Curious about studying Accounting and Financeat Royal Holloway, University of London? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Main Site
Full Time
Sep 2026
3 Year
On this course, you’ll study the core areas of financial accounting, management accounting and finance and obtain a thorough knowledge of both theory and practice. The valuable knowledge and understanding this degree will give you, combined with interpersonal and transferable skills, will lead to excellent career prospects, with our students going on to work at a range of accounting firms and companies, from PWC and Deloitte, to Accenture and London Premier Hotels. Several of our students have also furthered their studies, specialising in a certain area in their Master's studies, including MSc degrees in Investment, Banking and Finance and Data Analytics.You may also apply to the professional bodies for exemptions from some of their examinations - the number of exemptions depend on the options you choose and the marks you obtain on your modules.Your studies will be grounded in the wider business environment, providing you with an understanding of international business, information systems, strategy, and ethical decision-making. You will receive individual attention and the flexibility to take specialist options, such as business law, auditing and taxation. Duration: 3 years full time
This module introduces you to the underlying framework and concepts of accounting and its role in organisations and society. You will develop an understanding of the basic components of financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement), the procedures and techniques for the preparation of these, and an understanding of their purpose and value for businesses. You will also examine the principles of financial decision making, with emphasis on developing skills for analysing financial accounting information.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the formal economic, political and legal institutions, as well as cultural, religious, and linguistic differences that must be taken into account when conducting business across borders. You will look at how the global context in which companies operate has evolved over time, considering the role of foreign direct investment and internationalisation strategies. You will examine the motivations for entering a foreign market, the factors determining whether a company enters on their own or in partnership, the risks of entry and how they are analysed, and how companies negotiate with governments.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the theory and techniques for appraising financing and investment decisions. You will be introduced to concepts of risk and uncertainty in investment decision making and the assessment and management of risk in straightforward scenarios. You will look at how the role of capital markets in facilitating access to funding, learning how to estimate the weighted average cost of capital, and explain its implications for financing and investment decisions. You will evaluate a range of techniques for managing elements of working capital, including calculation of relevant ratios and the operating cash cycle. You will also become familiar with the techniques used to manage and assess inventory, trade receivables, cash and current liabilities.
This module will provide you with an introduction to the basic techniques and processes of management accounting. You will look at the current technical languages and practices relating to the provision and use of management accounting information in organisations. You will learn now contribution-based approaches are used in cost-volume-profit analysis and the allocation of scarce resources, and how marginal and full costing information, including activity-based costing, is used to determine product costs, prices, and overall profits. You will also consider the concept of relevant costs, specifically in the appraisal of capital investment decisions.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the external and internal environments of organisations and their relevance for the accounting and finance professional. You will look at a range of academic and professional literatures and learn how to use data collection and analysis skills for professional activities. You will examine the skills and abilities relevant to applying for, or working as, an accounting or finance professional, and consider how to communicate with academic and business audiences in a clear and effective manner.
In this module you will develop an understanding of basic mathematical methods for accounting and finance. You will look at formulae, ratios, forecasting, estimation and probability techniques, including those for modelling risk and uncertainty. You will learn to calculate, explain and use descriptive statistics and tests of statistical significance, and examine how to summarise and analyse data, including consideration of collection and sampling techniques.
