Accounting
The BSc Accounting is one of the longest-established undergraduate accounting degrees in Ireland. The degree prepares students for senior roles in professional accountancy and across a wide range of business environments.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | National University of Ireland |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | National University of Ireland | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 years, full-time.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Leaving Certificate entry requirements:
At Least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H5 in two subjects and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish. Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
English O6/H7
Irish O6/H7
Maths O6/H7
Other Language O6/H7
Note you do not need to have studied Accounting or Higher Level Maths at Leaving Certificate.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme LCVP
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
QQI FET Applicants General Information
We are pleased to advise that from September 2026, we will be offering two new QQI FET entry route options into CK202 Accounting.
Entry route A will follow the established QQI FET route into other courses in Cork University Business School as per the QQI FET page.
Students using this entry route must present Distinctions* (i.e. 80% or greater ) in 5 module, one of which must be in:
• 5N1833/6N3395 - Mathematics
And at least a PASS in one of the following:
• 5N18396 - Maths for Information Technology
• 5N2066 - Statistics
• 6N4169/6N4310 - Administration Practice / Business Management
• 5N1610 - Business Administration Skills
Via entry route B, students taking 5M2102 - Business Studies (Accounting) will need to present Distinctions* (i.e. 80% or greater) in five modules which must include at least one of the following:
• 5N1348 – Accounting OR
• 5N1833/6N3395 - Mathematics
(*5N1356/6N1946/W20008 Work Experience and 5N1433/6N1947 Work Practice cannot be used as one of the required distinctions but will be allowed for scoring purposes).
Careers / Further progression
Skills and Careers Information
The BSc Accounting offers many exemptions from professional accountancy exams. Students can gain exemptions from the full set of CAP 1 exams and half of the CAP 2 exams of Chartered Accountants Ireland. These extensive exemptions offer a ‘fast-track’ to qualification as a Chartered Accountant.
Students are also able to gain many exemptions from other professional bodies, such as ACCA and CIMA.
No other UCC degree gives students as many professional accountancy exam exemptions.
Further information
September 2026
Approximate Available Places 6
Find out about the mature entry requirements at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/entryreqs/matureapplicants/
Approximate Available Places Overall 68
Entry 2026
Early online application (discounted): Fee €35 Closing Date: 20 January 2026 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €50 Closing Date: 1 February 2026 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: €65 Closing Date: 1 May 2026 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2026 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2026 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2026. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2026, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2026 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €65 applies.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2026 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
Course Outline
The BSc Accounting is one of the longest-established undergraduate accounting degrees in Ireland. The degree prepares students for senior roles in professional accountancy and across a wide range of business environments.
The key benefits of the degree programme are:
- A fast-track to qualifying as a professional accountant. BSc Accounting students can now gain extensive exemptions from Chartered Accountants Ireland, the largest accounting body on the Island of Ireland. Students can get students can gain exemptions from the full set of CAP 1 exams and half of the CAP 2 exams. No other UCC degree offers this amount of exemptions.
- A paid 6-month work placement with the leading professional accounting firms or top industry organisations.
- A tailored business degree. A broad range of optional business subjects, from business consulting to entrepreneurial start-ups, allowing students to tailor their degree in accordance with their interests and career goals.
Modules
Each year, students complete 12 modules amounting to 60 credits, except for the third year where students are on paid work placement for semester 2.
During the programme students study modules from finance, law, IT, management, economics, accounting, auditing, governance, marketing, statistics and tax subjects.
Year 1
In year 1 students are given a thorough introduction to all business subjects which underpin accounting and the wider business environment: finance, economics, IT, statistics, financial accounting and management accounting.
AC1103 Financial Accounting Fundamentals
AC1104 Accounting for Partnerships and Companies
AC1107 Investment in Capital Assets
AC1108 Introduction to Valuation and Risk
AC1109 Management Accounting: Principles and Concepts
AC1115 Management Accounting: Cost & Control Systems
EC1202 Economic Reasoning for Business
EC1203 Macroeconomic Context and Business
IS1106 Introduction to Information Systems
IS1107 Information Systems for the Networked Enterprise
ST1023 Introduction to Business Statistics
ST2200 Methods of Business Statistics
Year 2
In Year 2 students take a combination of compulsory and elective modules, allowing students to begin to tailor their degree. Compulsory modules further develop knowledge of accounting, information technology and introduce students to law, taxation subjects.
* Compulsory modules (45 credits) include International Financial Reporting 1; Consolidated Financial Statements and Reporting; Placement Plan; Introduction to Taxation; Data Analysis, Business Reporting & Process Automation; Corporate Financial Management; Data Management and Fundamentals; Introduction to the Legal System and Introduction to Business Law.
* Elective modules (15 credits) are chosen from Business Microeconomics 1; Business Microeconomics 2; Systems Analysis and Systems Design: Systems Analysis and Systems Change: Introduction to Marketing: Principles of Management and Organization: People and Organisation: Data Analysis II: Introduction to Operations Research: Modelling and Systems for Decision Making.
Year 3
In Year 3 students will study in UCC for Semester 1, then complete a 6-month paid work placement (see Work Placement information below). Students develop their accounting and business knowledge in a professional setting. Students’ teamwork, interpersonal, communication and critical skills are developed in preparation for placement.
* Compulsory modules: International Financial Reporting 2: Theory and Practice; Auditing; Multinational Finance; Cases in Corporate Finance; and Governance, Regulation and Control of Financial Organisations; Management Accounting: Data & Decision Making.
Year 4
In Year 4 students will have an opportunity to tailor their degree further through the large selection of elective modules to study. Module selection will be guided by their placement experience.
* Compulsory modules (30 credits) include Advanced Financial Accounting 1; Advanced Financial Accounting 2; Management Accounting: Planning and Control; Management Accounting: Decision Making; Taxation: Income Tax and VAT; Financial Information Analysis.
* Elective Modules (30 credits) are selected from International Corporate Valuation, Economics, Information Systems, Law, Marketing, Management, and other Accounting subjects.
Dr Mike Farrell / Dr Jamie O'Neill
bscaccounting@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 490 2967
https://www.cubsucc.com/
Bróna Meenan, Programme Administrator
bscaccounting@ucc.ie
+353 (0)21 4902136