Bachelor of Science (Honours) Accounting and Finance (Top-up)
Programme Overview
Academic Level
Bachelor's Degree, Single Major, Top-up
Awarded by
University of Birmingham, UK
Programme type
Full-time, 2 years
Campus location
SIM Campus
Application Dates
Preparatory Course - Applications are closed | Direct Entry - Now till 19 May 2025 (Local & International Applicants)
Estimated Fees
(incl. GST)* #
S$39,370.80 to S$43,818.00
* Exclude application fee, preparatory or bridging course fee, and other fees. Refer to the Fees & Financial Aid section for details.
Bachelor of Science (Honours) Accounting and Finance (Top-up), University of Birmingham
Programme Outline
Awarded and developed by: University of Birmingham, UK
The world needs its accountants and finance professional
As financial markets integrate and business operations diversify, the need for adoption of common global accounting practices intensifies.
Why a Bachelor’s from University of Birmingham?
- A member of the prestigious Russell Group of 24 UK research-led universities
- Degrees are of the same standings and standards as those awarded in the UK
- Long tradition and established track record of teaching business and management
- Established international reputation of the University and the Business School
- Research led – cutting-edge research feeds directly into teaching
- International syllabus with a focus on the issues of globalisation
- Dedicated staff who provide continuous support for your studies
- Join the alumni community of more than 300,000 graduates. From television and sport to research and government, the University has outstanding alumni across all sectors.
Graduates may obtain exemptions from the following professional bodies. Visit their websites for the latest requirements.
Learning Outcomes
You will:
- Have a firm technical grounding in accounting and finance, and as well as a wider appreciation of business issues within a global political, legal and social environment.
- Bridge the gap between study and work lives through an optional Professional Development module.
- Develop the skill sets and versatility needed for a career in different environments of the financial sector.
Further Studies & Career Prospects
Students are offered the opportunity to engage with work experience via a third year optional module, Professional Development. This module is designed to bridge the gap between their academic studies and the future professional life postgraduation. Student learning via work experience on the module will be assessed by the University.
Birmingham graduates are highly sought after by diverse employers for their drive, diversity, communication and problem-solving skills, and team-working abilities. They can go on to become accountants, auditors, brokers, financial analysts, fund managers, investment researchers, tax specialists, traders, etc.
Graduates may further their studies to attain a postgraduate qualification from universities around the world.
To pursue a Master’s qualification with University of Birmingham, you will require at least an upper second class award. The University of Birmingham currently offers a suite of postgraduate taught programmes at SIM:
Master of Science
- Financial Management
- International Business
- Management
For the full list of postgraduate programmes offered on the University’s UK home campus, please visit their website.
Hear from our students
Prashant Kumar
After witnessing how his parents’ jobs were made redundant multiple times during their corporate career, Prashant Kumar knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur who could take the reins of his own destiny. More importantly, he is passionate about making an impact in his community with job creation. A graduate of the University of Birmingham, Prashant co-founded FREO Labs, a B2B brand, design and digital consultancy and shared his experience on this challenging but rewarding journey.
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Why study at SIM x University of Birmingham
Intake Dates
Sep 2025 intake
PROGRAMME DURATION
2 June 2025 to 31 August 2025 (Preparatory Course in Accounting and Finance, if required)
22 September 2025 to 31 August 2027 (Main Programme)*
APPLICATION PERIOD
Preparatory Course - Applications are closed
Direct Entry - Now till 19 May 2025 (for Local & International Applicants)
Date & period is subject to change by the University.
*SIM Diploma graduates who receive results in September 2025 are welcome to apply
Academic Schedule
A typical schedule by the academic year is illustrated as follows:
Semester 1
Sep – Jan: Lectures and tutorials
Feb: End-of-semester exams
Semester 2
Mar – May: Lectures and tutorials
Jun: End-of-semester exams
Maximum candidature: 4 years
There will not be any refund or recourse should students fail to complete the programme within the candidature period.
Curriculum
Structure
- A structured curriculum delivered over two years through classroom learning.
- There are two semesters in a year and students are expected to undertake 120 credits of modules for each academic year.
- Taught by Birmingham academics and local specialists who worked/are working in the accounting and finance profession.
- View a list of lecturer's teaching modules
- Weekly schedule: Monday to Friday over three time slots: 8:30am/12pm/3:30pm. Saturday classes may occasionally be scheduled if required.
