University home » University Calendar » Courses » Faculty of Business and Economics » Accounting

Accounting

Stage I

Accounting Information

Business decisions require accounting information. Covers the role of accounting information and systems to support decision making, control, and monitoring in organisations. Examines general purpose financial statements and the analysis and interpretation of accounting information. Assesses investment opportunities using capital budgeting techniques and compares and evaluates alternative funding sources.

Restriction: ACCTG 191

Accounting Concepts

Basic principles and concepts of accounting that underlie the production of information for internal and external reporting. This course provides the technical platform for second year courses in financial and management accounting, finance, and accounting information systems.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 101 or 191

Restriction: ACCTG 192

Financial Literacy

People who understand the basic principles of finance are likely to get much more mileage out of their money - whether spending, borrowing, saving or investing - than those who do not. Develop an understanding of how to be in control of spending and saving; understand borrowing; make informed investment decisions; know broadly what to insure and what not to; recognise scams and consider whether money is the key to happiness.

Restriction: May not be taken by students with a concurrent or prior enrolment in Accounting or Finance courses

Stage II

Financial Accounting

The study of financial accounting principles within New Zealand, to enable students to: (i) understand how they are developed and influenced; (ii) understand and apply New Zealand Financial Reporting Standards; (iii) report the results of complex business structures involving multiple entities and segments. Completing students will understand the role financial statements play in investment, analysis and contracting decisions, providing a base for advanced study and supporting other areas, particularly finance.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 102 or 192

Restriction: ACCTG 292

Cost and Management Accounting

Budgets and standards, costing systems, cost information for decision-making and control, performance appraisal, and contemporary related issues.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 102 or 192

Restriction: ACCTG 291

Accounting Information Systems

Encompasses the development and distribution of economic information about organisations for internal and external decision-making. Major themes include: objectives and procedures of internal control, the database approach to data management, data modelling, typical business documents and reports and proper system documentation through data flow diagrams and flowcharts.

Prerequisite: INFOSYS 110 or 120 or INFOMGMT 191, and ACCTG 102 or 192

Stage III

Financial Accounting

Explanatory and prescriptive theories of accounting provide the context for an examination of the determinants of financial reporting practice in New Zealand with special reference to accounting for pensions, foreign currency, deferred tax and financial instruments. Issues in international accounting and professional ethics are also addressed.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 211 or 292

Restriction: ACCTG 392

Auditing

An introduction to the audit of financial statements. The objective of an audit is to add credibility to the information contained in the financial statements. Emphasises the auditor's decision-making process in determining the nature and amount of evidence necessary to support management's assertions. The end result of a financial statement audit is a report that expresses the auditor's opinion on the fair presentation of the client's financial statements.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 211 or 292, and INFOMGMT 296 or 294 or ACCTG 222

Strategic Management Accounting

A study of the design of revenue and cost management systems to facilitate strategic decisions. This includes activity-based costing and activity-based management. The learning environment is student-centred with the seminar leader's role being that of facilitator rather than lecturer. Students work not only as individuals but also in teams. The learning environment is a combination of lectures, case studies and related readings.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 221 or 291

Performance Measurement and Management Control

The design of planning and control systems in organisations. This includes issues from control theory, strategic management and information systems, with an emphasis on performance evaluation, measurement and analysis. Pertinent areas from productivity theory and Data Envelopment Analysis support the performance analysis.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 221 or 291

Revenue and Cost Management

Revenue management concepts and techniques and their support by cost management systems are studied with particular reference to service organisations. The range of services encompasses both private and public sector organisations. Components include: yield management, pricing, linear programming, project management, valuation principles and methodologies.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 221 or 291

Financial Statement Analysis

How is financial statement information used to evaluate a firm's performance, risk and value? An opportunity to examine this question and to gain experience in evaluating performance, assessing risk and estimating value.

Prerequisite: FINANCE 251 or 261, and ACCTG 211 or 292

Special Topic

Special Topic

Postgraduate 700 Level Courses

Research Methods in Accounting

The theory and application of modern research methods in accounting. The content will include the philosophy, process and design of scientific research. Prior knowledge of basic statistical techniques is assumed.

Restriction: FINANCE 701

Governance Issues in Accounting

An introduction to the economic literatures relating to property rights, transaction cost economics, and agency theory. Application of these notions to the way in which organisations are structured. Identification of why some transactions are internalised and some are undertaken through markets. The application of these ideas to financial and managerial accounting.

Restriction: FINANCE 702

Financial Accounting Research

A study of the contracting-cost theories of accounting policy choice and the related empirical literature. It focuses on agency and efficient contracting explanations for accounting choice. In particular, the course explores the role of accounting in contracts between parties to the firm (eg, manager, shareholders, debtholders, customers etc). The political process is also analysed to determine the impact on accounting policy choice. Incentives for managers to manipulate earnings under various economic settings are examined and the implications of this behaviour for accounting policy makers are analysed.

International Accounting

An examination of the international dimensions of accounting in an environment that is increasingly global. Examines the international influences on current New Zealand practice and the diversity in accounting practices among New Zealand's economic partners. International harmonisation issues are studied as well as issues generated by foreign trade, eg, accounting for foreign currency transactions and transnational business organisations.

Accounting History

Issues in the methodology of historical research, and substantive topics including: ancient and medieval accounting systems, charge and discharge accounting, the invention of double entry book-keeping, cost and management accounting, corporate financial reporting, auditing, accounting standard setting, and a topic chosen from New Zealand's accounting history.

Contemporary Auditing Research

An examination of the theoretical and empirical literature relating to the demand and supply of auditing, theoretical support for auditing activity, measures of audit quality and related topics.

Research in Management Control

Provides an insight into the theoretical and empirical literature relating to management planning and control in private and public sector organisations. Explores the relationship between strategy, organisation design, performance measurement and evaluation, application of productivity analysis and Data Envelopment Analysis.

Research in Revenue and Cost Management

An examination of revenue and cost management arising from changes in competitive environments. Includes recent research on the design of revenue and cost management systems including developments such as theory of constraints in manufacturing, service and public sector organisations.

Prerequisite: ACCTG 221 or equivalent

Public Sector Management and Control

Critically reviews management accounting's decision-support role in public sector policy and service delivery. Theme-based seminars will focus on contemporary issues including health, transportation and local government.

Accounting Information and Capital Markets

The study of issues in evaluating accounting information and the use of accounting information by investors and analysts. This includes the examination of the empirical relationship between accounting earnings and share prices and the relationship between financial statement analysis and market efficiency. Perceived market failures will be analysed.

Special Topic

Special Topic

Special Topic

Special Topic in Taxation Accounting

To be prescribed by the Head of Department of Accounting and Finance.

Dissertation in Accounting for Honours

Restriction: ACCTG 789

Thesis for MCom

To complete this course students must enrol in ACCTG 796 A and B

---

Source: The University of Auckland 2013 Online Calendar
Last updated on: Thursday 1 November 2012
Viewed on: