Subject Benchmark Statement: Accounting
Publication date: 07 Apr 2025
Accounting
Subject Benchmark Statement
Subject Benchmark Statements describe the nature of study and the academic standards expected of graduates in specific subject areas. They show what graduates might reasonably be expected to know, do and understand at the end of their studies.
Below you will find the full Subject Benchmark Statement for Accounting. Alongside it, we have also published a summary designed to provide a short and accessible overview of the main Statement for students, employers and academics.
Subject Benchmark Statement: Accounting - the basics
Publication date: 07 Apr 2025
About this subject
Accounting as a degree subject requires students to study how the design, operation and validation of accounting systems affect, and are affected by, the development of accounting theory, individuals, organisations, information technologies, markets, society and the environment. This study should be informed by perspectives from the social sciences. Such perspectives may be derived from, but are not restricted to, disciplines such as economics, information systems, politics, psychology and sociology. Accounting degree programmes normally include elements of finance; this requires the study of the operation and design of financial systems, risk, financial structures, and financial instruments.
Professor Joan Ballentine, Professor Greg Stoner & Professor Anita Krishnan - Chair and Co-Chairs of the Advisory Group
Professor of Accounting, Ulster University; Professor of Accounting & Finance, University of Glasgow; Deputy Head of School Education, University of Southampton
The creation of our new Statement has given us the opportunity to reflect upon the place of Accounting within business and society and its responsibilities to the public interest and for sustainability. We have incorporated within the Statement the broad purposes of an Accounting degree, recognising that an Accounting degree is more than just numbers - it is about understanding the vital role of Accounting in society, responsible governance, and ethical decision-making. The Statement integrates what is needed to educate students with an understanding of the many ways in which Accounting is useful in society, for those seeking potential careers in the field and for those for whom Accounting information has an effect on their work or daily lives. The Statement has been designed to foster students’ critical thinking, professional judgment, and adaptability in a rapidly evolving world. By integrating contemporary themes such as EDI, GenAI and sustainability, the Statement will also equip Accounting graduates with the skills needed to challenge the status quo, navigate uncertainty, and shape the future of Accounting and society.
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