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Summary:
Course Code: L1N3
Course Code: L1FY
Course Code: L1N4
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Why choose the School of Accounting, Finance and Law
100% of our full-time UK economics graduates are in highly skilled employment or graduate further study, 15 months after graduating (source: HESA Graduate Outcomes for 2020/21, pub 2023).
Learn from highly qualified and experienced academics and professionals whose research achievements in the field ensure your studies are dynamic and relevant.
Develop the digital skills essential for success in the financial sector, using industry-standard applications and platforms.
About the course
Economics and finance form the structure upon which the modern world is built. This course teaches you to apply economic theory to real-world financial problems giving you the analytical skills and subject knowledge to discuss your ideas and solutions confidently.
This degree provides you with an in-depth knowledge of the main ideas concepts and principles of modern economics and finance which guide the way businesses operate; governments exercise policies; and countries cooperate and compete with each other.
You learn to apply economic analysis to real-life problems while gaining the technical and analytical skills necessary to understand key developments in the global markets as well as the issues economies face in a world dominated by financial institutions. Your studies may cover economic theory financial data analysis business practice financial markets globalisation and econometrics.
Why choose this course?
- Learn from highly qualified and experienced academics and professionals whose research achievements in the field ensure your studies are dynamic and relevant
- Be able to use relevant financial software including the leading financial trading platform
- Develop your entrepreneurial skills in your final-year project on current economic affairs
- Build your transferable skills and experience in critical thinking problem solving presentation and team-working as well as in using information technology
- Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year in industry (see below) building experience and making contacts for the future
- If you need to step up to higher education start with a Foundation Year (see below) which guarantees entry to the undergraduate degree
with Professional Practice Year
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
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with Foundation Year
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
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What will you study?
ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ing our Economics and Finance BSc (Hons) course will equip you with the in-depth knowledge and skills around economic principles and financial analysis. Beginning with an Introduction to Economics and Finance, you will digest basic economic theories and policies underpinned by finance concepts and techniques. You will then get to apply this knowledge in our business-focused units, such as in an Introduction to Accounting and Business Technology. Using the latest technology alongside various analytical tools, you will engage in preparing, analysing and interpreting account statements within a business environment.
Paired with our Data Analysis for Finance and Economics unit, you will also be guided to use statistical techniques and software to collect, summarise and analyse data that informs business processes and economic policy. To help you with this, our unit in Applied Numeracy for Business will give you the confidence to develop the mathematical and numerical skills used for decision making and problem solving for businesses.
You will be introduced to microeconomic and macroeconomic theory in our Economics unit, while also examining government economic policies, growth, and factors that contribute to the levels of income and employment in an economy. Using this economic theory, you will discuss major economic issues faced by EU countries and their effects on businesses in our International Economics unit. Here, you will develop your understanding of international trade and international monetary theory and policy. To apply this knowledge, our unit in Applied Economic Policy will allow you to consider how economics can be applied to design, guide and interpret economic policies. Furthermore, you will also analyse government policies and evaluate economies in various countries.
In other areas of study, our Financial Theory and Practice unit will discuss core finance theories for you to analyse financial statements and identify revenues and costs for management solutions and decision making. Other units include Financial Management, where you will receive specialist knowledge required for financial and investment decision making based on long-term business objectives. To expose you to working with numerical information, our Fundamentals of Econometrics unit will develop your understanding and interpretation of quantitative analysis and judgements in economic environments. Finally, you will also have the opportunity to conduct thorough academic research and/or a practical project using a range of tools and approaches in our Business Project Unit. To support you with this, our units in Data and Research Methods for Business will provide you with the knowledge and skills to conduct research and analyse data in a business context.
Additionally, the course also offers a Professional Practice Year (Accounting, Finance and Economics) where you will have the opportunity to undertake a career-related experience. To prepare you for this, we have specialised units - Beginning your Professional Business Journey and Personal Development and Employability - that aim to ease your transition into the workplace and provide an insight into professional business environments. Using real-life situations, you will work with faculty peers to practise a broad range of business skills such as communication, team collaboration and networking that will develop your professional practice.
Introduction To Accounting And Business Technology
This unit covers the fundamentals of accounting and forms part of core units that are the essential building blocks of the learning journey for students studying accounting and finance. This focuses on introductory level accounting and understanding of business and the role of accounting and other functions in the business environment.
- To develop knowledge and awareness of business and its environment, and relevant financial systems and procedures.
- To develop skills in the preparation accounts and interpretation of the published accounting statements.
- To develop an understanding of the theories, concepts and principles underpinning the disciplines of finance and decision-making process
- To introduce students to the main analytical tools which are used in financial analysis of capital projects.
- To understand the use of technology in the preparation of accounting statements and finance models.
Introduction To Economics And Finance
The unit covers the fundamentals of Economics and Finance and introduces you to knowledge and understanding Economic and Finance concepts, definitions, and theories. The unit focuses on two main pillars of Economics (Microeconomics and Macroeconomics), and the underpinning principles of Finance. It contributes to the requisite knowledge and and skills required at a higher level in accounting, finance, and economics degrees.
The main aim is to
- Build understanding of how models of markets are developed and used by economists to explain the pricing of goods and services and how is the whole economy structured.
- Provide a solid foundation for later work in both the theoretical and the applied field of economics and helps you gain an understanding of current economic events and policies.
- Develop your understanding of the fundamental theories, concepts, and techniques of finance, and the underlying principles of the field of finance
- Develop ability to solve simple finance and economics problems using relevant tools and techniques
Applied Numeracy For Business
This unit is part of a core spine of units that all Business students will encounter as part of their learning journey. This journey takes you through the begin stage at Level 4, to the thrive stage at level 5, to succeed stage at level 6.
This unit is designed to support your Begin stage at level 4, it develops the numeracy skills and abilities you need to succeed in your studies and in the business world. The unit is designed to support you and develop your confidence in essential mathematics and statistics techniques, it applies these techniques in business context to give you an understanding of how they are used to solve problems and make decision in business organisations.
The connected core spine of units also enables you to network with peers from across the faculty just as you will be expected to work with colleagues throughout the organisation in the world of business.¿¿¿
The unit aims to achieve
- provide students with the fundamental knowledge and understanding of numeracy in business.
- develop student confidence in a range of numerical and statistical techniques.
- enable students apply a range of numerical and statistical techniques to practical business problems.
Data Analysis For Finance And Economics
This unit aims to provide detailed knowledge and skills to apply and interpret the results of a variety of statistical techniques from both descriptive and inferential statistics. You will use appropriate software in order to collect, summarize, and process primary and secondary data, identify relations between economic variables and use this information to interpret the outcome in the context of economic policy or business decision making processes.
The central question that the unit intends to address is: How statistics is used in the process of asking a research question, gathering the data to address this question(s), analyzing the data, and making conclusions.
Economics
This unit builds on the knowledge you acquired at level 4, aims to introduce you to intermediate microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts and examine them in greater depth.
This unit aims to achieve the following:
Explore modern approaches of microeconomic theory in addressing several issues faced by individuals, households and firms.
Examine the factors that determine the level of income, output, prices and employment in the economy.
Evaluate Economic fluctuations and long run economic growth in light of the current economic crisis as well as government economic policies, their strengths and limitations.
Professional Development And Employability
The purpose of this unit is to prepare students for the transition to the workplace by providing the transferable and fundamental job-relevant competencies necessary for success.
The central question that the unit intends to address is: What are the demands and expectations placed on finance professionals and how adequately equipped are you as an individual to meet those expectations?
The unit aims to:
Enable students apply and practice specific skills using exercises based on real life situations. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of transferable core skills and their relevance and application to the world of work. The unit builds on the development of competencies established in Year 1. In the contemporary world of business and finance, graduates need a broad range of skills in addition to subject knowledge. They will work in a wide variety of roles, in different sectors with some going on to take professional qualifications, whilst others perhaps specialising in research.
A number of research projects have noted that employers require finance professionals to be effective networkers; to have good communication skills; to be able to work effectively in teams and to have a good business overview. In other words, organisations want accounting and finance professionals who are competent in a broad range of business skills.
Interpersonal Competencies
Key to employability, this will develop the student’s skills in self-presentation and communicating with others. It includes the ability to work with others in a team, communicate, persuade and have interpersonal sensitivity. It also considers the ability and desire to learn for one and improve one’s self-awareness and performance.
Career Management
To equip students with the knowledge and skills to make and implement their career decisions, both now and in the future.
It provides a theoretical and practical framework within which students can test out existing career intentions or generate career goals - through self-assessment linked with career exploration and a specific career study.
It looks at how students present themselves to employers, matching the criteria that employers seek.
Fundamentals Of Econometrics
The unit explores the world of published numerical information from an economical perspective and provides participants with fundamental theories of interpretation and substantial in depth econometrical skills from statement of theory or hypothesis to forecasting or predicting.
