Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook
This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Postgraduate Handbook 2012-2013 (archived)

Module BUSI53E15: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTING

Department: Business School (Business)

BUSI53E15: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTING

TypeLevelCreditsAvailabilityModule CapLocation
Tied 4 15 Available in 2012/2013 Durham

Tied To

  • N1KE12: Business and Management (HBOS) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2010-2011 for details)
  • N2KE12: Business and Management (Consortium) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2010-2011 for details)
  • N2KF12: Business and Management (Vertex) (see Postgraduate Handbook 2010-2011 for details)

Pre-requisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations

  • Economic Policy and Markets: BUSI4ZM15

Aims

  • To provide students with the opportunity to study some key topics in financial management and accounting at an advanced level.

Content

  • Strategy, finance and the business functions; role and purpose of the finance function; nature of financial management and accounting; profit and profitability; nature and behaviour of costs; viability and profitability; contributions; breakeven; operational gearing/risk.
  • Liquidity; cash flow forecastings; variance analysis; sensitivities; solvency; investment decisions; discounting; payback; discounted payback; ITT; profitability index.
  • Financial efficiency; capital structure; debt v equity; financial gearing; dividend policy; lease or buy decisions; key ratios; investment appraisal; mergers and acquisitions.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge
  • Have a critical understanding of financial management and accounting and their relevance to organisational effectiveness;
  • Have a critical appreciation of the key principles and scope of financial management and accounting both to their own and other organisational accounts;
Subject-specific Skills
  • Be able to apply some key tools and techniques associated with financial management and accounting.
Key Skills

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, seminars, facilitated discussion sessions and guided reading. Extensive use will be made of case studies and business simulations. All sessions have a high participation element, and an emphasis on action-learning.
  • Assessment of this module is by summative assignment, designed to: test the acquisition and articulation of knowledge; test conceptual understanding and skills of application and interpretation within the business context.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotal HoursAttendance Monitored
Lectures 3 Daily 2 hours 6
Seminars 3 Daily 3 hours 9 Yes
Practicals 3 Daily 1 hours 3 Yes
Preparation & Reading 132
Total 150

Summative Assessment

ComponentComponent WeightingElementLength/DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Individual written assignment 100% Individual written assignment 3,000 words (Max.). 100%

Formative Assessment

Feedback on group and individual activities undertaken during contact hours. Feedback on learning set reflections and action points related to this module.


Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.