Accounting (AS/A level)

Specific Entry Criteria

Grade B in Maths. English Language.

About the Subject

Accounting is a specialised professional subject exploring the accounting practices used by business and accountants. Many students are motivated by the subject matter and are planning on taking accountancy or a business related course at university.

Accounting is a highly numerical subject and will require students to be able to work confidently with numbers, and gain an understanding of accounting purposes, principles, concepts and techniques. It will also require students to make business decisions developing a capacity for methodical and critical thought.

In addition to the development of numerical and accounting skills students will develop transferable skills in communication, ICT, application, presentation, interpretation, analysis and evaluation.

Course Content

Year 1

The course is made up of two modules. The first unit ‘Introduction to Financial Accounting’, is a very practical investigation into the basics of book keeping and accounting, providing the learner with a strong grasp of accounting concepts. This module will cover the purposes of accounting, accounting records and ledger accounts and the verification of accounting records. This knowledge is used to introduce students to the production of the final accounts for a business.

The second module ‘Financial and Management Accounting’ involves further development of the final accounts. Students build upon what has been learned in the first module to allow them to investigate management accounting techniques. The focus of the unit is to consider how business managers make decisions about the financial performance of a business. The main topics include budgets and budgetary control, further development of the final accounts, ratio analysis and the use of ICT in accounting.

Year 2

pick up and develop a range of themes introduced in the first year whilst exploring different elements of the accounting process. In particular study in the second year will focus on investigating real life situations in accounts and will involve more analysis and evaluation of the performance of the business. The key concepts studies are incomplete records, partnership accounts, limited company accounts, manufacturing accounts, accounting standards, costing, capital investment appraisal and budgeting. Students are now encouraged to think at a higher level, to analyse information and data, to evaluate different business issues, to recommend and justify courses of action, always presenting their case and supporting it with appropriate business theory.

Assessment

At AS level there are two external examinations, which are both 1 hour thirty minutes.

At A2 level there are two external examinations, which are both 2 hours long.

The course does not have any assessed coursework.