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ACC512 Management Accounting for Costs & Control (8)

Abstract

This subject focuses on management accounting for cost and control purposes in an organisational context. It emphasises the use of quantitative techniques and computer software including spreadsheets. The subject includes an overview of management accounting perspectives with an emphasis on systems design and provides a framework for problem solving and analysis of conventional and modern cost accounting paradigms including job and process costing, standard costing and variance analysis, relevant costs for decisions, activity-based costing, kaizen costing, just-in-time, target costing, control systems, benchmarking, performance evaluation and balanced scorecard.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Location

Session 1
InternalCSU Study Centre Melbourne
InternalCSU Study Centre Sydney
Session 2
InternalCSU Study Centre Melbourne
InternalCSU Study Centre Sydney
Distance*Wagga Wagga Campus
*This subject offering contains a residential school. Please view following information for further details.
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: ACC512
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject information

Duration Grading System School:
One sessionHD/FLSchool of Accounting and Finance

Enrolment restrictions

Postgraduate students only.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be able to discuss and critique the historical and ethical development of management accounting;
  • be able to apply cognitive skills in the design and operation of costing systems;
  • be able to critically evaluate the design and operation of performance management systems;
  • be able to explain the role of management accounting in organisational contexts and the implications for management accounting of different paradigms;
  • be able to apply analytical and synthetical skills in report writing, and use quantitative techniques and computer software including using the Internet as a professional source;
  • be able to create and implement computerised decision models;
  • be able to critique how managers make decisions.

Syllabus

The subject will cover the following topics:
  • purposes of management accounting, ethics and management accounting, elements of management control, the Internet as a professional resource, spreadsheeting; cost benefit, responsibilities of the management accountant;
  • history of management accounting, cost concepts, cost allocation, product costing, job costing, manufacturing overhead, lean accounting, TQM, Six Sigma;
  • system design, overhead application methods, process costing, weighted average, standard costs, just-in-time variable and absorption costing;
  • budgeting, variance analysis and control, kaizen budgeting systems, human aspects of budgeting, motivation;
  • service department cost allocation, joint products and by-products;
  • the design of cost accounting and control systems; activity based costing, quality management, target costing, theory of constraints, benchmarking;
  • preparation of reports for management decision making, responsibility accounting, decentralised organisations, performance measurement (including ROI, RI, EVA and balanced scorecard);
  • relevant costs and management decision making, special orders, make or buy decisions, outsourcing and further processing decisions;
  • strategic decisions, critical thinking and business reports, Panopticism and control systems.

Residential School

This subject contains a compulsory 3 day residential school. The primary objectives of the residential school are to provide an interactive face to face learning environment, to answer student questions about the subject and to assist students to focus their studies for the remainder of the session. Staff at the residential school will review the subject material covered up to that date and outline the remaining topics. Subject readings will be discussed and placed in context. Case studies and group work will be used as appropriate.

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The information contained in the 2015 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 01 October 2015. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.