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is it worth it applying for accounting and finance degrees for finance

Hi everyone,

I’m interested in pursuing a career in finance, specifically asset management, and I’m currently deciding on which degree would be the best fit. I’ve been looking at Accounting & Finance degrees at KCL and Bath, but I’ve also considered Finance degrees at QMUL.

Would an Accounting & Finance degree still be a good choice for breaking into asset management, or would a pure Finance degree be better? I know both routes cover relevant topics, but I’m wondering if one has a stronger reputation or better career prospects in the industry.

Any advice on university choices, industry perceptions, or the best route into asset management would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

Reply 1

University of Bath

Official Rep

Hi there Raphael!

Really great to hear you're planning on going into Finance - that's a very good choice which will open a lot of doors in the future - especially great to hear you're considering Bath as one of your choices 🙂

I would say that which you should study would be the one with the course content that looks the most interesting to you. I would take a look at the detailed course modules of Finance VS A&F degrees and see which one looks more appealing overall - if you like what you're learning, motivation will follow, trust me!

The accounting element I would say deals with the flow of money in and out of a company, the management of financial information with quite a narrow focus, whereas finance deals with the broader topic of managing money itself, and, asset management.

Both degrees would be very beneficial for you to get into the industry. I would say that doing a joint degree may equip you with a broader range of financial skills should you change your mind about which direction you might want to take in the future; but the Finance element is indeed more associated with asset management if this is definitely what you want to do. However which you choose is entirely up to you and what you think you would find more interesting to learn.

I'd also just quickly add that if your course offers a placement year as Bath's does, then this will add a lot to your grad CV and also give you the chance to do something fun and different whilst earning money during your degree! 🙂

I hope this helps, best of luck with your decision and please shout if you have any questions!

Holly
University of Bath

(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 2

marcus.0

Makes little to no difference which one you choose, recruiters don't care or look at your course.
Landing a job in finance relies more so on your own abilities and the people you meet.