A Report of 2,500 WORDS covering all learning outcomes (100%)

The module will cover key contemporary aspects of accounting in the 21st century including:
- The Conceptual Framework for financial reporting
- Fair value accounting
- Rules-based versus principles-based standards
- The political nature of setting accounting standards
- Manipulation of reported earnings
- Capital market research and accounting
- Behavioural finance
- Earnings management
- Stakeholder theory
- Environmental influences on accounting
- Implication of non-recognition of intangibles
- Non-financial measures of social and environmental impact.
- Voluntary disclosures and extending the scope and quality of external reports to include prospective and non-¬financial matters, and narrative reporting generally
- Off-Balance Sheet issues, financial instruments and other emerging key technical or conceptual accounting issues
- Major differences between IFRS and US GAAP, and progress towards convergence
- Current and emerging issues in financial reporting (e.g. proposals to amend or introduce new accounting standards) and in other forms of external reporting (e.g. environmental accounting and sustainability).

1. CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE USEFULNESS OF ACCOUNTING STANDARDS AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH THEY ARE AGREED
Communication
Knowledge & Understanding
Learning
Reflection

2. DEMONSTRATE A SYSTEMATIC UNDERSTANDING AND CRITICAL EVALUATION OF KEY ASPECTS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REPORTING
Analysis
Knowledge & Understanding
Learning
Reflection

3. CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF KEY EMERGING ACCOUNTING ISSUES
Analysis
Application
Knowledge & Understanding
Learning
Problem Solving

Module study guide
The University Library and Learning Resources - books and academic journals
The module VLE
Electronic data bases
Learning support materials
Internet
Standard wording
Professional journals and financial press

Plus:
Websites of UK CCAB Accounting Bodies
Websites of International Accounting Bodies

FOR INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS ONLY

Marks J. (2012) Contemporary Issues in Accounting, Pearson
Rankin M. (2012) Contemporary Issues in Accounting, Wiley
Scott W.R. (2012) Financial Accounting Theory, Prentice Hall

The learning strategy for this module is based around students committing a total of 150 hours of activities towards achieving the learning outcomes. These will be split between 39 hours of direct contact with a tutor and 111 hours of directed, guided and self-study, together with preparation for and completion of the assessment tasks. Learning support material will be provided for the module.
The module will draw upon a mixture of activities including lectures, web-based activities, case study analysis, relevant videos and in-class discussions, individual and group problem solving and self-directed learning.