BA (Hons) Business and Finance with Foundation Year

Why study this subject?

In the industry, business and finance are inextricably linked. Having a good understanding of one area enhances your knowledge of the other

If you want to pursue a career in the finance sector and you’re keen to apply a range of general management skills, then this degree is for you. It is particularly relevant if you’re interested in a management role in banking or financial services.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

Being successful in business starts with having a broad range of skills, and our BA (Hons) in Business and Finance will help prepare you for your future career.

You’ll learn how to manage profit-making or providing value to stakeholders. Knowing how to communicate your business strategies is crucial and we’ll help you to confidently make decisions.

There will be opportunities for you to explore your own business ideas and launch your own enterprise. You can also take work-based learning to enhance your understanding and gain credits towards your degree.

We have a strong practical element to our business courses with real live briefs set by our contacts in the industry. We’ve had students consulting major companies and helping start-ups to get their businesses on the move.

Our focus on recreating the industry on campus gives a boost to your employability. Some of the companies we have worked with include Initials, Jargon PR, Medico, Mindshare, Primal, Scannappeal and Simpler PR.

At Bucks we want you to get the most out of your time with us. Studying a course with a professional accreditation gives you the opportunity to get workplace experience, learn about new developments in the industry and apply for membership with the accrediting body. When you graduate, you’ll be exempt from some exams, and will be even closer to your chosen career.

The following professional bodies currently accredit this degree:

• ACCA – Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
• ICAEW – Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
• CIMA – Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• IFA - Institute of Financial Accountants

BA (Hons) Business and Finance graduates are also eligible for membership at various levels for the IFA and ICAEW.

What facilities can I use?

We’ve invested in a range of state-of-the-art facilities across our campuses to support your learning.

Our library is the perfect place to find the resources you need and a quiet place to study, filled with four floors of books, journals, computer suites and study rooms. Or, if you’d rather work off campus, e-Journals and resources are only a few clicks away using our Virtual Learning Environment.

What will I study?

Our BA (Hons) Business and Finance introduces business and finance theory. Modules have been designed to help you apply your learning to practical situations, gaining the vital skills you need for a successful career.

We cover a mix of financial accounting, management accounting, financial management, auditing, taxation and strategic management modules that blend together to give you an understanding of the financial world and the topical issues affecting that world.

How will I be taught and assessed?

This course is offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate degree.

We have a bustling business department with lots of expertise. All our business courses cross over, with some modules being shared across the degrees. We believe in breaking down barriers and giving our students every opportunity to expand their network while with us. With smaller class sizes, we give our students one-to-one teaching and around-the-clock support.

Our lecturers have extensive industry and academic experience. They’ll help you mix theory with practice, informing your teaching with their knowledge. We attract many guest speakers, including former students who share their business acumen. We make sure that you’ll always know about the latest trends in the world of business.

Every year we run BizFest, where successful business leaders come to BNU to share their thoughts on business ventures and the future of their industries.

Being so close to London gives us some amazing industry links, giving you the chance to gain experience in the real world. Our focus on real life experience gives you that competitive edge when heading into employment.

Delivery across the programme will take the form of a combination of interactive lectures and seminars as well as one-to-one workshop and tutorial sessions.

Outside of formal scheduled tuition you will be expected to undertake independent learning completing assignments, preparing for sessions and taking increasing responsibility for your personal and professional development.

You will have the opportunity both to work on your own as well as part of a team through small group projects.

The University’s Virtual Learning Environment will support delivery of the programme by providing 24/7 access to core and supplementary learning materials, additional resources such as journal extracts, facilitating dialogue through online discussions boards, and submission of assignments.

You'll be assessed through:

• essays and reports
• presentations
• projects and enterprise activities
• examinations.

In your final year, you will undertake either a Dissertation or a Consultancy Project, which is a major piece of independent research focused on strategic business issues.

You will have the opportunity to collaborate on projects and live briefs with students from other business management degree programmes, gaining the practical and transferable skills you need for your career.