AC317: Accounting Project

Module code: AC317

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

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Xing Huang, email: xing.huang@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE AC108 OR TAKE AC207 AND TAKE AC217 (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

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

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE AC315 OR TAKE MM357 OR TAKE ACM004 OR TAKE AH3B02 OR TAKE AHM006 OR TAKE AHME03 OR TAKE IC305 OR TAKE MM302 OR TAKE MM310 (Compulsory)

Placement information: na

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 28 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to develop and add to students’ knowledge, understanding and critical appreciation of a particular issue facing the accountancy profession or business more widely. Students define and execute a piece of research, with direction from an academic supervisor. The area to research may be developed from reading or emerge from an issue identified on a work placement. Students will also develop research skills and an understanding of the research process.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Discuss a key issue for the accounting profession / industry in detail.
2. Analyse, synthesise and evaluate the contribution of a range of academic and professional authors.
3. Critically appraise ideas / contributions from theoretical, empirical and practice-based sources.
4. Organise and evaluate different types of data or information and draw conclusions from this.
5. Organise and present information clearly, succinctly and in the required format.

Module content

Students select a contemporary issue related to accounting or wider business. They must research this topic independently. Contemporary issues may include, for example; ethical and governance considerations and debates. Students may identify a topic through their academic courses, through reading or through work-based experience. Whilst we will try to match students with their preferred topic there may be some limitation due to the availability of an appropriate supervisor.

An initial lecture series will introduce students to a range of areas that they could consider for their research as well as introducing them to techniques for literature review and research. Subsequent discussions, when a topic has been selected, will be held in small groups or individually, with academic supervisors.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module starts with a series of five interactive lectures where students are given insight into a range of topics related to their research. During these sessions students are also expected to apply the learning so that they start to build an idea of the topic that they will research and how they will approach their project.

Students are then allocated a supervisor who they will meet with regularly as they progress through their research and write up.

Study hours

At least 14 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.

Students must submit a project proposal towards the start of semester 1 where they set out their project aims and methods. This must be approved by the module convenor before they go on to develop their project further. Drafts and issues are then discussed in informal feedback.

Reassessment

Additional costs