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Unit outline_

ACCT2011: Financial Accounting A

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit examines the accounting and reporting practices of reporting entities, particularly listed public companies. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of, and the ability to critically evaluate, the various regulatory requirements (professional and statutory) governing financial reporting. The unit commences with an overview of the financial reporting environment and theories that seek to explain the accounting policy choices of management. This framework provides a basis for examining a range of specific issues in financial accounting. The emphasis throughout the unit is on both the application of specific accounting techniques/rules and the conceptual/theoretical issues associated with alternative accounting methods.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Accounting
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
(ACCT1001 or ACCT1005 or BUSS1030) and (ACCT1002 or ACCT1006)
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Timothy Wang, timothy.wang@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Small continuous assessment Online Quizzes
Online quiz tasks
5% - n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Final exam (Record+) Type B final exam hurdle task Final exam
Written exam
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Small continuous assessment Tutorial work
Tutorial work
5% Ongoing n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
In-semester test (Record+) Type B in-semester exam Mid-semester exam
Written exam
20% Week 07
Due date: 09 Apr 2022 at 11:20
50 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Assignment group assignment Group assignment
Written task
20% Week 10 1,500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
hurdle task = hurdle task ?
group assignment = group assignment ?
Type B final exam = Type B final exam ?
Type B in-semester exam = Type B in-semester exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Online quizzes: Students are advised to refer to Canvas for further information. 
  • Tutorial work: Students are advised to refer to Canvas for further information. 
  • Group assignment: Students are advised to refer to Canvas for further information. 
  • Mid-semester exam: The mid-semester exam is a closed book examination and will cover material from weeks 1 to 5 inclusive. Students are advised to refer to Canvas for further information. 
  • Final exam: The final exam is a closed book examination and will cover the material from weeks 1-13 inclusive, with emphasis on the material from weeks 6-13. An assessment that is listed as HURDLE TASK means you must undertake the assessment and achieve a mark above a minimum standard. Students who fail to achieve this minimum standard in this assessment, even when their aggregate mark for the entire unit is above 50%, will be given a Fail grade for the unit. As a result the student's academic transcript will show a fail grade and the actual mark achieved if between 0-49 and a fail grade and a capped moderated mark of 49 for all other marks. The hurdle mark for this assessment is 45%.

​Each assessment has different parts that cover several aspects of the unit and several ULOs. 

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction and conceptual framework for financial reporting Lecture (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 02 Measurement and choice of accounting methods Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 03 Accounting for assets - property, plant, and equipment Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 04 Accounting for assets - intangible assets Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 05 Accounting for leases Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 06 Provisions; ethics Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 07 Revenue Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 08 Accounting for income tax Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 09 Accounting for financial instruments Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 10 Equity Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 11 Accounting for the extractive industries Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 12 Presentation of financial statements Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 13 Review Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings: Pre-recorded lectures will be available for students. 

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Henderson, S., Pierson, G., Herbohn, K., Artiach, T., and Howieson, B. (2017). Issues in Financial Accounting (16th ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Pearson

Other readings as prescribed on Canvas. 

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. describe and understand the conceptual framework and specific standards for preparing financial statements within a regulatory and commercial context
  • LO2. interpret and apply specific accounting standards to transactions based on varying problems and facts, which require critical thinking and judgement
  • LO3. critically discuss issues in the interpretation and application of accounting standards, as these affect the information content and decision-relevance of financial statements
  • LO4. critique Australian accounting standards in order to evaluate financial reporting issues for a reporting entity; develop solid and defensible arguments that reflect your opinion
  • LO5. work collaboratively with others to analyse the requirements of an Australian accounting standard and understand how these accounting requirements can be applied to an entity's operations
  • LO6. recognise the requirements of different users of financial statements and appreciate the social and ethical dimensions of the choices made by financial statement preparers.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.