Accountancy

Why study Accountancy at Dundee?

The BAcc focuses on the reporting practices in the UK and Ireland. It allows you to have a better understanding of accounting practices, regulations and standards in an increasingly globalised accounting and reporting environment. Throughout your BAcc (Bachelor of Accountancy) studies, we want you to understand the power and limitations of accountancy and financial techniques and how they can help society to function.

Our staff are committed to providing a stimulating, supportive and friendly environment for our students. This commitment was recognised by the latest National Student Survey (2011) in which 94% of accountancy students said they thought staff were good at explaining things.

What's so good about Accountancy at Dundee?

The BAcc can be studied over three years as a non-honours degree, or can be taken as an Honours degree over four years. You have until the start of the third year to decide which type of degree is best for you. The 'Big Four' accounting firms usually require their employees to have an Honours degree that is classified at 2:1 or above, and therefore most of our students take the Honours option, choosing a variety of optional modules which allow particular specialisms to be followed. Advanced Entry to Level 2 of the Honours degree is also available to those with suitable grades in required subjects.

Guest lectures from industry practitioners

Guest lectures are often given by experienced accounting and finance practitioners and outside visits are also organised to help you appreciate the 'real world' application of the discipline. Depending on your module choices you might visit financial institutions in Edinburgh and London. Accountancy students may also apply to spend a year of their degree in Canada or North America on the Transatlantic Exchange scheme or a semester in Australia or Hong Kong.

Professional accreditation

The Bachelor of Accountancy (BAcc) is 'fully accredited' and recognised for exemption purposes by the following leading accountancy bodies:

• ACCA - The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (currently under review)
• CIMA - The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• CIPFA - The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
• ICAI - The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland
• ICAS - The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
• AIA - The Association of International Accountants

A 'qualified accountant' is a member of one of these six professional bodies. This will mean that at the end of your studies you are already exempt from some of the examinations which these organisations require entrants to take.

We liaise with employers to ensure that the BAcc continues to meet the needs of the graduate employment market.

Accounting & Finance Student Society

All new students are encouraged to join our Accounting & Finance Student Society.

The Society arranges a number of social and other events including a welcome party for new students, an Annual Ball and careers presentations from visiting firms.

Student life in the School of Accounting & Finance »

Introduction to the School of Business

Watch the video below to learn more about the School of Business:

 

Teaching & Assessment

Accountancy degrees are taught by staff from the School of Business, who are committed to providing a stimulating, supportive, friendly and well-organised environment for students. This commitment was recognised by our rating of "Excellent" by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. All staff, including professors, are teaching and research active, which means that you will taught by a group of individuals who routinely push back the boundaries of knowledge in their subject area.

Your degree will include a good grounding in professional knowledge and skills as well as exposure to many of the latest developments in accounting research to which our staff make a major contribution.

Careers

The BAcc can enhance your employability by developing your:

• numeracy and analytical abilities,
• computing expertise
• and your interpersonal and communication skills

Our accountancy degrees are therefore designed to prepare you for either a career as an accountant or for the wide variety of other careers that benefit from a business education. The scope for applying accounting skills is almost unlimited - they are needed in organisations of all types and sizes - at home and abroad.

Professional relevance and accreditation

Your career is important to us and the professional relevance and accreditation of the BAcc degree is kept under careful review. We liaise with employers and the University Careers Service to ensure that the BAcc continues to meet the needs of the graduate employment market. Our School also helps to contribute to the University of Dundee's outstanding record in graduate employment. About two thirds of our graduates go on to professional accountancy training while the rest embark on the huge range of other careers that are open to accountancy graduates such as banking, teaching or management.

What are our graduates doing?

Our graduates (alumni) are to be found working all over the world in a variety of interesting and challenging jobs.

In the accounting profession many work with large international accounting firms (the 'Big Four'), or with smaller firms in Scotland and throughout the UK. Many work for other commercial organisations including financial institutions and manufacturing companies, and in the public sector - some as accountants and some in other managerial or specialist positions; some are running their own businesses.

Entry Requirements

You do not need any prior knowledge of accounting to be accepted for the BAcc. Our entry requirements are designed to ensure a reasonable standard of both numeracy and literacy but no specialist knowledge is required (except for advanced entry).

The following are the minimum requirements, please note qualifications have to be obtained at the first sitting of examinations.

Courses starting September 2013

Level 1 entry

Qualification	Grade
SQA Higher	ABBB
GCE A-Level	BBB
ILC Higher	ABBB
IB Diploma	30 points (including 5, 5, 5 at Higher Level)
Essential Subjects	English and Mathematics at Standard Grade Credit Level 2/Intermediate 2 (Grade B), GCSE (Grade B), ILC Ordinary (Grade B), IB Subsidiary Level (Grade 5)
EU & International	Visit our EU and International webpages for entry requirements tailored to your home country

Advanced Entry (to Level 2)

Qualification	Grade
SQA Advanced Higher	BBB
GCE A-Level	BBB
IB Diploma	30 points (including 5, 5, 5 at Higher Level)
Essential Subjects	Mathematics, Economics and Accounting (AH or A-Level or IB Higher Level) and English at Standard Grade Credit Level 2/Intermediate 2 (Grade C), GCSE (Grade B), ILC Ordinary (Grade B), IB Subsidiary Level (Grade 5)

Other Qualifications

Qualification	Grade
SQA	A relevant HNC with B in the Graded Unit (Level 1 entry) A relevant HND with BB in the Graded Units (Level 2 entry)
Scottish Baccalaureate	Pass with CC at AH (Level 1 entry)
EDEXCEL	A relevant BTEC Extended Diploma with DDM (Level 1 entry) A relevant HND with Merits in appropriate modules (Level 1 entry)
Advanced Diploma	Grade B with ASL-A Level at B (Level 1 entry)
Welsh Baccalaureate	Pass with A-Levels at BB (Level 1 entry)
Applicants with alternative overseas qualifications should visit the relevant country page on our International website.

