Students

ACCG399 – Accounting in Context

2017 – S1 Evening

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor and Lecturer
Samantha Sin
samantha.sin@mq.edu.au
Contact via samantha.sin@mq.edu.au
E4A 344
see consultation roster in iLearn
Rahat Munir
rahat.munir@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(42cp at 100 level or above) including ACCG315
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This capstone unit brings together the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the accounting program and looks forward to professional work or study. The unit's research and practice-based topics will equip students to enter into the accounting programs offered by CPA Australia and the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), or to undertake postgraduate studies. The objective of the unit is to critically evaluate accounting information and accounting standards through an understanding of the different theoretical and philosophical approaches to accounting. It assists in developing students' professional judgement and reflective capacity and develops graduate capabilities, particularly analytical, critical and interpersonal skills. Furthermore, the various assessment tasks of this unit will enable students to reflect on the development of the graduate capabilities and how these have been achieved throughout their degree.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Research, critically analyse and apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to make judgement and solve problems.
  • Evaluate and communicate effectively and influence people from diverse business backgrounds.
  • Analyse and critique social, ethical, regulatory and sustainability issues relevant to accounting practice and business.
  • Collaborate and contribute knowledge and skills to team efforts towards meeting objectives.
  • Critically reflect on experiences and prior learning for personal and professional development.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
In-Class Tests 20% No Weeks 4 & 9
Reflective Tasks 30% No See description
Business Simulation 50% No See description

In-Class Tests

Due: Weeks 4 & 9
Weighting: 20%

There are two in-class tests. Students will do the tests in their registered class only in Weeks 4 and 9. If you are sick or unable to attend your registered tutorial in the test week, you will need to apply for Disruption to Studies (DTS) and if approved, you will sit for a supplementary test.

For each test, students are required to write an article for the Australian Financial Review. Details on the topics and preparation guides are provided in iLearn. A maximum weighting of 10% applies to each article. 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Research, critically analyse and apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to make judgement and solve problems.
  • Evaluate and communicate effectively and influence people from diverse business backgrounds.
  • Analyse and critique social, ethical, regulatory and sustainability issues relevant to accounting practice and business.

Reflective Tasks

Due: See description
Weighting: 30%

There are three reflective tasks and the associated learning activities are to be completed in registered classes in Weeks 3, 6 and 11. For each task students are required to write a pre-class reflection, participate in in-class activities and write a post-class reflection. Submissions are due in registered classes in Weeks 4, 7 and 12 respectively. If you are absent on any of the submission weeks you will a receive zero mark for that week. If you have an approved DTS, an extension will be given accordingly. Each reflective task carries a maximum weighting of 10%.

Details for the reflective tasks are provided in iLearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Research, critically analyse and apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to make judgement and solve problems.
  • Evaluate and communicate effectively and influence people from diverse business backgrounds.
  • Analyse and critique social, ethical, regulatory and sustainability issues relevant to accounting practice and business.
  • Collaborate and contribute knowledge and skills to team efforts towards meeting objectives.
  • Critically reflect on experiences and prior learning for personal and professional development.

Business Simulation

Due: See description
Weighting: 50%

The Business Simulation assessment task has three components, individual marks will be awarded for two components and a group mark will be awarded for the third component. The components are:

1) Students must complete pre-class preparatory work for submission and participate in class activities in their registered class in Week 7. This component is worth 30% of this assessment task and an individual mark will be awarded. If you are absent you will get a zero mark. If you have an approved DTS an extension will be given accordingly

2) Students will give a presentation in their registered class. Presentations will rostered for Weeks 12 and 13. This component is worth 20% of this assessment task and an individual mark will be awarded. If you are absent you will get a zero mark. If you have an approved DTS you will be given another time for your presentation.

3) A written submission by each group is due no later than 4pm on 14 June 2017 via Turnitin. This component is worth 50% of this assessment task and a group mark will be awarded. No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply to approved DTS cases.

The details for the Business Simulation assessment task is available in iLearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Research, critically analyse and apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to make judgement and solve problems.
  • Evaluate and communicate effectively and influence people from diverse business backgrounds.
  • Analyse and critique social, ethical, regulatory and sustainability issues relevant to accounting practice and business.
  • Collaborate and contribute knowledge and skills to team efforts towards meeting objectives.

Delivery and Resources

There is no required textbook for ACCG399. Relevant publisher learning materials may be recommended, information is found in iLearn.

All leacture materials and relevant research and readings are also posted on iLearn.

