Finance and Accounting with CIMA MSc

University of the West of Scotland

This module encompasses the disciplines of costing and management accounting techniques which are used to make and support decision-making. The nature and purpose of cost accounting is critically evaluated and contrasted with financial accounting. The classification of costs (production ? non production, direct ? indirect) and behaviour of cost (fixed ? variable ? semi variable) are explored. Accounting for material, labour and overheads is discussed and appraised. Relevant costing techniques used in business are introduced (marginal costing, job costing, process costing) and applied in case study scenarios. The use of number of management accounting techniques in supporting short term decision-making (CVP, BEP, relevant costing, limiting factors) are extensively appraised. The module also critically evaluates the preparation and use of budgeting, standard costing and variance analysis as essential tools for planning and controlling business costs.

The module has been developed to provide you with knowledge and skills required to work in a financial management role within business and to help you understand the issues faced by firms both domestically and within a global marketplace. This is a different type of skill to that required by financial accountants or management accountants and should help to broaden your career opportunities. The materials are guided by similar modules offered by professional accounting bodies and therefore are at an appropriate level for industry.

This module aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the role of accountancy and finance within its context at the center of the business function, as well as an appreciation of the wider social, political, legal, economic and technological environment factors which impact on the organisation and its finance function. The module introduces and develops the non-accountancy specific skills and attributes needed to operate successfully as an accountant in business and 21st century graduate such as: personal effectiveness and communication, team work skills and awareness of ethical considerations. The module content also reflects the requirements of professional accountancy qualifications and so offers a route into professional accountancy.

The purpose of the module is to equip students with detailed knowledge of the practice of financial accounting and the financial reporting environment together with an understanding of the theoretic underpinning of the subject area. The module aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of financial accounting information required at higher or strategic levels of commercial organisations. The module content also reflects the requirements of professional accountancy qualifications and so offers a route into professional accountancy.

This module is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to deal effectively with the accounting and finance issues faced by organisations and their finance functions e.g. in use of data & information for decision making, planning and performance measurement. The module will provide learners with the opportunities to develop skills in the analysis of various aspects of modern businesses including : business models, environment, value, strategy, financial performance, financing, cash flow. The module also aims to develop the research and analytical skills required of modern business professionals and accounting & finance specialists. Students will learn how to frame and solve business case study and research problems through: analysis and presentation of data, synthesis and critique of findings, conducting academic literature review.

This module builds on the knowledge gained from the Strategic Management Accounting module which focussed on the disciplines of management accounting used to support decision making. This will cover the tools and techniques that generate information needed to evaluate and control present and projected performance. The areas covered include: forecasting, applications of linear mathematical methods, strategic cost management, risk and uncertainty, pricing, approaches to performance measurement and challenges to traditional management accounting.

This module develops students? understanding of, and skills in, the academic research process. Students are introduced to the philosophical concepts underpinning good research and a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Students build upon and further develop their research proposals to show their abilities to choose feasible and robust research ideas, to formulate achievable aims and objectives, and to select and design appropriate research strategies.