Accounting - Foundation Degree FdA (subject to validation)

This course will equip you for a successful career in accounting, finance and business. It will give you a good understanding of both accounting and finance and their importance within different organisations.

The Foundation Degree in Accounting is aimed at individuals who wish to develop the skills, expertise, knowledge and understanding of accounting and accounting-related issues to enhance their employment.

The Foundation Degree is suitable for those who are currently in employment in an accounting environment or an accounting-related position, or those who are seeking employment in these fields.

This course should appeal to you if you need to fit studying around other commitments or if you are looking to take your first step into Higher Education after a gap of study.

The content of the Foundation Degree covers accounting concepts as well as introducing other business related topics. You will develop the practical accounting skills demanded by employers such as the ability to draft financial statements and produce costing and budgeting reports, as well as analysis and decision making in appropriate contexts. This will allow you a thorough appreciation of the interrelation these topics have within a business context.

The course also includes the development of soft skills which are important to employers. Throughout modules you will build up an understanding of customer care, how businesses operate, develop team working skills and gain insights and practice into managing people.

All students take a total of 120 credits per level.

Level 4 Modules (all modules are mandatory) include:

• Business Accounting
• Management Accounting
• Personal Taxation
• Business Law
• Career Planning and Development
• Introduction to Research

Level 5 Modules (all modules are mandatory) include:

• Financial Accounting
• Accounting Information Systems
• Statistics
• Business Environment
• Work Based Learning
• Research Proposal

Work Placement

During the course you are required to spend at least 240 hours working in a relevant role in order to improve your knowledge and practice of the subject. This may be through paid employment or via a voluntary work placement in a relevant role. Your work placement is expected to have a focus on applying the knowledge from your degree programme in an employment context.

Please note: work placements are subject to availability. You are also responsible for any costs in travelling to and from your work placements, for any accommodation costs and in some instances the cost of acquiring a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) report.

The minimum entry requirements for Foundation Degree in Accounting are 48 UCAS Tariff points.

In addition, for this programme, you will be required to have a GCSE (or equivalent qualification) at Grade 4 or above in Mathematics and English, or an equivalent Level 2 qualification in Mathematics and English.

Applicants without GCSE Grade 4 Mathematics or equivalent will be required to undertake numeracy aptitude test, consisting of up to two attempts. Any offer for a place on the course is subject to successfully completing this assessment.

All applicants must show that they have a good level of spoken or written English, and if English is not your first language you’ll need to demonstrate the ability to study in English.

Care Leavers or Young Carers

We want students from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to go to University. If you have spent three months or more in local authority care OR are a young carer, you will be eligible for a contextual offer. This is a grade reduction of 1-A Level grade below our standard entry requirements. For example, a standard offer of CCC, would become CCD. MMM at Level 3 Extended Diploma would become MMP. To apply we advise that you tick the box on your UCAS application which identifies you have spent time in care and to help identify you as eligible for our contextual offer.

Assessment will be undertaken through a range of established methodologies at various stages throughout the student learning experience. This incorporates standard practices through initial, diagnostic, formative and summative stages. Examples of assessment activity includes:

• Essays
• Computer based
• Examinations
• Dissertations
• Reports
• Group presentations
• Projects and mini-dissertations

This formal assessment will count towards your module mark and feedback is usually given within 3 weeks following the submission of your formal submission of work.

Additionally, some lecturers will provide informal feedback, for example, following an examination they may choose to work through the exam paper in a tutorial. It should be noted that feedback is part of the ongoing learning cycle which is not limited to written feedback. Other forms of feedback include one-to-one meetings with a personal tutor, dissertation and project supervision meetings, a lecturer responding to learner questions or responses during topic or situation discussions. 

Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.

The learning environment and facilities could include lecture theatres, classrooms, technology suites, laboratories and workshops, library and skills labs, art and photography studios, small group and quiet zones. Learning methods will vary according to the programme of study but will include lectures and group tutorials. In addition, seminars, field trips, work placements, role play or scenario activities, laboratory and workshop practical, demonstrations, guest lectures, discussions and debates all contribute to the learning experience to support the acquisition of subject specific skills and knowledge and the development of transferable and employment related skills.

You should typically expect to have the following contact hours:

• 13 Hours for Level 4
• 11 Hours for Level 5

In addition, you will have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor.  

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Timetables

We endeavour to make timetables available one month before you start your course. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week.

Overall Workload

You overall workload consists of class contact hours, around 15 hours of independent learning and assessment activity and any field trips which may take place.

Academic Support

We have a dedicated Student Engagement Team who will be able to provide support in the following areas;

• Study Skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
• Written English
• Academic Writing (including referencing)
• Research Skills

The Foundation Degree in Accounting is a valuable qualification in its own right preparing the students for employment within a range of roles within the Accounting, such as junior management/supervisory positions, marketing and sales roles and operational opportunities.

For those wishing to continue with their studies the BA (Hons) Accounting (Top Up) route is available, which is delivered for one academic year, full-time.

Once students attain an accounting, business or finance degree from any educational establishment, they are exempt from the Foundation level and some Certificate level modules of the ACCA and they may also gain further exemptions at the Applied level, but not the Strategic/Professional level, which is a Masters/PhD level equivalence.

Going to University is not as expensive as you think. There are no upfront fees to pay if you take out a Tuition Fee Loan from Student Finance England. Don't forget to apply as early as possible to secure your fees before you start your course.  

Work Placements

Work placements are subject to availability.  You are also responsible for any costs in travelling to and from your work placements, for any accommodation costs and in some instances the cost of acquiring a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) report.

The Programme Specification will give you further information about the course structure, learning outcomes and detailed information about the assessment you can expect during the course.