- Lessons are typically conducted 3 to 6 hours per day.
- A 20-credit module has 60 hours of class contact delivered on a block teaching basis through lectures and tutorials.
- Exemptions: Nil
- Average teacher-student ratio – 1:110
- Minimum class size to commence: 30 students
- If the class fails to commence due to low take-up rate, students will be informed within one month before programme commencement with the refund of application fee.
- All classes are conducted on SIM campus, unless otherwise stated.
Assessment & Attendance
- Local and international students: 100% attendance rate
- Year 2 progression to Year 3: Obtain 100 credits from Year 2
- Modes of assessment: Varies module to module which can include written exams, coursework or a combination of both.
- Coursework includes written assignments, in-class tests, presentations, projects, etc. Some coursework may be group-based.
- Revision sessions with lecturers will be arranged during the study break before exams through various platforms including video conferences, online recordings etc.
- Assessments are subject to change by the University.
Requirements to Graduate
- Overall result weightage calculation: 25% (Year 2) + 75% (Year 3)
- To achieve Honours, students must obtain 200 out of 240 credits. 100 of these credits must be from each year of the programme.
- A degree congregation presided by University of Birmingham is annually held in November on SIM campus. Alternatively, graduates may choose to attend the ceremony in December or July in the UK.
- The awarded degree and degree certificate, is the same as that awarded in the UK, i.e. Bachelor of Science (Honours) Accounting and Finance.
Modules
The modules offered are pre-determined by the University.
- Audit*
- Corporate Finance
- Financial Reporting
- Business Law*
- Management Accounting
- Taxation: Principles and Planning*
- Advanced Corporate Finance
- Advanced Financial Accounting Practice and Theory
- Accounting and Finance Research Project
Optional Module (choose 2)
- Business Analytics
- Advanced Management Accounting and Control
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Professional Development
Download module details for intakes before 2023:
Notes:
* Taught by local specialists
The modules listed here and on the University’s website may occasionally be subject to change to ensure consistency with the UK programme. In such a scenario, you will be informed of any changes.
Students are required to own a laptop equipped with at least Microsoft Windows 10 or Apple MacOS Catalina (10.15) and 8GB RAM (recommended).
Admission Criteria
Accepted Entry Qualifications
- Diploma in Accounting awarded by SIM; or
- Accounting related diplomas from local polytechnics; or
- Non-accounting related diplomas with successful completion of a three-month SIM Preparatory Course in Accounting and Finance.
- All other qualifications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants must obtain an average Grade B and may be required for interview before admission.
All admissions (direct & non-direct entries) are based on merit and are subject to the final approval of the University.
Accounting diplomas that may be eligible for advanced standing into the two-year programme include:
- SIM Diploma in Accounting
- Nanyang Polytechnic: Diploma in Accountancy and Finance (renamed from Diploma in Accountancy and Taxation wef 2004)
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic: Diploma in Accountancy
- Singapore Polytechnic: Diploma in Accountancy
- Temasek Polytechnic: Diploma in Accounting and Finance
English Language Requirements
Students must have an acceptable level of competency in the English Language and at least one of the following or equivalent:- Minimum C6 pass in English as First Language at GCE 'O' Level; or
- IELTS score of 6.5 overall with minimum of 6.5 in Writing and Speaking; and minimum of 6.0 in Listening and Reading (include IELTs Online); or
- TOEFL score of 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Writing and Speaking (include TOEFL Home Edition); or
- Pearson Test of English (Academic): score of 67 overall, with no less than 67 in Writing and Speaking; and no less than 64 in Listening and Reading (include PTE Academic Online); or
- Successful completion of Part 2 of SIM Pre-Sessional English course (PSEC); or
- Successful completion of a recognised approved Diploma, where the language of instruction was English
Preparatory Course in Accounting and Finance (If Required)
Developed and awarded by SIM, Singapore.
2025 Intake (Full-time)
Programme Duration: 2 Jun 2025 to 31 Aug 2025*
Application Period: Applications are closed
*Dates are subject to change
Applicants with non-accounting polytechnic diplomas or with suitable qualifications will be required to complete and pass a three-month Preparatory Course in Accounting and Finance for entry into the degree programme.
Additionally, applicants are required to meet the academic and English requirements of the degree programme. Please refer to the full admission requirements of the degree programme here.
