Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2021-2022 (archived)

Module ACCT50115: Business Economics and Accounting

Department: Accounting

ACCT50115: Business Economics and Accounting

Type Tied Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2021/22
Tied to N2P109
Tied to N2P209
Tied to N2P609

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To develop skills in the application of economic analysis in business decision-making and planning
  • To provide students with a critical understanding of key economic aspects of the business environment and the impact of changes in that environment at national and international level
  • To provide students with an understanding of accounting information; its forms, purpose and the needs of its users

Content

  • Markets, information and transaction costs
  • Organisations, costs and the profit motive
  • Competition and welfare
  • Strategic behaviour by firms
  • Global business and the macroeconomic environment
  • Performance and business decisions
  • Corporate financial statements and their interpretation
  • The role of management accounting information

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Have a specialist knowledge and understanding of: the importance of, and interaction between demand, costs and prices at the level of the firm and the market; the interrelationship between the competitive environment, government policy and business decisions.
  • Have a critical understanding and appreciation of the complex nature of the economic business environment.
  • Have a critical knowledge and understanding of the use of financial data within organisations.
  • Have an appreciation of the management accounting function and its role within an organisation.
  • Have a specialist knowledge and understanding of corporate financial statements and their analysis.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Be able to apply economic understanding in the analysis of business decisions.
  • Be able to apply management accounting techniques.
  • Be able to evaluate corporate performance and position through analysis of financial statements.
Key Skills:
  • Written communication; planning, organising and time management; problem solving and analysis; using initiative; computer literacy.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The learning outcomes will be met through a combination of lectures, guided reading, individual exercises and group discussion of case studies.
  • The summative assessment will be in two parts. The ‘takeaway assessment’ will test students’ knowledge and understanding of the Economics subject-matter, and will be issued only a short time (i.e. several days) before the submission date. The examination will test students’ understanding and appreciation of accounting information and its uses.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Lectures/workshops 10 1 per week 2 hours 20
Seminars 4 1 every other week 1 4
Preparation & Reading 126
Total 150

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Examination 2 hours 100% Same
Component: Takeaway Assessment Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Takeaway Assessment 2,000 words (maximum) in total 100% Same

Formative Assessment:

Participation in DUO-based self-assessment exercises.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University