best route for a successful career in finance?

Really depends what you aim is in finance (which is pretty broad), generally economics is the broadest and most well respected degree to have when going into pretty much any area of finance (unless its the algorithmic side in investment banks and hedge funds, then you need computer sciences/maths really).

Accounting/Finance will be good, and could fast track you if you want to become an accountant due to exemptions. I have an offer for the PwC degree at Newcastle, which also gives you work experience + a job after and you qualify by the time you're 23 rather than a normal graduate recruit at 24.

If you're looking at Investment Banking or Corporate Finance, there is more competition, so you're looking more towards the Engineering degree, which is well respected especially for investment banking.

Accounting and Finance degrees are perfect if you want to go into the Big Four, but even then you can get in with any sort of degree, and will need to pass their tests.

Thanks for the reply, I'm still not sure if i want to work for one of the big four, or go into corporate finance, or even be an engineer. Although i think the only way i'd do an A&F degree is if it was at either LSE or Warwick because it opens a lot more doors afterwards (i'd imagine). Although your course at Newcastle sounds pretty damn good, so i might have to investigate other courses with a flying start programme