Unit Schedule

Week Class Type and Duration Details
1

Lecture One

Class duration: 3 x 50 mins.
  • The new ACCG399 curriculum
  • Learning outcomes and graduate capabilities
  • Assessments
  • Four key areas and linkages to contemporary business and the accounting profession
  • Maximising opportunities for graduate employment
2

Lecture Two

Class duration: 3 x 50 minutes
  • The many regulators of accounting, reporting, auditing and corporations
  • Three more new accounting standards
  • ASX corporate governance principles and recommendations: what do they add?
  • GAAP accounting and non-GAAP disclosures: Is more necessarily better?
  • IFRS: 10 years on, are international standards helping financial reporting?
3

Tutorial

Class duration: 50 minutes

Reflective Task 1: See iLearn for details

  • Complete pre-class preparatory work
  • Dynamic in-class group learning and leadership
  • Written submission due in Week 4
4

Tutorial

Class duration: 50 minutes

In-class Test 1

  1. See iLearn for details and preparation guide.
  2. Hand in written submission for Reflective Task 1 (from Week 3 tutorial).
5

Lecture Three

Class duration: 3 x 50 minutes
  • Is accounting information useful?
  • Watch “Accounting for Sustainability Project” by the Prince of Wales
  • The world has changed, accounting must too!
  • Let’s examine the recent electricity sector transformation
  • Integrated Reporting: a framework for change
  • GRI: initiative to standards

UC explains the Business Simulation assessment task.
6

Tutorial

Class duration: 50 minutes

Reflective Task 2: See iLearn for details

  • Complete pre-class preparatory work
  • Dynamic in-class group learning and leadership
  • Written submission due in Week 7
7

Tutorial

Class duration: 50 minutes
  1. Pre-class preparatory work for the Business Simulation assessment. See iLearn for details.
  2. In-class workshopping the assessment. See details in iLearn.
  3. Hand in pre-class preparatory work plus notes from class activities.
  4. Hand in written submission for Reflective Task 2 (from Week 6)
8

Lecture Four

Class duration: 3 x 50 minutes
  • Information systems and technological advancements: impacts on accounting practice and the profession’s response
  • Cyber security and the changing roles of CFO and auditor
  • Framework, policy and regulation
  • Blockchain development: business and financial applications, security threats and the role of the CFO
9

Tutorial

Class duration: 50 minutes

In-class Test 2.

See iLearn for details and preparation guide.
10

Lecture Five

Duration: 3 x 50 minutes
  • Developments in management accounting: issues and challenges
  • Corporate governance: implementation and issues
  • Cyber governance framework

UC gives further directions for completing the Busines Simulation assessment task.

 

 
11

Tutorial

Class duration: 50 minutes

Reflective Task 3:

  • Complete pre-class preparatory work
  • Dynamic in-class group learning and leadership
  • Written submission due in Week 12
12

Tutorial

Class duration: 50 minutes

Hand in written submission for Reflective Task 3 (from Week 11)

Rostered presentations by 3 groups.
13

Tutorial

Class duration: 50 minutes		 Rostered presentations by 3 groups.

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Research, critically analyse and apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to make judgement and solve problems.
  • Evaluate and communicate effectively and influence people from diverse business backgrounds.
  • Analyse and critique social, ethical, regulatory and sustainability issues relevant to accounting practice and business.
  • Critically reflect on experiences and prior learning for personal and professional development.

Assessment tasks

  • Reflective Tasks
  • Business Simulation

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Research, critically analyse and apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to make judgement and solve problems.
  • Analyse and critique social, ethical, regulatory and sustainability issues relevant to accounting practice and business.
  • Collaborate and contribute knowledge and skills to team efforts towards meeting objectives.
  • Critically reflect on experiences and prior learning for personal and professional development.

Assessment tasks

  • In-Class Tests
  • Reflective Tasks
  • Business Simulation

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Research, critically analyse and apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to make judgement and solve problems.
  • Analyse and critique social, ethical, regulatory and sustainability issues relevant to accounting practice and business.
  • Collaborate and contribute knowledge and skills to team efforts towards meeting objectives.

Assessment tasks

  • In-Class Tests
  • Reflective Tasks
  • Business Simulation

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Research, critically analyse and apply theoretical and technical accounting knowledge and skills to make judgement and solve problems.
  • Evaluate and communicate effectively and influence people from diverse business backgrounds.
  • Collaborate and contribute knowledge and skills to team efforts towards meeting objectives.

Assessment tasks

  • In-Class Tests
  • Reflective Tasks
  • Business Simulation

Changes from Previous Offering

In 2016, ACCG399 underwent a major renewal of the curriculum, assessments and delivery structure.

There are significant changes made to the delivery and class structures, pedagogical approaches and assessment tasks.

See the weekly schedule and iLearn for details.