PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION TEMPLATE
1 Awarding Institution: University of Exeter
2 School(s)/Teaching Institution: School of Business and Economics
3 Programme accredited/validated by: Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting
4 Final Award(s): BA (Hons)
5 Programme Title: Accounting and Finance
6 UCAS Code (if relevant): N422 7 FHEQ Level of Final Award(s): H
8 QAA Subject Benchmarking Group: Accounting 9 Date of Production/Revision: October 2007
10 Programme Structures and Requirements, Levels, Modules, Credits and Awards
The programme is studied over three years and is University-based throughout that time. Study is undertaken at three levels corresponding to FHEQ descriptors levels: Certificate (C); Intermediate (I); and Honours (H), which broadly correspond with each year of study. Each year of study is based on two twelve-week semesters, taught over three ten-week terms, with a period of assessment at the end of each semester. The programme comprises 360 credits, divided into units of study (modules) which have credits ratings of either 15 or 30 credits. Students taking the Honours degree may take no more than 180 credits of level 1 (C) modules and no fewer than 90 credits of level 3 (H) modules.
HE Level 1 Module credit
BEA1003 Business Law 15
BEA1004 Introduction to Accounting 30 BEA1005 Management Concepts & Practices 15
BEE1001 Principles of Economics 30
BEE1021 Personal Finance 15
BEE1022 Introduction to Statistics 15 120 HE Level 2
BEA2001 Financial Accounting 30
BEA2002 Taxation 30
BEA2003 Management Accounting 30
BEA2004 Audit 15
BEA2005 Information Systems 15 120
HE Level 3
BEA3001 Financial Management 30
BEA3002 Financial Statement Analysis 15 BEA3003 International Accounting 15
BEA3004 Corporate Law 30
Options 30 120
11 Educational Aims of the Programme This programme is intended to:
• To provide students with at least a knowledge and understanding of accounting theory and practice to meet some of the accreditation requirements of the professional accounting bodies (listed under Section 3).
• To provide students with a basic knowledge and understanding of some of the contexts in which accountancy operates e.g. the legal and social environment, the accountancy profession, the business entity, and the capital markets.
• To provide students with the necessary practical area specific and intellectual skills, such as analysis, problem-solving and reasoning, to enable them independently to achieve an understanding of accounting problems, deal with complexity, explore alternative solutions, demonstrate critical evaluation and integrate theory and practice.
• To provide students with the necessary personal and transferable skills to enable them to develop as independent, autonomous and reflective individuals and to prepare them for employment or future study.
12 Programme Outcomes (a) Subject knowledge and skills
It is intended that, on successfully completing the programme, a student will have the following subject-specific knowledge and skills:
• An understanding of the legal, business and social environments in which accounting operates. • Knowledge and understanding of the main current technical language and practices of accounting
and finance in a market economy, e.g. recognition, measurement and disclosure in financial statements, financial markets, managerial accounting; auditing, taxation and business law.
• Knowledge and understanding of some of the alternative technical languages and practices of accounting, e.g. alternative managerial accounting approaches to decision-making and alternative accounting practices of foreign countries.
• Skills in recording and summarising transactions, preparation of financial statements; in a business context, decision analysis, performance measurement and management control; financial analysis and projections.
• Knowledge and understanding of a range of contemporary theories and empirical evidence in accounting and finance, and the ability to evaluate critically such theories and evidence.
(b) Core academic skills
It is intended that on successfully completing the programme, a student will have acquired the following abilities and skills:
• A capacity for the critical evaluation of arguments and evidences.
• An ability to analyse and draw reasoned conclusions concerning structured and unstructured problems.
• Ability to locate, extract and analyse data from multiple sources, including the acknowledgement and referencing of sources.
(c) Personal and key skills
It is intended that on successfully completing the programme, a student will have acquired the following skills:
• The capacity for autonomous and reflective self-directed learning.
• Numeracy skills, including the ability to manipulate financial, numerical and statistical data.
• Verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present and evaluate arguments in a form appropriate to the audience.
• The ability to work productively as part of a group.
• To use effectively information technology, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, and electronic retrieval systems.
(d) Confirmation of conformity with the relevant subject benchmark statement, or rationale for non-conformity
The programme broadly conforms with the QAA Benchmark Statement for Accounting.
13 Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods Subject knowledge and skills
Teaching and learning through lectures and tutorials, assigned reading, assignments for tutorial classes and workshops (including a first year book-keeping course provided by professional firm).
Core academic skills
Teaching and learning Assessments take place through written examination, individual/group assignments (e.g. essays and/or quantitative coursework) and, where appropriate, presentations. Assessment through unseen examinations; open/closed book examinations; assessed essays and reports both on an individual and group basis.
Personal and key skills
12 & 13 Programme Outcomes and Teaching, Learning & Assessment Methods On successfully completing the programme, a
graduate should be able to demonstrate: A Subject specific
An understanding of the legal, business and social environments in which accounting operates.
Knowledge and understanding of the main current technical language and practices of accounting and finance in a market economy, e.g. recognition, measurement and disclosure in financial statements, financial markets, managerial accounting; auditing, taxation and business law.
Knowledge and understanding of some of the alternative technical languages and practices of accounting, e.g. alternative managerial accounting approaches to decision-making and alternative accounting practices of foreign countries.
Skills in recording and summarising transactions, preparation of financial statements; in a business context, decision analysis, performance measurement and management control; financial analysis and projections.