The preparatory course, comprising three modules, will cover foundation concepts which prepares students for undergraduate study with University of Birmingham.
- Business Finance
- Financial Accounting
- Management Accounting
View preparatory module synopses (PDF 125 KB)
Structure
- Mode of delivery: Blended learning, a combination of face-to-face lectures and e-learning components
- Assessments: Either by written exams, coursework^ or a combination of both
- Written exams are typically held at the end of the preparatory course in May/June. These exams may take place on weekday mornings and there are no re-sits.
- Class duration: Typically 3 to 6 hours on weekdays. Some lessons may also take place on Saturdays if required.
- Average teacher-student ratio – 1:30
View a list of lecturers’ teaching modules (PDF 71KB) - Minimum class size to commence – 25
If the class fails to commence due to low take-up rate, students will be informed within one month before programme commencement with the refund of application fee.
- Maximum candidature: 3 months. There will not be any refund or recourse should students fail to complete the programme within the candidature period
- Attendance requirement:
- Local students – at least 75% rate
- International students – at least 90% rate
Certification
A certificate of completion will be awarded upon successfully passing the Preparatory Course in Accounting and Finance.
^Coursework may include examinations, in-class tests, assignments, online quizzes etc.
Pre-sessional English Course (If Required)
Developed and awarded by SIM, Singapore.
Applicants who have not reached the required IELTS English Language proficiency level or equivalent shall have to complete and pass a Pre-Sessional English Course before progressing to any of the BSc programmes.
This full-time course aims to improve all four Academic English Language skills in Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing to the required proficiency level for entry to the respective BSc programmes.
A certificate of completion will be awarded upon successful passing of Part Two of the Pre-sessional English Course.
There will not be any refund or recourse should students fail to complete the course within the course duration.
* The PSEC is not open for direct application. The selection into the course is based upon recommendations by the Admission Committee (AC) for those who have applied to the respective BSc Programmes.
** Fees are inclusive of 9% GST and are payable in full before each part of course commencement. Fees include online course materials.
Structure
- Mode of delivery: Lessons will be delivered via blended learning with a combination of face-to-face lectures and e-learning components.
- View module synopses
- Class duration: Typically 6 hours on weekdays. Some lessons may also take place on Saturdays if required.
- Assessments: Continuous assessments include in-class tests, individual / group assignments, online quizzes etc. There are no re-assessments.
- Average teacher-student ratio – 1:30
View a list of lecturers’ teaching modules (PDF 66 KB) - Minimum class size to commence – 25
If the class fails to commence due to low take-up rate, students will be informed at least 1 week before programme commencement with the refund of application fee. - Attendance requirement:
- Local students – at least 75% rate
- International students – at least 90% rate
Fees and Financial Aid
Programme Fees
Preparatory Course in Accounting and Finance (If Required)S$2,125.50 (3 modules)
* Fees are inclusive of 9% GST and are payable in full before course commencement. Fees do not include textbook.
Pre-sessional English Course* (If Required)
(Fees are valid for intake in 2025)*
- Part Two: S$2,725.00
*Fees are inclusive of 9% GST and are payable in full before course commencement. Fees do not include textbook.
Local students:
- Per 20 credits: S$3,280.90
- Per 40 credits: S$6,561.80
- Total programme fees: S$39,370.80
International students:
- Per 20 credits: S$3,651.50
- Per 40 credits: S$7,303.00
- Total programme fees: S$43,818.00
* Fees are inclusive of 9% GST and are payable in four instalments based on the number of module credits undertaken in a term. Fees are payable before term commencement and do not include textbook.
Mandatory Fees
All fees inclusive of prevailing GST.
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Student Development Fee Applicable to all students embarking on a full-time Diploma or Undergraduate programme at SIM. This fee goes towards activities that will help in students’ personal growth and equip them with functional skills that enhance their employability. Payable with the programme fees’ first instalment. |
S$512.30 |
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International Student Induction Fee A one-time fee payable by new full-time international students. This fee covers pre-arrival and arrival support, including activities to enhance the international student learning experience. As applicable, payable with the programme fees’ first instalment. |
S$436.00 |
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Application Fee Payable for each application form that is submitted. Fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. The fee will be refunded fully only if the intake does not commence. Unpaid applications will not be processed. |
Local applicants: S$109.00 International applicants: S$545.00* |
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