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AC116: Accounting Fundamentals

AC116: Accounting Fundamentals

Module code: AC116

Module provider: Finance and Accounting; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: 4

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Mrs Sian Weatherburn, email: s.l.weatherburn@henley.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Alaaeldin Ahmed, email: alaaeldin.ahmed@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 17 November 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module aims to help students to develop a sound understanding of the techniques of double-entry bookkeeping, so that they can apply its principles in recording accounting transactions, adjusting financial records and preparing non-complex financial statements.

The module lead at the University of Reading Malaysia is Evelita Estela Celis.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able toSpecify why an entity maintains financial records and prepares financial statements and sources of information describing the principles and concepts underlying them.

Apply double-entry accounting techniques to a range of simple transactions.

Prepare ledger accounts and a trial balance and amend using journals.

Identify and correct omissions and errors in accounting records and financial statements, using journal and suspense accounts as appropriate.

Identify the main components of a set of financial statements and specify their purpose and inter-relationship.

Prepare and present Statements of Profit or Loss, Financial Position and Cash Flows from accounting records and trial balance.

able to:

  1. apply the IFRS Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting,
  2. identify key ethical issues, and
  3. understand the importance of sustainability in financial reporting;
  1. proficiently use of double entry accounting techniques and the maintenance of accounting records;
  2. identify and correct omissions and straightforward errors in accounting records and financial statements; and
  3. prepare and present extracts from non-complex financial statements for sole traders and limited companies.

Module content

  1. Accounting concepts, ethics and sustainability
  2. Maintaining financial records
  3. Adjustments to accounting records and financial statements
  4. Preparing financial statements

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures will be used for the exposition of the main concepts, principles and techniques associated with the discipline. Tutorials will focus on discussion and numerical practice.

This module may be taught in a different semester if you are studying at our campus in Malaysia.

For students studying at our campus in Malaysia: This module may be taught in a different semester and the breakdown of study hours may differ to those set out in the Study Hours table (please refer to the Module Handbook for the correct breakdown). In addition, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours


 Scheduled teaching and learning activities  Semester 1  Semester 2  Summer
Lectures 24
Seminars
Tutorials 22
Project Supervision
Demonstrations
Practical classes and workshops
Supervised time in studio / workshop
Scheduled revision sessions 2
Feedback meetings with staff
Fieldwork
External visits
Work-based learning


 Self-scheduled teaching and learning activities  Semester 1  Semester 2  Summer
Directed viewing of video materials/screencasts
Participation in discussion boards/other discussions
Feedback meetings with staff
Other
Other (details)


 Placement and study abroad  Semester 1  Semester 2  Summer
Placement
Study abroad

Please note that the hours listed above are for guidance purposes only.

 Independent study hours  Semester 1  Semester 2  Summer
Independent study hours 152

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module. Students on BSc Accounting and Business need to achieve 50% to progress on this programme.

Summative assessment

Type of assessment Detail of assessment % contribution towards module mark Size of assessment Submission date Additional information
In-class test administered by School/Dept MCQ Test 20 1 hour Semester 1, Teaching Week 9 MCQ test
In-person written examination In-person exam 80 2.5 hours Semester 1, Assessment Period

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

  • where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
  • where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
  • where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
  • where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

  • where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
  • where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessments are available in the textbook for all topics in the module to enable students to gain the necessary practice. In addition, exam-style questions will be available on Blackboard, and students will practice exam-style questions in workshops. Marking guides and feedback are provided where appropriate so that students can assess their own performance.

Reassessment

Type of reassessment Detail of reassessment % contribution towards module mark Size of reassessment Submission date Additional information
In-person written examination Exam 100 2.5 hours During the University resit period August/September

Additional costs

Item Additional information Cost
Computers and devices with a particular specification
Required textbooks Students are required to purchase the ICAEW Certificate Level Accounting Fundamentals Study Manual and Question Bank £40
Specialist equipment or materials
Specialist clothing, footwear, or headgear Calculator meeting university requirements £20
Printing and binding
Travel, accommodation, and subsistence

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MODULE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FORM ANY PART OF A STUDENT’S CONTRACT.

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