Bachelor of Business in Accounting & Finance

Course Description
This three year course aims to provide a level of knowledge and skills in Accounting and Finance that prepares students for middle level responsibility in an Accounting environment. Students who gain the Bachelor Degree Award may exit into the world of employment with this solid qualification.

This 3 year course is made up of 6 semesters over 3 years. Each year of the course is designed for the student to build on the accounting and business skills they have gained in the previous year, for this reason our modules are built in disciplinary pillars. The core disciplinary skills are wide in breadth and are covered in 4 pillars throughout the course with the remaining two pillars delivering the complimentary skills in professional communication, corporate dynamics and strong Data Management and BI skills.

The pillars are outlined below:

Financial Accounting and reporting:
This pillar includes financial accounting and international financial reporting from basic reporting standards to consolidation standards.
Modules within this pillar are designed to meet the growing demand for up to date coverage of International Accounting Standards with a very strong emphasis on the application of those standards in preparation of company and group accounts.
The early modules start with the basics of bookkeeping: the process of recording, summarising, and analysing transactions resulting from business operations and the preparation of accounts for a variety of unincorporated entities. As your studies progress the pillar offers a more in-depth look into specific international financial reporting standards.

Decision Making and Risk Analysis:
The pillar commences with business maths and progresses to cover introductory management accounting and auditing and assurance.
This pillar is designed to give students a thorough understanding of how to ensure effective and appropriate governance, allowing evaluation and monitoring of appropriate risk identification procedures. Management Accounting and Auditing are both core elements of any professional accounting qualification.
The role of the Management Accountant involves preparing and analysing financial and non-financial information in a business and preparing budgets. The key aspects of the Management Accountants role are explored including decision making in the business and preparation and analysis of the data used to enable decisions.
The Auditing and Assurance Modules provide students with an understanding of the nature and purpose of an external audit and the role of the auditor, as well as an appreciation of the legal framework, auditing standards and ethical procedures relevant to the auditor. Students will gain knowledge and basic understanding of the process of carrying out assurance engagements, in the form of controls and substantive testing, and the value of auditing for validating financial statements and improving control within a business.

Economics and Finance:
This pillar commences with economics and then builds the student competencies in a wide range of topics in areas of financial management and investment analysis.
The Economics modules aim to introduce students to microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts and to demonstrate their role in consumer and business decision making and the micro and macroeconomic forces affecting the Irish Economy by seeking to explain what drives human behaviour, decisions and reactions. From the Economics modules you gain a new way of thinking that you can apply to a wide range of problems.
The Finance modules aim to provide students with a basic knowledge of finance issues affecting individuals and businesses, from sole trader to multi-national enterprises. Students explore a wide range of topics in including financing, dividend and investment decisions, risk management, corporate governance, and issues relating to financial management for individuals, multinational corporations and institutions.

Compliance: Law & Taxation:
This pillar commences with Business, Employment and Company Law and then introduces the student to the areas of Taxation.
By building competencies primarily in law and tax compliance, students will acquire knowledge in business legislation, including employment law and business formation, corporate governance, ethics and ethical behaviour relating to business, income tax, capital gains tax, corporation tax and VAT.
These modules take a largely practical approach where students will learn to calculate liabilities of individuals and businesses whilst also learning the underlying principles of the various taxes.

Business Management & Communications (Corporate Dynamics):
This pillar includes modules such as: Business management, Human Resource Management, Marketing, Organisational Behaviour, Operations management.
The Pillar is designed to give learners a thorough understanding of core management modules preparing them for future leadership roles, commencing with the fundamentals underpinning modern enterprises with a preparatory module on getting work ready (CVs, Interviews etc.) followed by real-world work placement in an accounting/finance work environment.

Data Management and Business Intelligence:
The pillar will cover areas such as: Business Information Systems, Data Technology and Computerised Accounting.
The Accountancy Profession has largely been data driven and the analysis of that data is core to the role of accountant. This Pillar provides a pathway for the professional development of the accountant with the ability to use a variety of packages and the confidence to embrace emerging business challenges.

Module & Assessment Breakdown:
View a visual summary of the module map, credits and assessment breakdown: Module Map AF Programme Visual Summary TU788

Career Preparation & Professional Exemptions
The School of Accounting, Economics and Finance prides itself on its industry links and its approach to supporting our students in the preparation and securing of employment. Our students are supported in semester 6 of year 3 of the course, through a formal module, ‘Professional Communication and Work Preparation’, to develop their CV’s, enhance their linked in profiles and perfect their interviewing skills.

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