Designed to expand on your professional knowledge, Contemporary Issues in Accounting Theory will broaden your understanding of contemporary accounting. You'll assess accounting processes and the relevant theories behind them. In addition, you'll explore accounting regulations, accounting policies and socio-political behaviours of market participants. Upon completion, you'll have gained an in-depth appreciation for the origins of contemporary accounting, and established how you can use this in day-to-day, high-level decision-making. You will have adopted an analytical perspective to accounting theory and be able to apply this to your professional life. In this unit, you will study:
- Theories of accounting
- Measurement in accounting
- Accounting policy choice
- Regulation of accounting
- Corporate governance
- Corporate social responsibility
- Critical accounting theory
Learning outcomes
- Make a clear distinction between different theories of accounting
- Relate various concepts of value and capital maintenance to the measurement of both assets and income
- Explain and evaluate managers' incentives and opportunities to choose specific accounting policies
- Identify and evaluate the issues related to the regulation of external financial reporting
- Define corporate governance and assess the effectiveness of various corporate corporate governance mechanisms
- Describe issues related to corporate social responsibility
- Critically evaluate contemporary external company reporting practices
Assessment
You are assessed according to the following components, each with its own weighted value against your overall result:
- Discussion board: 10%
- Presentation: 40%
- Exam (closed book): 50%
Courses
You can study this unit as part of the Graduate Diploma in Accounting. Please note, unit structure and content are subject to change. Contact your SCU Online student advisor on 1300 863 819 for more information based on your particular circumstances.