skills which reflect current industry practice and global standards.

The global economy is in constant flux. Businesses need professionals who can navigate financial challenges and maintain financial health.

On this BSc, you’ll develop the skills for a successful career. Accredited by five industry accounting bodies, this course can accelerate your journey to membership of the accounting profession, with exemptions from some exams.

Join the University of Sussex Business School, where leading academics are shaping policy and practice. You’ll benefit from our culture of research excellence in areas such as climate finance, crypto assets, and social and environmental accounting and reporting.

By studying at Sussex, you will:

  • develop the regulatory knowledge to remain compliant and adapt to change
  • gain skills in problem-solving and data analytics
  • explore common types of investment and analyse investment portfolios
  • study issues surrounding multinational companies
  • examine ethical challenges across accounting and finance.

Throughout your studies, you’ll explore the risks and interdependencies of the modern global economy. You’ll engage with real-world exercises, with supervision from academics and industry experts. You’ll also have access to facilities including our Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab.

With options in leadership and entrepreneurship, you can broaden your knowledge while boosting your employability. You will have an academic personal tutor who will guide you throughout your learning journey. In addition, you will be able to access specialist academic success tutors for one-to-one support and academic skills workshops. You can also gain practical experience through professional and study abroad opportunities.

Accounting and finance professionals are in high demand. You’ll graduate with the skills to succeed in areas ranging from corporate finance to public accounting. With a solid foundation in financial principles, you’ll be able to make strategic decisions and help businesses grow.

Accreditation

You’ll join the EQUIS and AMBA-accredited University of Sussex Business School. Find out more

  • Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations. Find out more
  • Accredited by the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment for the purpose of sitting a professional qualification due to the high percentage overlap between CISI Find out more
  • Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations through the Accredited degree accelerated route. Find out more
  • Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations. Find out more
  • Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations. Find out more
  • Accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS) for the purpose of exemption from some professional examinations. Find out more

Your optional placement

To help you gain experience and increase your employability, you can apply for an optional placement as part of your course. This can be a fantastic opportunity to gain real-life insight into industry as well as skills valued by employers. You’ll be responsible for applying for and securing your placement. Our dedicated careers team can help you:

  • find an employer
  • draft an application
  • prepare for interviews.

Don’t worry if you’re not successful, you’ll simply transfer to a non-placement version of your course.

I would strongly advocate for the placement year. It is a game-changing experience that allows you to apply your academic knowledge in a real-world context, build a professional network, and gain a significant competitive edge.Li Herz
Accounting and Finance (with a professional placement year) BSc

Campus tours

Join a campus tour this summer and get a feel for life at Sussex. With award-winning campus food, a National Park setting and buzzing Brighton on our doorstep, our location and facilities are hard to beat.

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On campus - in person

You’ll study for this degree on our campus, joining our academics and fellow students. With in-person contact time, digitally supported educational resources, library collections and independent study, this course is designed to give you an inclusive education. Your learning experience may also include work placements, field trips, studying abroad and internationalisation experiences.

Find out about our beautiful campus

Virtual tour

Want to learn more about life at Sussex?

Our 360° virtual tour has been designed to introduce you to life in our diverse, supportive and inclusive community. Join our students for an immersive experience as they reveal why Sussex offers a space to follow your passions, find your voice, and discover people and places that will inspire you.

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ResearchPlus

As a founding partner of ResearchPlus, a collaboration of research-focused universities, we engage with government, industry and civil society to support economic growth, prosperity and wellbeing across the whole of the UK.

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Modules

This is a single-honours course, allowing you to focus in depth on your core subject. Find out more from our guide to undergraduate study

Spirit of Sussex Award

Feel involved in life at the University, make friends and enrich your experience with us – the Spirit of Sussex Award is our way of recognising your extracurricular and voluntary achievements.

Find out more about the Spirit of Sussex Award

  • Video transcript

    Hi everyone! As I'm sure you've all heard by now, the Spirit of Sussex Award is now live.

    Students across the Sussex community are already earning their points

    What will you do to earn yours?

    There's so many ways to get involved.

    Head over to the website to start your Spirit of Sussex journey.

    Text: The Spirit of Sussex Award is an exciting new programme designed to recognise and celebrate the things you do outside your course.

    Participating in the Award makes it easy and fun for you to get involved and make the most of university life.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.

Our experts

This course is ideal if you are looking to fast track your accounting and finance career. On graduation you will have gained exemptions from professional exams and the skills to move straight into the workplace.Claire Edwards
Assistant Professor (Accounting and Finance)

Careers

  • 86% of Sussex undergraduates have completed work experience by the end of their course (University of Sussex Career Readiness data at point of graduation 2023/24)

Join the University of Sussex Business School and benefit from extensive career support and business connections, including mentoring by employers, networking, guest lectures and development of your workplace skills.

