Kayleigh - Things you should know

There can be some preconceptions of what accounting is; it is NOT all maths! There is a lot of maths involved in the course, but it is not complicated maths so don’t worry, there is also a lot of written aspects too. There are several types of accounting ranging from financial to management accounting, all of which you cover over the three-year course! All the lecturers are qualified accountants, and most have worked in the industry for a significant amount of time and they have so much information for you. They’re always willing to help you as much as they can!

With any degree, there is a lot of reading. You use a different textbook for each module, and they set reading weekly for you. Most of the textbooks are on the online library and so are free to access so don’t go buying the textbooks straight away. For certain modules, doing the reading helps deepen your understanding of the topic significantly. For me, doing the reading for my Taxation module helped me to better understand the topics we studied but don’t try to do it all at once because you won’t take any information in. Remember to break it up so you don’t overload yourself!

You will be assessed in both exams and assignments for the course. Your assignments can range from an essay or a report but could also be a presentation in a group. Most modules have a mixture of exams and assignments so don’t stress too much about doing exams because you have your assignments to fall back on if necessary.

I would highly recommend that future students research what a chartered professional qualification is and the different bodies that offer them. Once you complete your degree in accounting it does not mean that you are a fully qualified accountant; you will need to complete a chartered qualification. The University offers a different amount of exemptions upon completion of the course from ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) and CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants). In your first year, ACCA comes in for a highly informative talk. In this talk, they encourage you to sign up to their ACCA accelerate scheme. I would highly recommend this, the cost savings for yourself in the future is beneficial. They also send you emails keeping you up to date with everything that’s going on.

Accounting can be a difficult degree but don’t stress. Planning your time wisely and being organised with assignments will make an enormous difference. Don’t forget to enjoy your time at university and make as many new friends as you can! Good Luck!