Programme Specification

Transcription

1 Programme Specification A programme specification is completed for all programmes of the University, using the relevant guidance document. Any modifications to a specification, made after it has been approved, should be clearly shown and accompanied by the relevant coversheet. Insertions should be underlined and deletions struck through. 1 College Social Sciences 2 School Business 3 Department Accounting and Finance 4 Partner College and School n/a 5 Collaborative Organisation and Form of Collaboration 6 Qualification(s) and Programme Title 7 Programme Code JACS Code N400 9 Mode(s) of Study Full Time 10 Language of Study English 11 Length of Programme 4 years KPMG LLP Accreditation of programme by Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) BSc. (Hons) Accountancy 12 Awarding Institution University of Birmingham 13 Teaching Institution University of Birmingham 14 Accreditations The programme will be accredited by ICAS. 15 Aims of the Programme General Overview This programme will provide academic excellence by offering a distinctive and innovative offering in conjunction with internationally renowned organisations that can provide a novel model of undergraduate provision for vocationally orientated business education in the new funding environment. The programme will enable students to combine their academic study with relevant and high quality work experience at KPMG, and the opportunity to achieve Chartered Accountant status on completion of additional elements of the CA qualification following graduation. It will enable students to directly apply aspects of their academic education in a professional setting and vice versa - and reflect on their experiences as they progress through the programme. The programme is distinctive in enabling students to receive continuous salaried employment and funded study towards a degree leading to a renowned professional qualification on 1

2 completion of additional elements of the CA qualification following graduation without incurring any debt arising from tuition fees. Consequently, the taught elements of the programme will be delivered predominantly in Semester 1, Semester 3 and the summer break thereby allowing students to work during much of Semester 2 when they will be in greater demand from their employer. Skills The programme aims to develop the intellectual, analytical and communication capabilities of students to levels that can prepare them for successful careers as professional accountants, together with the transferable skills that are necessary to apply their capabilities and technical knowledge in new and challenging contexts across accounting, finance and commerce. Students will be encouraged to broaden their learning and enhance their transferable skills with the provision of MOMD electives in year 1 and year 2. The first year of the programme provides students with a grounding in core disciplines and equips students with basic transferable skills. Students would remain with the University programme during the first semester but would be available to KPMG during the second semester. Students would return to the University in May to complete examinations and their remaining certificate level credits. Year 2 of the programme provides more focus as students study the intermediate stages of the core accounting related disciplines in greater depth. Students complete the first semester at the University before returning in semester 3 to sit examinations and complete their intermediate level credits. In Year 3, students gain work experience throughout the year at KPMG before commencing their final year projects at the end of semester 2. Students study 40 higher levels at the University during Semester 3. In Year 4, students undertake their remaining 50 higher level credits and submit their final year projects in semester 1. Experience Students will have the opportunity to relate, apply their academic studies in a relevant professional setting and reflect upon their experiences as they develop their skills and capabilities. The programme will provide an educational environment that stimulates and supports learning and personal development. The programme will adopt a variety of teaching and learning strategies to promote high levels of knowledge, understanding and competence using appropriate curricula, and utilise the extensive range of university support services to enrich the students' learning experience. The programme shall meet the requirements for content and the standards demanded by the University and will be designed to ensure it is accredited by ICAS. It will also be monitored and 2

3 improved through ongoing programme and module review, student evaluation, external inputs and staff development. Due to changes to University funding in England arising from the Browne Review, the programme is expected to be distinctive and highly attractive to undergraduate applicants who can secure a degree, a job with a leading employer and a professional qualification without incurring debt arising from tuition fees. 16 Reference Points 16.1 QAA Subject Benchmark Statements 16.2 Framework for Higher Education Qualifications 16.3 University and College Strategies Work Students enrolled on the programme will be employed by KPMG, internationally recognised as one the world s largest providers of auditing and professional advisory services. In the UK, it is the third largest graduate recruiter and is frequently recognised as one of the best employers (for example, see st_100_companies/best_100_tables/). The programme will be accredited by ICAS for all ICAS tests of competence and the programme accredits 2 ICAS tests of Professional Skills, Taxation and Financial Reporting. Therefore, students completing the programme will be able to become Chartered Accountants two years after they graduate subject to the successful completion of further vocational training that will be offered by KPMG and ICAS once they graduate. Accounting Subject Benchmark (2007) The QAA accounting benchmark was used to inform the content of the programme, the nature of the learning outcomes and the level of the learning outcomes QAA (2008). The framework was used to inform the grading of the programme at Honours Level (Level 6). University Strategy The proposed programme will support delivery of the University s strategic goals by: a) providing students with a distinctive, high quality experience. The programme will enable students to pursue their academic studies whilst also undertaking relevant work experience in a professional setting at KPMG. The programme is distinctive and provides an innovative offering in the new University undergraduate funding environment, enabling students to receive continuous salaried employment and funded study towards a degree leading to a renowned professional qualification, without incurring any debt arising from tuition fees; b) sustaining the financial strength of the University. The funding and minimum cohort size negotiated with KPMG are expected to generate a surplus; c) enhancing our performance as an engaged university. The programme presents an opportunity to engage with an 3

