FdA Accountancy

Summary 2012/13

• Develop the skills and attributes to become an accountancy professional;
• Gain valuable and relevant workplace experience;
• Study full-time, part-time or flexibly;
• Easy access to learning, with flexible entry requirements and extensive support tailored to your individual needs.

This Foundation Degree in Accountancy is a programme that will allow you to develop the fundamental technical and intellectual skills that accountancy professionals require in the workplace. A key feature of the programme is the engagement of work-based learning to acquire a vocational awareness of current accountancy techniques. You will be introduced to a wide range of organisational situations allowing a comprehensive approach to the higher level accountancy profession.

2012 Entry Requirements

To join this foundation degree you will need 40 points from a 6 unit, or an overall pass in a 12 unit, award in a relevant subject excluding key skills. You should also have GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at grade C or equivalent. Part-time applicants continuing in employment will require the written agreement and support of their employer.

Details

Who is this course for?

The programme is for anyone who wishes to investigate and develop a career in accounts, accountancy or senior financial management positions. You can be in full or part time employment but must be able to undertake a substantial element of learning in a suitable workplace environment.

What will I gain from this programme?

The programme combines vocational and academic study with particular focus on learning in the workplace. You will gain a good knowledge of technical accounting skills in addition to the sustained development of intellectual and personal skills. The skills you gain can be used to claim exemptions from recognised accountancy professional bodies.

How we will support you

You will be supported by workplace mentors and tutors. Workplace mentors will liase with you and college tutors will be able to assist you with any personal or academic issues.

Your delivery centre will provide you with extensive learning resources for studying the programme and you will also have full access to the cutting edge resources at Edge Hill University's Ormskirk Campus.

What will I study?

You will study the business environment and how it inter-relates with accountancy. The programme follows a curriculum that corresponds to that of professional bodies, specifically the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

Level 4 modules offer the chance to develop skills and knowledge for managing accounts, drafting financial statements, managing financial resources, and learning about ethical codes of practice for accountancy. They also cover what the auditing process involves and personal taxation.

Level 5 modules consider the issues around academic research within organisations, explore quantitative techniques for management, analyse the legal environment affecting businesses, develop a range of techniques used to assist in the budgeting decision-making process and study business taxation.

The programme focuses on learning in the workplace and you, your mentor and tutor will negotiate a learning programme dependent on your work placement opportunities and identified areas for development.

How will I study?

There will be lectures and seminars at your chosen college and you will be expected to reflect on the experiences you have in the workplace. Sessions will be interactive and you'll undertake practical accounting tasks in simulated environments.

Placement

You must have access to an accounts-related workplace experience to undertake the foundation degree. If you are not currently employed in an appropriate role you will need to speak to the course coordinator from your chosen college in order to assess your options. Edge Hill University also have a work placement coordinator who may be able to assist you.

Who will be teaching me?

You will be taught by highly qualified staff at one of our partner colleges. All tutors will have considerable experience in the delivery of practical accounting in the business environment. You will be taught in a range of locations close to your home or workplace.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment will be carried out throughout the programme and include case studies, simulation and examinations. Due to the diverse nature of workplace opportunities, you will be expected to undertake individual exercises as well as group tasks.

What are my career prospects?

The programme is designed to relate to accountancy professional body standards. The skills, knowledge and work-based learning acquired during the programme mean you can apply for a wide variety of positions in the public and private sectors and for careers in areas such as accountancy, banking, education, finance and management.

On completion of the foundation degree you have the option to progress towards an Honours Degree in Accountancy.

Further study at Edge Hill University

BSc (Hons) Accountancy

How do I apply?

Apply directly to Edge Hill University.

Download application form and view notes for guidance (pdf).

Fees and Finance

Tuition fees for part-time study on this foundation degree are £50 per credit for academic year 2012/13; i.e. £500 per 10 credit module, £750 per 15 credit module, £1,000 per 20 credit module and £1,500 per 30 credit module. A total of 240 credits are required to complete a foundation degree.

Eligible students will not have to pay upfront for their tuition. The cost of tuition will be paid by a loan which you will only start to repay once you have finished the course and are earning over £21,000 a year.

For more information on the financial support available for part-time foundation degree students in academic year 2012/13, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/foundationfees2012pt.

Please note, the above information is for UK and eligible EU students only.

Not got the entry requirements?

You can present your previous experience in work (paid or unpaid) to support your application.

Students with relevant study through either a professional body or appropriate academic course can apply to join the programme at an advanced stage.

