Students

ACCG8304 – CPA - Advanced Audit and Assurance

2025 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor and Lecturer
Jessica Zhang
jessica.zhang@mq.edu.au
Unit Moderator
Amy Tung
manamy.tung@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(ACCG907 or ACCG8307) and (ACCG908 or ACCG8308) and (ACCG913 or ACCG8313)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit provides extended formal academic support to students concurrently enrolled in the Advanced Audit and Assurance unit of the CPA program. The overall objective of this unit is to provide a body of knowledge to help students understand the nature and diversity of auditing and assurance services including quality control for audit firms and the code of ethics. It presents an overview of the auditing process and examines the objectives of the audit and assurance engagements and the environment within which an auditor or assurance practitioner operates. Ethical and professional responsibilities are emphasised to help students develop professional scepticism, professional judgement and awareness of ethical values and attitudes expected of audit professionals globally. Advanced audit techniques such as eCommerce, data analytics, group audits, using other auditors, experts, and internal auditing are analysed. Government sector auditing through performance audit engagements including attestation and direct engagements are explored along with contemporary developments in assurance engagements thereby providing future practice management opportunities in the audit and assurance services performance.

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 the assurance framework in financial report audit, review and assurance engagements. 
  • ULO2: Describe the professional, legislative and regulatory requirements for audit, review and assurance engagements.   
  • ULO3: Analyse and evaluate the complete audit process in accordance with international auditing standards. 
  • ULO4: Apply relevant standards to the assessment of fraud and going concern in financial statement audits.  
  • ULO5: Research and interpret current issues in contemporary assurance developments, such as performance audits in the public sector, and other assurance services. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Formal and Observed Learning: Test 25% No 21 August 2025
Formal and Observed Learning: Test 35% No 22 September 2025
Skills Development: Learning Engagement Log 10% No 26 September 2025
CPA external examination 30% Yes CPA Examination Period

Formal and Observed Learning: Test

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 21 August 2025
Weighting: 25%

 

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of key topics from the unit.   You will participate in a formal test. Feedback on this test will help you assess your progress through the unit content.   Deliverable: Test Individual assessment

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply the assurance framework in financial report audit, review and assurance engagements. 
  • Describe the professional, legislative and regulatory requirements for audit, review and assurance engagements.   
  • Analyse and evaluate the complete audit process in accordance with international auditing standards. 

Formal and Observed Learning: Test

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 22 September 2025
Weighting: 35%

 

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of key topics from the unit.   You will participate in a formal test. Feedback on this test will help you assess your progress through the unit content.   Deliverable: Test Individual assessment

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply the assurance framework in financial report audit, review and assurance engagements. 
  • Describe the professional, legislative and regulatory requirements for audit, review and assurance engagements.   
  • Analyse and evaluate the complete audit process in accordance with international auditing standards. 
  • Apply relevant standards to the assessment of fraud and going concern in financial statement audits.  

Skills Development: Learning Engagement Log

Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 26 September 2025
Weighting: 10%

 

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate consistent engagement and progress throughout each module in the unit.   You will complete and log each module’s tasks, ensuring satisfactory completion and meeting the required standards for each module.   Skills in focus are:

  • Communication
  • Work Readiness
  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • Discipline Knowledge

  Deliverable: A completed module log for each unit, demonstrating satisfactory completion of each module’s tasks and activities.   Individual assessment.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply the assurance framework in financial report audit, review and assurance engagements. 
  • Describe the professional, legislative and regulatory requirements for audit, review and assurance engagements.   
  • Analyse and evaluate the complete audit process in accordance with international auditing standards. 
  • Apply relevant standards to the assessment of fraud and going concern in financial statement audits.  

CPA external examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: CPA Examination Period
Weighting: 30%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

 

Examination administered by CPA Australia. Students need to achieve at least a PASS mark in this CPA external examination.

If students do not pass this CPA examination, students will not pass this unit.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply the assurance framework in financial report audit, review and assurance engagements. 
  • Describe the professional, legislative and regulatory requirements for audit, review and assurance engagements.   
  • Analyse and evaluate the complete audit process in accordance with international auditing standards. 
  • Apply relevant standards to the assessment of fraud and going concern in financial statement audits.  
  • Research and interpret current issues in contemporary assurance developments, such as performance audits in the public sector, and other assurance services. 

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

Unit Schedule

ACCG8304 Schedule

Topic/Content description

Week commencing 21 July
  • Introduction
  • Module 1: The Auditing and Assurance Framework

Week commencing 28 July
  • Module 1:  The Auditing and Assurance Framework (cont)

Week commencing 4 August
  • Module 2: Planning the Audit of Historical Financial Information

Week commencing 11 August
  • Module 2: Planning the Audit of Historical Financial Information (cont)

Week commencing 18 August
  • Module 3: Performing the Audit of Historical Financial Information

Friday 21 August
  • Class Test 1 covering Modules 1 and 2

Week commencing 25 August
  • Module 3: Performing the Audit of Historical Financial Information (cont)

Week commencing 1 September
  • Module 4: Conclusions and Reporting Responsibilities for an Audit

Week commencing 8 September
  • Module 4: Conclusions and Reporting Responsibilities for an Audit (cont)

Week commencing 15 September          
  • Module 5: Other Assurance Engagements (cont)

Saturday 20 September
  • Review on Practice Exam Questions

Week commencing 22 September
  • Class Test 2 covering all modules

Friday 26 September
  • Log Submission

Wednesday 1 October – Sunday 19 October
  • CPA examination period

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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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Unit information based on version 2025.03 of the Handbook