4 16.4 Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies internationally renowned provider of auditing and professional services, KPMG, who are of importance as a significant employer both regionally and nationally. The programme presents an opportunity to engage with ICAS, a distinguished body who have the power to grant a highly demanded professional qualification, Chartered Accountant. College and School Strategy This collaborative programme reflects and supports the College s ambition to deliver high quality programmes which engage talented and ambitious students and generate a positive contribution to society. It attracts some of the best and brightest undergraduate students to Birmingham, regardless of background, to support academic aspirations through both the resources that they bring and the inspiration they provide for scholarship and research. This development reflects the College s commitment to maximising opportunities for flexible study, exploring new models of delivery, and employing teaching methods which empower students to learn independently and develop lifelong research and analytical skills. It also supports the College s commitment to employability. Whilst the minimum entry criteria are set at 320 tariff points, it is expected that the entry levels and quality of applicants accepted onto the programme will exceed these levels as those students being funded by KPMG will have been required to meet additional KPMG recruitment criteria (reasoning tests, interviews and assessment centres). The programme is accredited by ICAS for its tests of competence and the programme accredits 2 ICAS tests of professional skills; Taxation and Financial Reporting. The programme also aims to prepare students for tests of professional expertise in Assurance and Business Systems and Advanced Finance to be undertaken after they graduate. The provision of core modules within each level of the programme and the coverage of content within core accounting related modules has been checked to ensure students receive maximum exemptions from the professional examinations of ICAS Other The design of the programme and the associated modules has been influenced by submissions (from students, external examiners and other interested parties), deliberations and recommendations made by the BSc. Accounting and Finance comprehensive programme review. The content of the programme has drawn upon the International Accounting Education Standards released by the IAESB of the International Federation of Accountants, and relevant research in the field of accounting education (for example, Green, 2011; Adcroft, 2010; Surridge, 2008). 17 Barriers to Access and Student Support 18 Regulatory Exemptions n/a No. Neither the University or KPMG place any restrictions or discourage applications from protected groups. 4

5 19 Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations? 20 Programme Outcomes No. Students are expected to have knowledge and understanding of: 20.1 the contexts in which accounting can be seen as operating 20.2 the main current technical language and practices of accounting such as recognition, measurement and disclosure in financial statements, managerial accounting, auditing and taxation the alternative technical languages and practices of accounting such as, for example, alternative recognition rules and valuation bases recording and summarising transactions and other economic events including the preparation of financial statements, the analysis of the operations of business (for example, performance measurement and management control), financial analysis and projections (for example, analysis of financial ratios, discounted cash flow analysis, budgeting, financial risks) contemporary theories and empirical evidence concerning accounting and capital markets, the firm and society, and the ability to critically evaluate such theories and evidence. Students are expected to have attained the following skills and other attributes 20.6 a capacity for the critical evaluation of arguments and evidence an ability to analyse and draw reasoned conclusions concerning structured and, to a more limited extent, unstructured problems an ability to locate, extract and analyse data from multiple sources, including the acknowledgement and referencing of sources. Which will be gained through the following teaching and learning methods, study, presentations. Which will be gained through the following teaching and learning methods, study, presentations. study, computer labs, presentations. and assessed using the following methods. coursework coursework. coursework. and assessed using the following methods. 5

6 20.9 capacities for independent and self-managed learning numeracy skills, including the ability to manipulate financial and other numerical data and to appreciate statistical concepts at an appropriate level skills in the use of communications and information technology in acquiring, analysing and communicating information communication skills including the ability to present quantitative and qualitative information, together with analysis, argument and commentary, in a form appropriate to the intended audience. 21 Programme Requirements Work placement, self directed study, computer labs. study, computer labs. work placement, computer labs, presentations, video analysis. coursework, presentation. Stage I Module Title O/C Credits Level Module Code 21.1 Introduction to Finance C 10 C Introduction to Management Accounting C 10 C Principles of Financial Accounting C 20 C Quantitative Methods in Accounting and Finance C 20 C Introduction to Economics C 10 C International Macroeconomics and Financial Markets C 10 C Business Organisation and Management C 10 C Elective MOMD O 10 C 21.9 Academic and Professional Skills C 10 C Professional Skills: KPMG external assessment C 10 C Total Credits 120 Stage II Module Title O/C Credits Level Module Code Company Accounting and Accounting Theory C 20 I Corporate Financial Management C 10 I Management Accounting C 10 I Information Systems for Accounting C 20 I Taxation C 10 I

7 21.16 Principles of Auditing C 20 I Law for Accountancy and Business C 20 I Elective MOMD O 10 I Total Credits 120 Stage III Module Title O/C Credits Level Module Code Advanced Management Accounting C 20 H Advanced Finance C 20 H Final Year Project C 30 H Advanced Assurance C 10 H Advanced Financial Reporting C 20 H Advanced Taxation C 20 H Total Credits Programme Total Credits Management of Quality All programmes of the University are subject to the University s QAE processes, including annual review. Primary inputs for these reviews include statistical information on performance of students, external examiner feedback, programme specifications, and student feedback. In addition to these review procedures, all programmes of the University are subject to the University s published regulations and codes of practice ( unless otherwise stated in the approved programme specification. 24 Management of Feedback A programme management committee will receive and respond to feedback expressed in staff-student liaison committee, module evaluations, module report forms, programme director reports and external examiner reports. 25 Date Completed/Revised 25/04/13 26 Contacts Programme Leader: Steve Keepax School Administrative: Tamara Glenn College Administrative: Laura Radbourne 7