If you do not have the GCSEs required for this programme, Edge Hill offers equivalency tests in English and mathematics.

For personalised advice based on your circumstances, please contact us or come to an event.

Where can I find out more?

If you would like to receive a copy of our prospectus or be kept updated about forthcoming events, contact the Course Information, Advice and Guidance Team by emailing study@edgehill.ac.uk or calling 01695 657000.

If you want to attend one of our open events held throughout the year, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/opendays to book your place.

You will also find Edge Hill University staff at many national careers fairs and UCAS events.

Still want more?

If you have any questions you would like to ask the programme leader about the course, please contact:

• John Mercer, Edge Hill Business School, The Management Centre, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4QP
• Tel. 01695 584104
• Email: mercerj@edgehill.ac.uk

Modules

Level 4

ACC 1009 Work Based Learning In this module you investigate your placement organisation, producing a report that analyses the accounts function and identifies a current problem. You will then establish the possible courses of action, undertaking a cost benefit analysis, before setting out the process for implementation.

ACC 1010 Management Accounts This module will provide you with the skills and knowledge to produce current, accurate financial information. You will focus on cost and revenue allocation to produce forecasts for future periods, learning how to analyse this information and communicate the results to management.

ACC 1011 Professional Ethics, Employability Skills and Personal Development The accountancy profession is required to follow ethical codes of practice. In this module you will investigate the codes of practice identified by the accountancy professional bodies, analysing their significance and application.

ACC 1012 Drafting Financial Statements A well known role for accountants is to produce financial accounts for organisations. In this module you will develop the skills to produce accounts that present the financial position of the organisation. You will study the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and current basic accounting standards to produce balance sheets, trading profit and loss accounts and cash-flow statements.

ACC 1013 Management of Financial Resources Cash is very important in a business! This module will demonstrate the techniques that businesses and accountants utilise to manage cash balances, focusing on the investment of surplus cash using Government securities in addition to other forms of investment. You will also look at the analysis of long and short-term cash requirements, analyse the most appropriate form of borrowing, and discover the processes for the collection of debts to support cash-flow.

ACC 1014 Introduction to Auditing Audit is the process of 'checking' the accounting function to ensure best practice in the production of financial statements. This module will look at the internal and external audit function focusing on the procedures of audit, investigating the internal review and assurance of the accounting process.

ACC 1015 Personal Taxation This module will consider personal taxation and the application of the self-assessment tax regime. You will look at the aggregation of income and the allowances permitted by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), income from investments and property and the charge on any capital gains.

Level 5

ACC 2009 Organisational Research Developing the level four work-based module, this module considers the issues around academic research within organisations. You will be asked to consider the significance of research methods and the research process, focusing on significant external factors that will affect your workplace organisation. As an element of the module you will be required to complete a research proposal and carry out a small piece of pilot research.

ACC 2010 Quantitative Techniques for Management Many finance and accountancy functions rely heavily on accountants' ability to collect and interpret numeric and statistical data. This module aims to develop your ability to collect, collate and handle numerical information and data. You'll be able to use statistical, graphical and algebraic techniques to address business problems, evaluating numerical results to enable effective financial decisions to be made.

ACC 2011 Business Law Accountants are required to have good knowledge of the legal environment that affects businesses. This module will introduce basic legal systems and fundamental law that relates to businesses, focusing on company administration, employment law and law of contract and how it impacts on businesses and the accounting function. You will be required to read some significant case law to understand the issues.

ACC 2012 Business Environment and Management The accountancy function makes a key contribution to the operational and strategic management functions of an organisation. Finance and accounting specialists need to have in-depth knowledge of the nature and purpose of organisations and this module explores various management functions as well as the internal and external factors that influence change and how the change process can be managed.

ACC 2013 Accounting for Decision Making This module builds on the management accounting module at level four, developing budgeting and control of the financial resources in a company for long term stability. A range of techniques used to assist in the decision making process will be explored.

ACC 2014 Financial Reporting and Analysis The aim of this module is to develop knowledge and understanding of more advanced financial accounting, its concepts and principals. Considering a broad range of accounting standards, you'll apply them to complex situations involving group accounts.

ACC 2015 Business Taxation Developed Taxation is an important financial area to be managed by accountants. This module examines business taxation, including the adjustment of business income for tax purposes. You will compute capital allowances, consider corporation tax and loss relief, calculate chargeable gains, complete the HMRC forms for business taxation and investigate the administration of the business tax regime.