Joint Honours Degrees

Please visit Applied Computing and Mathematics webpages for additional required subjects for BSc Joint Honours degrees.

Fees and Funding

There have been many changes to the arrangements for funding students entering higher education in recent years, yet a degree from the University of Dundee, with its high rate of employment success, remains a cost-effective option.

The fees you pay will, in most cases, depend on your current country of residence.

Fee category	Fees for students starting September 2012	Scholarships & Bursaries applicable
Scottish students	£1,820 per year of study. You can apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish government.	School Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships
Students from the rest of the UK	£9,000 per year, for a maximum of 3 years, even if you are studying a four year degree. You can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of the tuition fees, from the Student Loan Company.	University of Dundee Bursaries School Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships
EU students	£1,820 per year of study. You can apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish government.	Other Scholarships
Overseas students (non-EU)	£9,700 per year.	School Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships

The fee shown is annual, and may be subject to an increase each year.

Living Costs

• Dundee is ranked as one of the most affordable places for students to live in the UK, and the cost of living is around 15% cheaper than the UK average.
• Increasing numbers of students are successfully undertaking part-time work to supplement their income. You can get advice from our Careers Service, both about job opportunities and how to find a suitable study/work/life balance. EU and international students are also allowed to work up to 20 hours per week.
• As a student in Scotland, you have free access to the National Health Service. Visits to doctors and hospitals, as well as prescriptions, sight tests and dental checkups, are available free of charge.

Your Application

All applications must be made through UCAS

UCAS Codes

Institution Code: D65

Degree	UCAS Codes	KIS data
BAcc Accountancy	N400	View KIS data for this course
BAcc Accountancy with Business Finance *	N400 (ABF)	View KIS data for this course
BAcc Accountancy with Management and Information Systems *	N400 (AMIS)	View KIS data for this course
BAcc Accountancy with French *	N400 (AL)	View KIS data for this course
BAcc Accountancy with German *	N400 (AL)	View KIS data for this course
BAcc Accountancy with Spanish *	N400 (AL)	View KIS data for this course
BAcc Accountancy (without Honours)	N410	View KIS data for this course
BSc Accountancy and Mathematics	GN14	View KIS data for this course

* To apply for the BAcc with an additional option, please enter the relevant option code (in brackets above) under 'Further Details' in the 'choices' section of the UCAS application.

UCAS Application Process

International Applicants

We have information specifically for international applicants on our International website:

• Your Home Country - including information about qualifications from individual countries
• Fees and Funding
• English Language Requirements
• International Student Support

What skills, qualities and experience do I need?

• Accounting is a social science because it affects society in many different ways. It is the accountant's job to provide and communicate financial information for planning, control and decision-making purposes. Therefore, a student who is thinking about studying accounting must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to work with both numbers and people.
• An ability to demonstrate a keen interest in current affairs, and more specifically, the subject area would also be useful. A potential accounting student may find that reading a broad-sheet newspaper, such as the Financial Times, may help in that regard.
• Evidence suggests that, as well as academic ability and excellent communication skills, employers expect potential employees to have integrity, motivation and enthusiasm. During your time at university you should be willing to involve yourself in non-academic activities that allow you to demonstrate these characteristics.
• Many of the challenges experienced by accountants in practice require good problem solving skills. You therefore need to be able see things from different perspectives, analyse distinctive parts of the problem and think clearly as to how an overall solution can be achieved.
• There is no requirement to have studied accounting prior to the commencement of a BAcc degree at the University of Dundee.

Tips for your application

• Your personal statement should illustrate how you came to be interested in studying accounting. You should also tell us of any practical experience you have in the field e.g. acting as a club or society treasurer or taking part in a business enterprise activity at school. We also like to know of your ambitions beyond university and any career plans you may have already formed.
• Your application should contain a prediction of the marks it is felt you are likely to achieve for any exams that you are studying towards at the time of your application. An explanation of the subjects covered in non-UK qualifications gained is also useful.
• Referees should indicate whether they feel an applicant's skills and personality are suited to their choice of course. It is also beneficial to know where an applicant has a wide range of extra-curricular activities and where they have been granted positions of responsibility.
• If you are unsure whether you satisfy the advanced entry requirements for the 3 year honours degree you should apply for this degree alone. Any application that does not meet the requirement for the 3 year honours programme but does satisfy the qualifications for the 4 year programme will automatically be considered for the latter.

Any questions?

If you have any further questions about the application process, please contact: