University of Galway

Course Module Information

Course Modules

Semester 2 | Credits: 5

This course is intended to develop in students the skills necessary to prepare, interpret and use accounting and financial information in a business context. The course will provide a good basic foundation in Management Accounting for both students who do not intend to specialise in accounting and those who will progress to more advanced study of accounting in the future.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Identify the contexts in which accounting can be seen operating, and consider the role and value of management accounting in these contexts.
  2. Explain cost terminology and the importance of costing. Distinguish between direct and indirect costs and calculate costs in a job costing environment.
  3. Distinguish between fixed and variable costs and contribution margin. Apply the techniques required to test the relationship between costs, volume and profit.
  4. Apply marginal analysis techniques to short-term decision making problems, ranking alternatives and proposing profit maximising solutions.
  5. Outline the nature and purpose of budgeting, the objectives of budgeting and the budgetary process and discuss behavioural aspects of budgeting and criticisms of the budgeting process.
  6. Assemble operational and cash budgets, and describe the interlinking of the various budgets within a business.
  7. Discuss the changing nature of accounting arising from technological advancements.
Assessments
  • Written Assessment (84%)
  • Continuous Assessment (16%)
Teachers
The above information outlines module AY105: "Introduction to Management Accounting" and is valid from 2023 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.