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ACCG8121 – Managerial Accounting for Decision Making

2025 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Kevin Baird
kevin.baird@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(Admission to GradCertAccgPrac or GradDipAccgPrac) OR ACCG6011
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit focuses on the generation of information for internal decision making and examines how cost information is developed and used within organisations. Students will develop knowledge of costing techniques, budgeting and performance measurement systems and apply this knowledge to case study scenarios. By the end of this unit, students will have developed a sophisticated level of understanding of which costing techniques are most appropriate in a particular situation. Students will also have developed their excel, problem-solving and communication skills.

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:

  • ULO1: Apply management accounting concepts to assess and solve real-life case scenarios. 
  • ULO2: Critically analyse data to determine the relevant information and costing techniques required to make decisions.
  • ULO3: Apply effective written and oral communication skills. 
  • ULO4: Apply Excel spreadsheet functions to complete managerial accounting tasks. 
  • ULO5: Explain the organisational environment in which a business operates including the design, structure and strategy aspects.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Formal and observed learning: Exam 50% No Exam Period
Professional practice: Case analysis 30% No Weeks 2-13
Skills development: Excel 20% No 04/05/2025

Formal and observed learning: Exam

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Exam Period
Weighting: 50%

 

The purpose of this assessment is for you to formally demonstrate the expertise you have gained in this unit.   You will participate in a 2-hour exam held during the University Examination period. Important information about the exam will be made available on the unit iLearn page. You should also review the MQ Exams website for general tips.   Deliverable: Formal exam Individual assessment

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply management accounting concepts to assess and solve real-life case scenarios. 
  • Critically analyse data to determine the relevant information and costing techniques required to make decisions.
  • Apply effective written and oral communication skills. 
  • Explain the organisational environment in which a business operates including the design, structure and strategy aspects.

Professional practice: Case analysis

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Weeks 2-13
Weighting: 30%

 

The purpose of this assessment is for you to develop skills in applying your knowledge of costing techniques, budgeting and performance measurement systems to case-based scenarios.   You will actively engage in an in-depth analysis of case studies in seminars.   Skills in focus: - Critical Thinking - Problem solving - Discipline Knowledge   Deliverable: Written submissions [max: 1,500 words] Individual assessment

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply management accounting concepts to assess and solve real-life case scenarios. 
  • Critically analyse data to determine the relevant information and costing techniques required to make decisions.
  • Apply effective written and oral communication skills. 
  • Explain the organisational environment in which a business operates including the design, structure and strategy aspects.

Skills development: Excel

Assessment Type 1: Quantitative analysis task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 04/05/2025
Weighting: 20%

 

The purpose of this assessment is for you to develop Excel skills critical to the managerial accounting practice.   You will employ Excel spreadsheet functions to complete key managerial tasks.   Skills in focus: - Digital skills [Excel]   Deliverable: Written submission Individual assessment

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply management accounting concepts to assess and solve real-life case scenarios. 
  • Apply Excel spreadsheet functions to complete managerial accounting tasks. 

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Delivery

Students are required to enrol in a face-to-face workshop. Each workshop will be for a duration of 3 hours and will comprise of a discussion of selected homework questions, case study analysis and lectures. Students should attend the workshop they are enrolled in.

 

Required Textbook

Management Accounting, Information for creating and managing value, by Kim Langfield-Smith, David A. Smith, Paul Andon, Ronald W. Hilton and Helen Thorne, 9th Edition, 2021, McGraw-Hill.

Access to this text is essential for lecture references and for tutorial questions. This text can be purchased online from booktopia 

https://www.booktopia.com.au/coop

Unit Schedule

ACCG8121 SEMINAR PROGRAM—SESSION 1 2025

 

Seminar week

Week commencing

Topic

Prescribed references

1

 

24th February

Introduction

 

Basic cost concepts and terms

Chapter 1

 

Chapter 2

2

 

3rd March

Cost behaviour

 

Cost Volume Profit Analysis

Chapter 3

 

Chapter 18 pp. 823-843; 845-850

3

10th March

Information for decision making

Chapter 19 pp. 871-893; 898-899.

 

4

17th March

Pricing and product mix decisions

Chapter 20 pp. 928-930; 935-938; 945-954

5

24th March

Product Costing Systems

 

Service costing (self study)

Chapter 4

 

Chapter 6

6

31st March

A Closer Look at Overhead Costs

Chapter 7 pp.277-305

7

7th April

Activity Based Costing

 

Chapter 8

 

MID-SESSION BREAK (From 14th April to 27th April)

8

 

 28th April

Absorption and variable costing

Managing Inventory

Excel due 11:55pm Sunday 4th May

Chapter 7 pp. 306-311

 

Chapter 15 pp. 673-683

9

 

5th May

 

Budgeting

 

Chapter 9

 

Chapter 11 pp. 493-498

10

 

12th May

Standard Costing for Control

 

Chapter 10

 

Chapter 11 pp. 498-513

 

11

 

19th May

 

Performance measurement systems

 

Chapter 12 pp. 539-545;

Chapter 13 pp. 587-593

12

26th May

Strategic performance measurement systems

Chapter 14

13

2nd June

Revision

 

Policies and Procedures

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Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

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

The Writing Centre

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The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

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Unit information based on version 2025.04 of the Handbook