Unit Outline
BFA103
Accountability and Accounting
Semester 1, 2024
Amrinder Khosa
Tasmanian School of Business & Economics (TSBE)
College of Business and Economics
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B

Unit Coordinator
Amrinder Khosa
Email: amrinder.khosa@utas.edu.au
 

What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
This unit will help you understand the role that accounting plays in providing accountability. We move beyond introductory accounting and explore the important role that accounting has in organisations, society and the environment.
After completing this unit, you will have fundamental management and financial accounting knowledge, tools for analysing organisations’ external reports and a comprehension of how accounting can be used to address social responsibility, ethical conduct and sustainability.
This unit allows you to begin the up skilling required by our professional accounting bodies, requiring us to move beyond orthodox/conventional accounting practices and understand our role in accountability.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1.
Analyse the role of accountability and accounting for all areas of organisational performance.
2.
Apply management accounting tools to make informed decisions about organisational performance.
3.
Apply financial accounting principles and techniques to make informed decisions about organisational performance.
4.
Produce written artefacts, individually and in team environments, using professional language and standards common to business professionals and peers.
Requisites
REQUISITE TYPE
REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)
XPD106, BFA113, ZAA133
Alterations as a result of student feedback
To Be Determined. 
 
 

Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
On Campus
Workshop
Introductory 1-hr workshop, Week 1
1
Once only
Lecture (On Campus)
Pre-recorded 1-hr lecture, once a week
1
Weekly
Workshop
2-hr workshop, weekly, commencing in Week 2
2
Weekly
Other
5-hrs independent learning
5
Weekly
Online
Online Class
Introductory 1-hr workshop, Week 1
1
Once only
Independent Learning
Pre-recorded 1-hr lecture, once a week
1
Weekly
Online Class
1-hr workshop, weekly, commencing in Week 2
1
Weekly
Independent Learning
5-hrs independent learnin
5
Weekly
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
The Tasmanian School of Business and Economics regularly hosts Masterclasses and Industry Engagement and Employability Events, which students are encouraged to attend. Registration and details will be available via the College of Business and Economics channel on the Uni App and/or via your Unit Coordinator.  
 
 

How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
AT1 Part A: Written Artefact: Explaining accountability and accounting
Week 4
5 %
LO1, LO4
Assessment Task 2:
AT1 Part B: Essay: Applying the accountability model to social and environmental information
Week 7
20 %
LO1, LO4
Assessment Task 3:
Group Case Study: Applying management and financial accounting
Week 11
35 %
LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 4:
Take Home Examination
Exam Period
40 %
LO1, LO2, LO3
 
Assessment details
    
Assessment Task 1: AT1 Part A: Written Artefact: Explaining accountability and accounting
Task Description:
You will submit a small written artefact on the accountability model applied to external social and environmental accounting information.

A task sheet will be provided on MyLO.

Task Length:
300 words
Due Date:
Week 4
Weight:
5 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Explain accountability and accounting.
LO1
2
Produce a written artefact as an individual, using professional language and standards common to business professionals.
LO4
 
Assessment Task 2: AT1 Part B: Essay: Applying the accountability model to social and environmental information
Task Description:
Applying the accountability model for social and environmental information


Essay (Week 7)
You will write an essay explaining and analysing how a particular company has applied the accountability model in terms of social and environmental information.

Details will be provided on MyLO.

Task Length:
2000 words
Due Date:
Week 7
Weight:
20 %
 
 

CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Explain accountability and accounting.
LO1
2
Explain organisational boundaries in the context of accountability and accounting.
LO1
3
Produce a written artefact as an individual, using professional language and standards common to business professionals.
LO4
4
Use the Harvard referencing system.
LO4
5
Explain and apply the accountability model to situations of corporate social responsibility, ethical conduct and/or sustainability.
LO1
6
Explain various reporting frameworks for sustainability reporting and use tools for analysing them.
LO1
 
Assessment Task 3: Group Case Study: Applying management and financial accounting
Task Description:
Applying management and financial accounting

In a group of three, you will complete a case study, which will require you to apply management and financial accounting.

More details will be provided on MyLO.

Task Length:
TBA
Due Date:
Week 11
Weight:
35 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Apply cost volume profit analysis to make informed decisions.
LO2
2
Apply budgeting techniques to make informed decisions.
LO2
3
Apply various performance evaluation techniques to make informed decisions.
LO2
4
Use simple Excel skills.
LO3
5
Record accounting transactions in worksheets.
LO3
6
Prepare simple financial statements.
LO3
7
Produce a written artefact within a team, using professional language and standards common to business professionals.
LO4
8
Use the Harvard referencing system.
LO4
9
Reflect on your performance as a team member in the group.
LO4
 
Assessment Task 4: Take Home Examination
Task Description:
The examination will enable you to demonstrate your breadth and depth of understanding across all the unit material. All topics are examinable.

An information sheet with details about the examination will be given to you in the last lecture of the semester and posted on MyLO at the end of that week.

Task Length:
24 hours
Due Date:
Exam Period
Weight:
40 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
 

1
Explain accountability and accounting.
LO1
2
Explain organisational boundaries in the context of accountability and accounting.
LO1
3
Apply cost volume profit analysis to make informed decisions.
LO2
4
Apply budgeting techniques to make informed decisions.
LO2
5
Apply various performance evaluation techniques to make informed decisions.
LO2
6
Record accounting transactions in worksheets.
LO3
7
Prepare simple financial statements.
LO3
8
Explain and apply the accountability model to situations of corporate social responsibility, ethical conduct and/or sustainability.
LO1
9
Explain various reporting frameworks for sustainability reporting and use tools for analysing them.
LO1
 
 
 

How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
 
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
 
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
 
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
 
 
 

Required Resources
Required reading materials
You will need the following electronic resource:

MindTap for Deegan's An Introduction to Accounting: Accountability in Organisations and Society (2020) Cengage, Melbourne.

Your unit coordinator will provide a unique code for this resource which will allow you to join this cohort’s space on MindTap specifically.

You can also use the UTAS10 to receive a 10% discount.

This electronic resource contains your eBook and the case study, which is necessary for all workshop activities. It also has other useful activities, which you can use to self-assess your knowledge.
 
Recommended reading materials
Atrill, P, McLaney, E, and Harvey, D 2018, Accounting for Non-Specialist, 7th Edition, Pearson Australia.

Cunningham, B., Nikolai-HCP, L., Bazley, J., Kavanagh, M. and Simmons, S., 2018. Accounting: Information for Business Decisions. Cengage AU.

Hancock, P., Robinson, P. and Bazley, M., 2020. Contemporary Accounting: A Strategic Approach for Users. Cengage Learning.
 
 
Reading Lists provide direct access to all material on unit reading lists in one place. This includes eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from the link in MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website.
 
Other required resources
Microsoft Excel

You also need access to a reliable computer with internet access