BSc Accounting and Finance

Taught by our world-leading academics, this programme explores accounting and finance through the broader social sciences.

As well as developing your core financial knowledge, you’ll examine the ways institutions and organisations deal with calculation, reporting and evaluation. You’ll look at the interdependencies between accounting and accountability, financial management and risk, performance management and sustainability, governance and regulation, policymaking and change.

The programme explores the role accounting and finance play in societies, economies, institutions, markets, organisations, and even individual behaviours. This interdisciplinary learning means that our graduates are highly sought-after in many areas, such as professional accountancy, investment banking and analysis, management consulting and financial management.

Depending on your chosen course options, you may be eligible for exemptions from some professional accountancy examinations on graduation – giving you a head start in your career.

This programme is accredited by the following bodies for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) through the Accredited degree accelerated route
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England (ICAEW)

If you'd like to gain further insight into accounting and finance, we suggest that you browse some of these review papers/opinion pieces. Some of the readings are quite academic - don't worry about the details, the aim is to introduce you to some critical issues in accounting and finance.

• Asness, C., G. Hubbard, M. Lipton, and, M. Strain, 2021, American Enterprise Roundtable: Was Milton Friedman Right about Shareholder Capitalism? Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, vol. 33 n.1, 2021. Alternative version available at Was Milton Friedman Right about Shareholder Capitalism? (harvard.edu)
• Ball, R., 2009, The Global Financial Crisis and the Efficient Market Hypothesis: What Have We Learned? Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, vol. 21 n.4.
• Ball, R., 2016, IFRS – 10 Year Later. Accounting and Business Research, vol. 46 n.5.
• Ball, R., 2023, By What Criteria Do We Evaluate Accounting? Working paper.
• Barth, M., 2022, Accounting Standards: the “Too Difficult” Box – the Next Big Accounting Issue? Accounting and Business Research, vol. 52 n.5, 2022. Full article: Accounting standards: the ‘too difficult’ box – the next big accounting issue? (tandfonline.com)
• Christensen, H.B., L. Hail, C. and Leuz, 2021, Mandatory CSR and Sustainability Reporting: Economic Analysis and Literature Review. Review of Accounting Studies, vol. 26 n.3. Free pre-print version at Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review | SpringerLink
• Phalippou, L. and G. Brown, 2022, Should Private Companies Have the Same SEC Disclosure Requirements as Public Companies? A Debate. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, vol. 34 n.3.
• Srivastava, A. and S. Rajgopal, 2022, The Case for Reinventing Financial Reporting in the 21st Century. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, vol. 34 n.4.
• Zimmerman, J., 2016, Private Equity, the Rise of Unicorns, and the Reincarnation of Control-based Accounting. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, vol. 28 n.3.
• Zimmerman, J., 2022, A Positive Accounting Theorist’s Take on the End of Accounting. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, vol. 34 n.4.

For additional readings in Finance, please see the BSc Finance preliminary reading list.

In addition, if you'd like to familiarise yourself with the research areas of some of our accounting faculty members (in bold), you may want to browse the following review papers or pieces written for wider audiences:

• Bhimani, A., 2021. Accounting Disrupted: How Digitalization is Changing Finance. AICPA/Wiley.
  Beaver, W., M. Correia, and M. McNichols, 2011, Financial Statement Analysis and the Prediction of Financial Distress. Foundations and Trends in Accounting, vol. 5 n.2.
• Cascino, S., M. Clatworthy, B. García Osma, J. Gassen, S. Imam, and T. Jeanjean, 2014, Who Uses Financial Reports and for What Purpose? Evidence from Capital Providers. Accounting in Europe, vol. 11 n.2.
• De George, E., L. Shivakumar and X. Li, 2016, A Review of the IFRS Adoption Literature. Review of Accounting Studies, vol. 21 n.3.
• Power, M. ed., 2016. Riskwork: Essays on the Organizational Life of Risk Management. Oxford University Press.
• Servaes, H. and A. Tamayo, 2017, The Role of Social Capital in Corporations: A Review. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, vol. n. 33.
• Van der Stede, W., 2015, Management Accounting: Where From, Where Now, Where To? Journal of Management Accounting Research, vol. 27 n.1.

Welcome to the Department of Accounting – one of the world’s leading centres for accounting and financial management research. The department was rated the top place in the UK to study accounting (Good University Guide 2024).

Our work is focused on understanding the role played by accounting in organisations, the markets and society at large. We have strong links with national and international professional bodies and regulatory institutions, and our research has contributed to shaping international accounting practices. Alongside teaching and research, the department also hosts the interdisciplinary Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation.

Every year, we admit more than 400 students to our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Our students don’t just learn about accounting principles – they learn how accounting is used in institutional and organisational processes of calculation, reporting and evaluation. This involves exploring the interdependencies between accounting and accountability, sustainability, governance, risk, performance management, policymaking and change.

We’re proud of our open and collaborative culture, welcoming students, academics, external speakers and practitioners from around the world – all contributing to our rich and diverse community.

Learn more about our programmes and research.

Department of Accounting

We consider each application carefully, taking into account all the details you’ve included on your UCAS form, such as:

• academic achievement, including predicted and achieved grades (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
• subjects and subject combinations (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
• your personal statement
• your teacher’s reference
• educational circumstances

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although this is not needed at the application stage. See our English language requirements page.

We’re looking for students who demonstrate:

• strong analytical abilities
• high levels of numeracy
• an ability to evaluate and critically assess complex issues
• the ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity
• attention to detail
• intellectual curiosity
• an equal interest in both accounting and finance.

Formative coursework

All taught courses include formative coursework, which is not assessed. This helps prepare you for summative assessment. We use a range of formative assessment methods, such as essays, case studies, reports, quizzes and mock exams.

Feedback on coursework is an essential part of the learning experience. Class teachers mark formative coursework and give feedback within two weeks – provided the work is submitted on time.

Summative assessment

This assessment counts towards your final course mark and degree award.

Summative assessment usually involves written examinations at the end of each academic year. Some courses also have written examinations in January while others are assessed partly by essays or other work submitted during the year. Assessment on individual courses can change from year to year. Learn about the current formative coursework and summative assessment for each course in the relevant course guide.

You’ll receive feedback on any summative coursework as part of the assessment for individual courses (except for final submitted dissertations). Generally, feedback will be provided before the examination period.

Find out more about LSE’s teaching and assessment methods.

Recent graduates of this programme have gone on to work in the areas of professional accountancy, investment banking, investment analysis, management consultancy and financial management, the public sector, as well as further academic study.

If you successfully complete the degree, then depending on the optional courses you've taken, you may be eligible for exemptions from some examinations of the professional accountancy bodies.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.