AC220: Further Management Accounting

Module code: AC220

Module provider: Business Informatics, Systems and Accounting; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: 5

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Alaaeldin Ahmed, email: alaaeldin.ahmed@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE AC107 (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE AC201 (Compulsory)

Placement information: na

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 19 November 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim is to build upon the foundations of management accounting by developing a critical understanding of the main concepts and ideas underlying management control systems. The module aims to provide students with an understanding of the techniques, principles and underlying concepts relating to the provision and use of financial information in organisational decision-making, planning and control. This involves understanding the theories, technical language, practices and their location within the organisational and business context together with developments in contemporary management accounting.

The module lead at the University of Reading Malaysia is John Clement Tang.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Recommend relevant and effective solutions to practical decision-making, planning and control problems by analysing and interpreting information and then critically evaluating options using management accounting techniques and concepts.
2. Critically appraise the qualitative aspects of decision-making, planning and control and other management accounting problems.
3. Critically analyse selected academic, professional and other literature to demonstrate the ability to synthesise differing perspectives.

Module content

The module will cover:

• Application of activity-based costing methods
• Critical evaluation of relevant costing for decision-making
• Introduction to linear programming
• Transfer pricing
• Advanced variances (mix, yield, planning and operating)
• More complex cost-volume-profit analysis
• Application and interpretation of investment appraisal techniques
• Introduction to capital rationing, with the effects of taxation and risk analysis
• Introduction to management control systems and budgetary control systems

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module uses a combination of interactive lectures to introduce topics areas, practical seminars where students will consolidate learning through guided question practice and discussion and independent self-study. Blackboard will be used to guide both dependent and independent study.

This module may be taught in a different semester if you are studying at our campus in Malaysia.

For students studying at our campus in Malaysia: This module may be taught in a different semester and the breakdown of study hours may differ to those set out in the Study Hours table (please refer to the Module Handbook for the correct breakdown). In addition, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours

At least 38 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Tutorials are an opportunity to receive oral feedback on a variety of small group tasks, oriented around close case studies of a range of organisations. Through this informal feedback mechanism students are able to practice and develop various skillsets related to case study analysis and the communication of ideas and arguments in a coherent manner.

Reassessment

Additional costs