Undergraduate Accountancy 2019-2020

This course introduces the theoretical and contextual foundation of accounting.  It does not involve any technical aspects of accounting or bookkeeping but provides an introduction to the political, economic, institutional, professional and managerial context of accounting.  The main content includes:

• Socio-political and economic mechanisms of accountability; theories of accountability.

• Constitution of organisations and the role of accounting within organisations.

• Constitution of accounting as a business function: how accounting is organised within organisations.

• Constitution of Accountancy as a Profession:  how accountancy is organised as a profession.

• Sustainability and accounting:  how accounting is reorganised to address sustainability issues.

This is an introduction to accounting which aims to provide an understanding of how organisations – particularly small and medium sized businesses – capture, create and use accounting information both to guide their activities internally within the management function and to communicate their financial performance and position to external users of the accounts.  This course allows students to develop practical and analytical skills through a problem-solving approach to accounting-related aspects of business performance reporting and control, particularly in relation to bookkeeping, accounts preparation, budgeting and management accounting.

This course extends the operational tools and techniques introduced in AC1514.  It develops more complex problem-solving techniques in the planning, control and decision-making process.  It shows how quantitative methods and analytical techniques can be applied in management accounting solutions to management problems.  It also emphasises the diverse industrial, commercial and not-for-profit settings in which management accountants work.  It seeks to develop in students an understanding the organisational context as well as the nature of management accounting information.  The focus is to enhance students' problem-solving AND communication skills, AND develop their ability TO SELECT AND apply appropriate techniques IN SPECIFIC contexts.

The objective of FA2 is to build upon material introduced in first year in order to develop students'  technical skills in financial statement preparation. Students will gain an appreciation of the regulatory framework for financial reporting. They will examine the usefulness of financial statement information, by looking at the form and content of accounts produced by partnerships and public limited companies.  Students will explore how to account for basic transactions through the implementation of current accounting standards and apply their knowledge in both the manual and the computerised environment, the latter through the SAGE accounting package.

This course builds upon the material in Financial Accounting 2.  The aim of the course is to strengthen practical and analytical accounting skills through the study of accounting problems and to develop the ability to critically appraise conventional accounting practice through an understanding of alternative accounting theories and their application to topical issues in financial accounting.

Building upon the material in Management Accounting 2, the course examines in greater detail behavioural, managerial, and strategic aspects of management accounting and management control. The course content includes management accounting issues pertaining to:

• Strategic management accounting

• Operational management issues including quality management

• Performance evaluation and management systems

• Management control systems, and

• Advance decision making techniques such as decision-trees, learning curves and project evaluation and review techniques

The objective of the course is to allow students to develop an understanding of financial statement audit processes and the role of auditors in society. Students will gain an understanding of the history, and legal and professional frameworks within which audit operates. They will gain an appreciation of audit techniques , the role of judgment and ethical requirements and will explore current developments in the profession. There is regular interaction with local accountancy firms. The course requires a high degree of personal study and students will be required to prepare individual and group presentations which are key audit skills.

The content is organised into three main areas covering mainstream, positive and critical theoretical literature in accounting related to:

- Financial reporting practices and regulations

- Management accounting practices and history

- Accounting research methodologies

All Accountancy and Finance students must undertake a dissertation. Students taking a joint degree may undertake the dissertation in either discipline, but not both.  It is designed to show that you are able to:

Carry out a substantial piece of research on a chosen subject without close supervision

Critically analyse and evaluate work carried out by others

Reach your own conclusions based upon your analysis and evaluation of relevant evidence, whether this is prior research only or prior research coupled with your own research.  

Write-up the results of your work in a clear, coherent and logical way.