This course is ideal if you want to become a chartered accountant or financial analyst, and for careers in accountancy, finance and management, in both the public and private sector. Your degree opens employment opportunities worldwide because your professional accounting qualifications are recognised internationally.

You develop ethical awareness, independent thinking, leadership, self-confidence, and problem-solving and teamwork skills.

Where do our graduates work now?

Surveyed 15 months after finishing their courses, our recent graduates from the Department of Accounting and Finance worked for employers including:

(Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017-2022)

Working while you study

Our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can help you find part-time work while you study. Find out more about career development and part-time work

Career events organized by the school were critical for networking with potential employers. These events allowed me to connect with industry leaders, learn about job openings, and understand the skills most valued in the marketplace.Mateo Perea
Accounting and Finance BSc

Design your future at Sussex

Taking the next step in your career can feel daunting, but we’ll help you to explore, connect and flourish throughout your studies and beyond.

As a Sussex student, you’ll learn how to tackle real-world challenges and have access to tailored programmes of careers support:

  • our Career Lab helps you to explore your options, build key skills and connect with employers. Take part in internships, community consultancy projects and insight visits, where you can learn about life at organisations such as Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, the Knepp Rewilding Project, and fashion brand Puig
  • one-to-one appointments with your Faculty Careers Consultant can enable you to identify your career goals, write an effective CV and prepare for future interviews
  • entrepreneurship initiatives like StartUp Sussex and Ideas Lab can empower you to turn your concepts into reality.

Explore how our Careers and Entrepreneurship team can support you

Entry requirements

Find your place in Clearing

This course will be available in Clearing. Explore your options at Sussex – right here, right now.

Fees

Note that your fees, once they’re set, may be subject to an increase on an annual basis. Find details on our Tuition fees page.

Home students

£9,790 per year

Channel Islands and Isle of Man students

£9,790 per year

On 19 March 2026 the UK Parliament set out that the tuition fee cap for 2026 entry will be £9,790. As the University of Sussex keeps fees for Home students and Channel Islands and Isle of Man students in line with UK Government-approved levels, fees will be £9,790 in 2026. In line with our terms and conditions, the University charges fees at the maximum levels set by the UK Government.

International students

£23,500 per year

Placement

Find out about tuition fees for placements

Additional costs

Note about additional costs

Additional costs to your tuition fees may include field trips, equipment, materials, bench fees or studio hire. These costs are best estimates based on current market values which we review each year. These costs may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances where the University has limited control such as a change in a service provider or government guidance. We will let you know at the earliest opportunity if there is any change to these costs. We will also tell you if these costs are mandatory for passing your course or optional. Find out how to budget for student life.

Study visit abroad

This course has an optional study visit abroad for Year 3 students. The approximate contribution towards costs is £200 per student. If the study visit is undersubscribed, we may also offer the study visit to postgraduate students.

Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI)

You may opt for a Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (CISI) qualification. The University pays for membership and exam fees. You must buy your own workbooks at a discounted price of around £48 for each exam. Exams take place 2 to 3 times a year.

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)

Successful completion of the course grants some exemptions to full membership. Students who choose to pursue full membership will need to pay for associated costs, such as membership fees and completion of the remaining modules, after successful completion of their degree. Please refer to the CIMA website for full details.

Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

Successful completion of the course grants some exemptions to full membership. Students who choose to pursue full membership will need to pay for associated costs, such as membership fees, exemption fees, and completion of the remaining modules, once they have successfully completed their degree. Please refer to the CIPFA website for full details.

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

Successful completion of the course grants some exemptions to full membership. Students who choose to pursue full membership will need to pay for associated costs, such as membership fees, exemption fees and completion of the remaining modules, once they have successfully completed their degree. Please refer to the ACCA website for full details.

Placement

This course offers you the opportunity to apply for a placement. Find out about placement fees at Tuition fees. You’ll need to pay for your own travel costs to and from your placement.

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)

Successful completion of the course grants some exemptions to full membership. Students who choose to pursue full membership will need to pay for associated costs, such as membership fees, exemption fees and completion of the remaining modules, once they have successfully completed their degree. Please refer to the ICAEW website for full details.

Living costs

We know the rising cost of living is on everyone’s mind, and affects us all in different ways. Our guide to living costs has been designed to help you plan and budget for life as a Sussex student.

Learn more about typical living costs

Scholarships

Our goal is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to regardless of financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique people.

Contact us

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Enquiries

Contact us with any questions about your course:

+44 (0)1273 876787
Ask us a question

Find out about the Department of Accounting and Finance

Legal information

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Find out about our terms and conditions, including the student code of conduct and your cancellation rights

Find out about our complaints and appeals process

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