Managerial Accounting

Lecturer: Alan Coad

Introduction and Aims

The module explores the theory and practice of managerial accounting in its roles of decision making, planning and control in organisations. It equips students with the ability to identify particular organisational circumstances and choose appropriate management accounting solutions. It uses examples and short case study material throughout to enable students to understand the concepts which underlie the provision of management accounting information.

The module looks at the classification and tracing of costs and revenues to cost objects for different purposes. Techniques of full absorption product costing, marginal costing, break-even analysis and relevant costs are covered. Issues and techniques relating to budgeting, standard costing, responsibility accounting and measurement of management performance are defined and discussed.

The course concludes with a brief review of developing areas in management, such as the implications of value based management and strategic performance measurement, and considers their impact on managerial accounting.

Objectives and Learning Outcomes

On completion of the Managerial Accounting course participants should:

• Understand and explain the concepts and terminology of managerial accounting.
• Identify and analyse financial data and draw appropriate conclusions, in a variety of different ways
• Prepare basic budgets and analyse variances between budgeted and actual outcomes
• Understand the role of management accounting information in the monitoring and performance measurement of different units within an organisation
  Discuss the strengths and limitations of the managerial accounting processes studied in the programme

Module Assessment

This module is assessed by one coursework assignment (50%) and a three hour written examination (50%).