The aims of this unit is to
- Develop a systematic understanding of quantitative analysis judgments in an economic phenomenon setting
- Provide knowledge of varied environments and economic conditions in which firms operate
Financial Theory And Practice
- To develop student understanding and knowledge of key financial concepts, theories, and practice
- To provide a critical appreciation of financial theories, their underpinning assumptions, and their role in the financial management decision of businesses.
- To create knowledge and understanding of financial markets and the financial systems within which businesses operate.
- To develop and equip students with the analytical skills to understand the implication of financing and investment decisions made by businesses.
Financial Management
The main aim of the unit is to provide a thorough knowledge required for financial and investment decision making. At the same time, you will cultivate personal skills and attributes essential for discharging your responsibilities as a finance professional.
Financial Management is the process of putting available funds to the firm’s best advantage given its long-term business objectives. However, since the array of decisions is wide and varied, the study of Financial Management focuses on those economic strategies and decisions that have a direct financial impact on the maximisation of the firm’s net present value and the allocation of scarce capital resources between competing opportunities.
The content of this unit is informed by the curriculum of the ACCA’s paper FM: Financial Management.
The central question that the unit intends to address is: What is the role of financial management in the allocation of scarce financial resource and the maximisation of shareholder wealth?
Economics Of Globalisation
This unit builds upon the knowledge you have acquired in other units and aims at providing you with a deeper understanding of the Economics of integration. It uses the instruments of the economic theory to discuss and analyse major economic issues currently faced by EU countries and their effects on businesses. This unit develops a systematic understanding of international trade theory and policy and international monetary theory and policy, in conjunction with an in depth examination of varied economic environments and market conditions in which firms operate.
The central question that the unit intends to address is: What are the main effects of international trade and monetary policy on the economic environment and market conditions in which firms operate?
Specialist Project Unit (Accounting, Finance And Economics)
This Unit aims to develop your knowledge and skills to conduct sound academic research and/or a practical project in accounting, finance and economics using a range of methodological tools and approaches.
Working independently as well as in a group setting, it aims to equip you with the technical skills to critically review prior research as well as plan your own research or practical project in accordance with both academic and ethical standards.
Through the research process you will develop the qualities and transferrable skills required for continued research and future
Introduction To Econometrics
The aims of this unit is to develop a systematic understanding of quantitative analysis judgments in an economic phenomena setting, in conjunction with an in depth examination of varied environments and economic conditions in which firms operate.
The unit is relevant as it explores the world of published numerical information from an economical perspective and provides participants with fundamental theories of interpretation and substantial in depth econometrical skills from statement of theory or hypothesis to forecasting or predicting.
The central question that the unit intends to address is: What are the main quantitative and analytical judgements that can be drawn from a representative dataset of various economic environments?
Personal Development And Employability
The purpose of this unit is to prepare students for the transition to the workplace by providing the transferable and fundamental job-relevant competencies necessary for success. The unit focuses on applying and practising specific skills using exercises based on real life situations. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of transferable core skills and their relevance and application to working life. The unit builds on the development of competencies established in Year 1.
In the contemporary world of business and finance, graduates need a broad range of skills as in addition to subject knowledge. They will work in a wide variety of roles, in different sectors with some going on to take professional qualifications, whilst others perhaps specialising in research.
A number of research projects have noted that employers require finance professionals to be effective networkers; to have good communication skills, to be able to work in effective teams and to have a good business overview. In other words, organisations want accounting and finance professionals who are competent in a broader range of business skills.
The central question that the unit intends to address is: What are the demands and expectations placed on finance professionals and how adequately equipped are you as an individual to meet those expectations?
Financial Markets: Theory And Practice
The main aim of the unit is to examine the role of the financial markets in providing the basis for organized investment activity at both the macro- and micro- economic levels. You will become familiar with the principal markets and the instruments available for managing the financial needs and exposures of the organisation.
This will involve analysis of the core financial statements, the identification of relevant revenues and costs, managing limiting factors, performing analysis and providing solutions that assist and inform management at all levels. The unit also addresses the core finance theories and practice financial structuring, risk mitigation, long-term capital planning and short-term working capital management that augment the management accounting theories and techniques to inform management decision-making.
Applied Economics
This unit aims at applying the principles of economics to a variety of specific economic topics. It will contribute to your independent thinking when it comes to analysing current economic affairs. It discovers how economics can be applied to design, guide and interpret commercial and economic policies. It also develops the ability to discuss and analyse government policies and to evaluate the performance of the UK and other economies.
The central question that the unit intends to address is: How the economic theory can be used in an applied context to examine the effects of economic decisions, government policies etc.