This module will describe the key principles of academic integrity, focusing on university assignments. Plagiarism, collusion and commissioning will be described as activities that undermine academic integrity, and the possible consequences of engaging in such activities will be described. Activities, with feedback, will provide you with opportunities to reflect and develop your understanding of academic integrity principles.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the importance of information systems and technologies in the practice of accounting and finance. You will look at how information systems and technologies are being used in the accounting and finance functions. You will examine how accounting information systems, including roles, functionality and tasks, differ between larger and smaller organisations and consider issues surrounding the development, implementation and management of information systems and technology, as well as emerging topics, such as blockchain, analytics and information systems security. You will also gain practical experience in using commonly used software packages such as Microsoft Excel and SAP ERP.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the theories and empirical evidence concerning financial management, risk, and the operation of capital markets. You will look at strategic decisions such as gearing and dividend policy within specified institutional contexts, and consider more practical aspects of business finance, including the preparation of forecast financial statements and their use in business planning and valuation. You will also examine aspects of business restructuring, the global context for both investing and financing, and further aspects of risk management.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the theory and practice of financial reporting. You will look at the regulatory and ethical background to the composition of financial reporting documents and learn to prepare single-company financial statements, and extracts from statements, in accordance with the international financial reporting standards (IFRS). You will consider specific accounting issues such as handling of intangibles, and will critically examine and interpret financial statements using quantitative tools such as ratio analysis.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the use of management information systems, in particular those used for performance measurement, performance management, and decision making. You will look at how management accounting information is used to support short and long term decision making by organisations to gain a competitive advantage. You will consider traditional and alternative budgetary practices, including preparation of functional budgets, master budgets, and forecasts, and use of management control systems, such as standard costing and variance analysis. You will also examine the use of transfer pricing methods for performance and decision making within divisionalised structures.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the tools and techniques of economic analysis to solve common managerial problems. You will look at economic intuition and its relevance to business problems, and the application of economic principles to strategic situations. You will consider the constraints faced by business decision makers, the economic consequences of their decisions, and the influence of the macro environment. You will also examine the benefits and drawbacks of free trade or restrictions on imports and exports across a range of countries with divergent socio-political contexts.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the theories of strategic management. You will consider these theories in the context of contemporary business operations, including the political and regulatory frameworks, in response to technological change, financialisation, the development of new business models, and changes in the way corporate performance is assessed. You will look at key concepts and debates in the theory of corporate and business strategy, and examine the changing context in which corporate strategy is formulated and implemented.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the advanced theory and practice of financial reporting, in the context of governance and corporate social responsibility. You will look at theories that have been developed to assist in the improvement and regulation of corporate financial reporting. You will consider the economic concepts of income and value and their application to financial reporting, and how group financial statements are prepared in accordance with international financial reporting standards (IFRS). You will also examine complex accounting issues, such as financial instruments, taxation, employee benefits and leases, and advanced techniques of analysis and interpretation of corporate financial statements, such as trend analysis, segmental analysis, and advanced ratio analysis.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
In this module you will develop an understanding of communication, creative accounting and impression management in financial reporting. You will consider the regulatory background to the composition of financial reporting documents together with a range of impression management practices. You will also examine a range of analytical tools used to asses the use of impression management in annual reports.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
In this module you will develop an understanding of contemporary theories in accounting and finance. You will examine a range of empirical evidence and critically evaluate some of the key issues in accounting and finance practice.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
In this module you will develop an understanding of approaches to ethical decision making in accounting and finance. You will critically evaluate decision models for accounting ethics, assessing contemporary issues faced by accountants and finance professionals, including the influence of stakeholders, accounting standards, and moral philosophy. You will also examine the role of auditing practices in society, looking at look at real world examples, including major accounting and finance scandals. You will also analyse some of complex ethical issues that surround business decision making, including examples of good and bad practice by governments, corporations and individuals.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
The aim of this module is to develop in-depth understanding of the characteristics and operation of the international financial markets. The analysis of international equity, bond, exchange and derivatives markets will be linked to the main concern of governments and international financial organisations taking part in these flows. This also enables students to appreciate the different trends in the integration of financial markets and financial intermediation within countries, regions and at global level.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the nature and causes of international differences in financial reporting. You will assess the obstacles to, and progress of, adoption of international standards in major countries, and analyse the major practical issues facing multinational companies as they prepare financial statements.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
In this module you will develop an understanding of management in theory and practice. You will look at the ethical and international contexts in which investment management takes place. You will examine topics such as efficient markets, the capital asset pricing model, arbitrage pricing theory, and models of systematic risk, considering empirical evidence and current practices. You will evaluate optimal portfolio choices, learning to devise an appropriate portfolio strategy which takes into account the current state of the financial markets. You will also asses the merits of active and passive bond portfolio management from both a domestic and international perspective and examine recent changes to international fund management and their implications.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the contemporary theories and practices of strategic management accounting. You will look at the techniques and practices of activity-based management, pricing decisions and profitability analysis, cost management, strategic investment decision making, alternative approaches to management control, and situational influences, such as the absence of a profit motive. You will examine the tools used to gain a competitive advantage in a globalised business environment, including those related to both short and long-term decision making, planning and control. You will also consider the use of quantitative and qualitative data to support arguments and justify conclusions in relation to selected cases.
Students will take at least two of the following: Communication and Impression Management in Accounting; Taxation: Economics, Policy and Practice; International Financial Reporting; Contemporary Issues in Accounting and Finance; International Financial Markets.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the impact of taxation on the economy, the corporation and the individual. You will look at the design of tax systems, how tax policies are set, and how policymakers react to changes in taxpayer behaviour and other forces. You will consider the interrelationships between tax and other disciplines, for example law, economics, politics, philosophy, and financial reporting, and the impact UK tax rules have on taxpayers of different types, both directly and indirectly. You will also examine developments in tax planning and the notion of environmental taxes within the context of ethical considerations.
BBB-ABB Grades/points required
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