BE882-7-AP-CA:
Accounting and Finance
2019/20
Essex Business School
Colchester Campus & Apprenticeship Location
Autumn & Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 03 October 2019
Friday 13 December 2019
10
28 January 2020
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module introduces key aspects of accounting and finance, and some of its main applications in contemporary management and decision making.
The central consideration of this module is that managers need to be aware of, and be able to critically evaluate, the informational outputs of accounting systems and financial management techniques, and how their application underpins managerial, financing and investment decisions, and contemporary issues of relevance to these techniques.
This module also provides a foundation for the study of optional modules in accounting and/or finance.
The module aims to:
1. Provide students with sufficient background understanding of accounting and
finance principles and their role in the business decision-making process;
2. Enable students to understand selected accounting and finance techniques, their application in organisations and contemporary issues related to these techniques;
3. Support and encourage education and learning, and to foster the capacity for
individual study; and
4. Facilitate development of critical and analytical thinking for further academic
study, employment and personal development.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
1. Explain and apply the accounting principles and concepts underlying the
preparation of financial statements, including notions of cash flow vs. accounting
profit and concepts of assets, liabilities, and equity.
2. Be conversant with the form and content of company financial statements (e.g.
income statement, cash flow statement, statement of financial position).
3. Apply financial analysis techniques to make informed
decisions/recommendations/projections and be aware of selected earnings
management practices and controversies associated with meeting analysts’
earnings forecasts.
4. Gain clear conceptual understanding of managerial and cost accounting, cost
elements and classification, cost behaviours and costing methods and short-term
decision-making.
5. Evaluate investments employing standard criteria, such as Net Present Value, and,explain their shortcomings.
6. Evaluate investments while employing models that match risk and return as well as describe the conditions in which the models can be reliably deployed.
7. Describe the irreversibility and flexibility of capital investments and illustrate the use of real options.
8. Describe the ways of raising finance and discuss the factors to be considered when deciding on a suitable balance between debt and equity capital.
Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills). The module, class activities and coursework will help you to develop the following transferable skills:
1. Ability to develop critical and practical problem-solving skills.
2. Ability to develop interpersonal communication skills through debate and team
presentations in class.
3. Ability to identify relevant information from case evidence and financial reports
4. Interpretation of accounting and financial information for decision-making
There is a two day pre-sessional course on Thursday and Friday in week 4 preceding this module.
This module will be delivered over a period of 5 days (Week 6).
There will be two three hour sessions per day for 5 days, which brings to a total of 30 contact hours i.e. 15 hours for Accounting and 15 hours for Finance. However, the lecturers will be covering different topics as per the tentative programme detailed above. Each session can contain a combination of lecture, workshop, and case-based discussion.
The first three days broadly consider the inter-relationships between providers of finance, accounting information (including the important assumptions underlying its preparation), and selected implications for market/external participants.
The last two days dwell on the decision making process within the businesses and the use of accounting and financial techniques to underpin such decisions.
Students are expected to prepare for each session (i.e., by undertaking the required readings) to enable them to actively engage with the session.
- McLaney, E. J.; Atrill, Peter. (©2016) Accounting and finance: an introduction, Harlow: Pearson.
- Berk, Jonathan B.; DeMarzo, Peter M. (©2017) Corporate finance, Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
- Collier, Paul M. (2015) Accounting for managers: interpreting accounting information for decision making, Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
In-class test |
|
50% |
| Coursework |
2,000 word essay |
|
50% |
Additional coursework information
The coursework details will be circulated at the start of the module.
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Hardy Thomas, email: hardt@essex.ac.uk.
Hardy Thomas & Illeana Steccolini
hardt@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 45 hours, 42 (93.3%) hours available to students:
3 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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