1999 Business and Economics Handbook - Bachelor of Accounting

Bachelor of Accounting - BAcc

General
Course objectives
Course structure
Electives
Progression to Bachelor of Accounting (Honours)

General

Course code: 0169
The Bachelor of Accounting degree has been designed to give students a structured education in the disciplines of accounting and finance. The degree has been introduced at the request of the professional accounting bodies in Australia, and with the support of the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. The course provides for accelerated learning, integral components of which are the periods of structured industry-based learning. Students selected to undertake the degree will be awarded a scholarship of $4400 (or the equivalent in paid work-experience) per annum for each of the three years of the pass degree. The scholarships are provided by industry sponsors of the degree, who also play an important role in the industry-based learning sections of the course. During this time students work in commercial settings and also complete specified projects determined jointly by academics and sponsors. Over the length of the course, students spend time with a range of business organisations which have agreed to participate in the course. Admission to this course is limited to school leavers who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia. A quota of fifty full-time places applies.
Graduates will have maximum exemptions towards membership of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants and The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. Provided that the appropriate electives are chosen, graduates will also have maximum exemptions for senior associate status of the Australian Institute of Banking and Finance.

Course objectives

In addition to the common objectives that the Bachelor of Accounting degree has with the Bachelor of Commerce degree, students completing the course should:

have experienced an academically challenging, accelerated academic program combined with an industry-based learning process which reinforces theoretical concepts in a practical work environment;
have developed in a work environment interpersonal skills and group problem-solving techniques;
have developed effective communication skills through the preparation of project and industry-based learning reports;
have developed personal attributes and skills at the workplace which are consistent with sponsor (employer) expectations as a consequence of the industry-based assessment.

Course structure

Refer to chart 1 in the section 'Charts of degree structures'.

First year

Semester 1

AFC1021/AFC1022 Accounting principles
ECC1000 Economics
ETC1020 Business and economic statistics
BTC1110 Business law

Semester 2

AFC1031/AFC1032 Introductory financial accounting
ECC1010 Economics
ETC1031 Business and economic statistics
AFC1140 Business finance

Summer Semester

12 week period of industry-based learning

Second year

Semester 1

AFC2120 Financial accounting
AFC2130 Management accounting
Elective
Elective

Semester 2

14 week period of industry-based learning

Summer Semester

12 week period of industry-based learning

Third year

Semester 1

AFC3120 Advanced financial accounting
AFC3140 Advanced business finance (or an elective if AFC3130 is chosen in semester 2)
BTC3150 Income tax law
Elective

Semester 2

BTC3110 Australian company law
AFC3160 Auditing and systems
AFC3130 Advanced management accounting (or an elective subject if AFC3140 was chosen in second year, semester 1)
Elective

The sponsoring organisations are responsible for students during the ten months of industry-based learning. During this time, it is intended that sponsors will provide students with an integrated educational experience which illustrates and enhances their academic work. Participation in the industry-based learning component will be assessed by the use of:

Student reports and diaries. These will be completed by the student and submitted to and assessed by academic staff of the department. A copy of any assessment or report may be made available to the sponsor.
Specified projects. Students will be expected to complete specified projects during the industry-based learning component which will be determined jointly by academics and sponsors. The projects will be designed to develop the student's analytic and problem-solving skills, the student's interpersonal skills and also provide an opportunity for the student to apply knowledge gained through the formal academic components of the degree program.
Sponsors' reports. It is expected that the sponsor will induct the student into the organisation and that the usual performance reporting standards would be followed, eg formal and informal feedback, plus performance appraisals which will be assessed by academic staff of the department.

Electives

Electives can be taken from other subjects offered by the Department of Accounting and Finance, or from the disciplines of economics, econometrics, and management or from other areas with the approval of the course coordinator.

Progression to Bachelor of Accounting (Honours)

Students interested in undertaking the Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) should consult the head of the Department of Accounting and Finance or the course director.
For specific information on the structure and requirements of the honours specialisation see the section 'Honours degrees' at the end of this chapter.