Unit information: Introduction to Accounting in 2013/14

Unit name	Introduction to Accounting
Unit code	ACCG10052
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Mrs. Suzy Matthews
Open unit status	Open
Pre-requisites	Grade A in GCSE Mathematics.
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Accounting and Finance - Business School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

The first half of the course provides an introduction to the meaning and uses of information generated by external financial reporting, preparation and analysis of accounts and evaluation of the financial well-being of a business.

The second half of the course provides an introduction to the production and uses of financial information for the internal management of a business. By the end of the unit participants should be able to apply and comment on a range of techniques for product costing, control and investment appraisal.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Introduction to Accounting is intended to enable participants to make use of financial information, in order to analyse the performance of a business and to comment on how this might be improved, and to plan and control the activities of a business.

Students are taught:

• To understand the meaning and uses of financial information.
• To prepare Financial Statements (Statement of Financial Position, Income Statement and Statement of Cash Flows) and any related statements.
• To understand how trial balances are prepared and how they are used to prepare the Financial Statements.
• How to analyse accounts and to comment on the financial well being of an organisation.
• To understand the types of information that internal management need to run a business.
• To understand and prepare product costings.
• To be able to prepare budgets.
• To be introduced to financial management and investment decision making techniques.

Teaching Information

• 24 Lectures
• 23 Small group tutorials
• 24 Optional clinics

Assessment Information

Summative

100% on 3 hour written exam in May/June.

Formative

1st teaching block:

• 2 written tests and up to 6 short homework exercises.
• 1 report assessed by peer review

2nd teaching block:

• Up to 10 short homework answers.

All learning objectives are assessed by both summative and formative assessment

Reading and References

Atrill and McLaney, Introduction to Accounting, Prentice Hall (latest edition).