Knowledge and understanding of a range of contemporary theories and empirical evidence in the areas in accounting and finance, and the ability to evaluate critically such theories and evidence.
Teaching/learning/assessment methods and strategies
See approaches in modules:
BEA1003, 1004, 1005, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 3003 and 3004
BEE1001
See approaches in modules:
BEA1003, 1004, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 3001, 3002 and 3003 plus BEA3004
See approaches in modules:
BEA1004, 2001, 2002, 2003, 3002 and 3003
See approaches in modules:
BEA1004, 2001, 2003, 3001, 3002 and 3003
See approaches in modules: BEA2001, 2003, 3001 and 3003
B Core academic
A capacity for the critical evaluation of arguments and evidences.
An ability to analyse and draw reasoned conclusions concerning structured and unstructured problems.
Ability to locate, extract and analyse data from multiple sources, including the
acknowledgement and referencing of sources.
Teaching/learning/assessment methods and strategies
See approaches in level 2 (I) and 3 (H) modules.
See approaches in level 2 (I) and 3 (H) modules.
C Personal and key
The capacity for autonomous and reflective self-directed learning.
Numeracy skills, including the ability to manipulate financial, numerical and statistical data.
Verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present and evaluate arguments in a form appropriate to the audience.
The ability to work productively as part of a group.
To use effectively information technology, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, and electronic retrieval systems.
Teaching/learning/assessment methods and strategies
See approaches in level 2 (I) and 3 (H) modules.
BEE1001 and 1022, and BEA1004, 2001, 2003, 3001 and 3002
Verbal and written communication skills are developed in all modules and assessed either in examinations or written assessments.
Presentation skills feature in the assessment of BEA1005, 2003 and 2004.
Group work feature in the assessment of BEA1005, 2003 and 2004.
IT skills are also covered to an extent in most modules but specifically in BEA2003, 2005 and 3001 where it features in teaching and learning.
14 Support for Students and Students’ Learning
The University Library maintains its principal collections in the main library buildings on the Streatham and St Luke’s campuses, together with a large library at Camborne School of Mines and a number of specialist collections in certain Schools. The total Library collection comprises over a million volumes and 3000 current periodical subscriptions.
Information Technology (IT) Services provide a wide range of services throughout the University including open access computer rooms, some of which are available 24 hours, 7 days a week. Additionally, some Schools have their own dedicated facilities. Helpdesks are maintained on the Streatham, St Luke’s and CMS campuses, while most study bedrooms in halls and flats are linked to the University’s campus network.
It is University policy that all Schools should have in place a system of academic and personal tutors for their students. A University-wide statement on such provision is included in the University’s TQA Manual. The University provides a wide range of student support services including:
- Student Counselling Service - Study Skills Service - Student Advice Centre (Guild of Students) - International Office
- Student Health Centres - Nursery (Streatham Campus)
- Chaplaincy - English and Foreign Language Centres
All Schools are required to possess Student/Staff Liaison Committees that allow students to contribute directly to the enhancement of educational and other provision at discipline level.
The University Careers Advisory Service provides expert advice to all students to enable them to plan their future, through guidance interviews, psychometric testing, employer presentations, skills events, practice job interviews and CV preparation.
15 Admission Criteria
Candidates must satisfy the general admissions requirements of the University and of the School of Business and Economics. University entrance requirements for undergraduate degree programmes are found in the University of Exeter Undergraduate Prospectus. The entrance requirements for the BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance are as follows:
School/College leavers who have reached 17.5 years of age on admissions:
A-levels: the minimum entrance requirement is normally grades BBB at A-level, not including General Studies, and with a minimum of Grade B in GCSE Mathematics.
International Baccalaureate: 32
Students with other qualifications (e.g. Advanced General National Vocational Qualification, BTEC, Scottish Highers) may be considered on an individual basis.
Mature students are considered on an individual basis will be interviewed and will normally be expected to have undertaken some recognised systematic course of study within the last three years (e.g. Access courses, Open University, GCE, BTEC, etc)
Overseas students must show proficiency in the English language and have an appropriate qualification (e.g. Certificate of Proficiency in English of the Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, IELTS, TOEFL, or other equivalent examinations).
16 Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed School assessment marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures. The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the external examiners appointed for each programme. Their responsibilities are described in the University’s code for external examiners and include access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. Attendance at the Board of Examiners and the provision of an annual report are both required. Clear procedures are also in place for the monitoring of these annual reports at both School and University level. See the University’s TQA Manual for details of these processes (http://www.ex.ac.uk/teaching.htm)
17 Indicators of Quality and Standards
The University and its constituent Schools draw on a range of data in their regular review of the quality of provision. The annual produced Performance Indicator Dataset details admission, progression, completion and first career destination data, including comparisons over a five-year period.
18 Methods for Evaluating and Improving Quality and Standards
The University has procedures in place for the regular review of its educational provision, including the annual review of both modules and programmes which draw on feedback from such sources as external examiners’ reports, student evaluation, student achievement and progression data. In addition, subject areas are reviewed every three years through a subject and programme quality review scheme that includes external input. These procedures are recorded in codes of practice contained in the TQA Manual. This programme is also subject to continuous review and/or accreditation by the professional and statutory bodies, while nearly all subject areas are reviewed from time to time by the national Quality Assurance Agency for HE; see the QAA web site for review reports on subjects at Exeter.