Professional Practice Year (Accounting, Finance And Economics)
The aim of this unit is to provide the opportunity to undertake career-related experience which will allow you to understand and undertake responsibilities in the work place at an appropriate level and use the opportunity to assess your readiness to undertake a career in your chosen field.
Beginning Your Professional Business Journey
This unit is part of a core spine of units that all Business students will encounter as part of their learning journey. This journey takes you from the Begin stage at Level 4, to the Thrive stage at Level 5 through to the Succeed stage at Level 6. This unit is designed to support the Begin/Thrive/Succeed stage by introducing you to the skills that you will require in order to develop your professional practice.
The connected core spine of units also enables you to network with peers from across the faculty just as you will be expected to work with colleagues throughout the organisation in the world of business.
This unit will help you to begin your journey in Business and provide you with the support you will need to develop your professional practice.
In this unit you will be presented with Business challenges which will allow you to collaborate with peers, and provide an insight in to a professional Business environment.
English Language Foundation
This unit focuses on your ability to understand and use the English language accurately when you read, speak, listen and write. We will concentrate on the English you need for undergraduate level study in your chosen subject area, covering grammar, subject area vocabulary and the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
A key element of the unit is the grammar of the language, and particularly the verb tense system in English, because your ability to use the verb tense system accurately will be extremely important when you come to write essays and reports. This unit will focus in particular on the grammar of the language.
We will also focus on reading, listening and speaking skills in the context of your chosen subject area. Beginning with short texts, we will practise each skill and practise it again, so that gradually you will see, hear and feel that your command of the language is improving.
A recurring focus of the unit will be your acquisition of 'learner autonomy'. This means your ability to acquire the language yourself, without needing a teacher's help. This is important because from next year you will not have an English teacher to help you. So we will consider and practise strategies to help you gain confidence in your own ability to increase your knowledge of and ability to use the language, including for instance guessing meaning of difficult words, deciding which words are important in a text, recognising differences between formal and informal language, and other strategies, so that as the first semester continues, you begin to feel more confident in your use and experience with the English Language.
Academic Skills Foundation
When you begin your undergraduate level studies, you will be expected to have knowledge of and ability to use a large range of 'study skills'. You will also be expected to have some knowledge of the subject area you will be studying. This unit deals with both of these aspects of your preparation for undergraduate level study.
All of the academic skills are practised in English, so you will use your developing acquisition of the language from the partner unit 'English Language Foundation' to practise and gain mastery of these skills. You will also use your language and study skills as you learn the foundation of your subject area, putting the skills into practice as you learn.
Developing English Language Skills
This unit builds on the progress you made during its partner semester 1 unit 'English Language Foundation' and increasing your level from that which you had achieved by the end of semester 1.
We will recycle the tense system in English and other elements of the grammar system, but you will now learn how to use other aspects of the grammar, including the passive voice, as well as linking words and phrases and devices which enable you to write longer sentences but retain grammatical accuracy.
You will notice that we gradually introduce more specialist language that you need in preparation for your degree and we will expect you to use and develop the skills that you gained in the previous units so that you are able to work more independently.
Academic Skills Development
This unit builds on the skills learnt and practised in its partner semester 1 unit 'Foundation Academic Skills'. We will add more skills to the list, including summarizing and synthesising, argumentation, critical thinking and referencing and citation skills, as well as several others and practise and test them in the same way as with the semester 1 unit.
We will also investigate the research skill and you will learn how to prepare a research proposal and conduct a literature review, and how to plan a research project, learning about the research tools available and how they can be used to conduct research in your chosen field.
You will continue to broaden your knowledge of key current issues and theory in your chosen subject area, and apply the critical thinking and argumentation skills you acquire in this unit to argue for and against propositions you have studied in the form of in both essays and presentations and in seminar situations, ensuring that you are ready to step up to your chosen undergraduate course with a base level of subject area knowledge from which to continue your academic development as you progress to level 4 study.
How will you be assessed?
Different assessment methods are chosen to evaluate and support your learning in understanding and applying economics and finance theories to real issues. The assessment strategy is also focused on enhance your employability throughout this course. A pivotal element of this is that feedback will be given in due time so it is integrated in the learning process. Some of assessments are listed below and in some cases they will be used in combination. In addition your knowledge and skills will be also formatively assessed through problem solving sessions or case study discussions.
Careers
This course provides an excellent pathway for a career as an economist in financial institutions and banking business management consulting commerce the public sector and voluntary organisations. They can be skilled managers researchers analysts and strategists. Graduates may also progress on to postgraduate study.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
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International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
Ìý
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
Ìý
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.