Module: Introductory Accounting for Planning & Control

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Introductory Accounting for Planning & Control
Module Code	ACC1004 (ITS: AC130)
Faculty	DCU Business School	School	DCU Business School
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

The objective of this module is to introduce students to core concepts of management accounting and to develop their understanding of key management accounting approaches, practices and techniques which enable planning and control activities within organisations. Students will learn how to prepare, analyse, interpret, critically evaluate and use data for budgetary control and performance management. The knowledge and skills developed in this module are highly relevant to the world of accounting work and to students’ future careers as professional accountants or in other accounting and finance roles.

Learning Outcomes

1. 1E265D2C-2660-0001-9830-56208C901565
2. Explain the nature, scope and role of management accounting in organisations
4. 18,6,8
5. 1
6. 1E265D2C-2C9F-0001-D2F0-C27ACBA7EC20
7. Describe the role of management accounting in organisational control and performance management.
9. 18,6,8
10. 2
11. 1E265D2C-3C23-0001-89BA-207214F11031
12. Discuss alternatives to the traditional budgeting process, including rolling forecasts.
14. 18,15,6,8
15. 3
16. 1E265D2C-41C0-0001-E863-120A11501812
17. Assess and apply non-financial performance measurement tools, including the Balanced Scorecard.
19. 15,6,8
20. 4
21. 1E265D2C-4F07-0001-9A52-3740166014C6
22. Compute and communicate revenue and expenditure variances, including: materials (cost and mix/yield variances), labour, variable overhead, fixed overhead, sales variances.
24. 15,6,8
25. 5
26. 1E265D2C-5C4B-0001-DBEC-D76072607D30
27. Select, apply and interpret appropriate control and performance reports and measures depicting the financial performance of an organisation, including reporting by exception, variance control charts and reconciliations.
29. 15,6,8
30. 6
31. 1E265D2C-8EBB-0001-EFBA-132076821479
32. Develop and record standard product/service costs and variances in the books of account
34. 7,15,6,8
35. 7
36. 1E265D2C-A067-0001-1394-16E0AB2DAC50
37. Describe behavioural issues encountered in the budgeting, planning and control process.
39. 22,17,7,12,6,8
40. 8

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	22	Attend and participate in lectures
Tutorial	16	Attend weekly tutorials: Sem 1 - Weeks 7-12 Sem 2 - Weeks 2- 12
Independent Study	57	Revising lecture material weekly, reading ebook regularly, attempting questions for lectures/tutorials, revising for final exam
Assignment Completion	8	Complete four Smartbook assignments
Assignment Completion	20	Complete group project
Assignment Completion	2	Sit final exam
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	10040	Part of Term	Semester 1 & 2
Coursework	30%	Examination Weight	70%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Barbara Flood	Module Teacher	Alan McMahon

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Group assignment	Budgeting and planning for a new student-focused enterprise.	20%	n/a
Completion of online activity	Smartbook assignments via McGraw Hill Connect - 4 x 2.5% = 10%	10%	n/a
Formal Examination	Terminal exam paper	70%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

The nature, role and scope of management accounting in organisations
The nature of management accounting and the need for management accounting information; the differences between and, overlap of, management accounting and financial accounting; the dynamic internal and external operating environment of management accounting; ; the range of organisations in which management accounting plays a role, i.e. profit-making v not-for-profit organisations; designing management accounting systems; a management accounting perspective on corporate governance, professional and business ethics in the context of management accounting.

Costs terms, concepts and classifications
Costs terms, concepts and classifications The nature of costs; cost objects and the purpose of cost classification; alternative cost classifications including: elements of manufacturing costs, period v product costs, cost behaviour (fixed, variable, stepped-fixed, mixed).

Budget setting
The role of management accounting in organisational strategic planning and control; the nature and purpose of budgets; types of budgets – long-term v short-term, capital v revenue budgets; approaches to budget-setting –incremental budgeting, zero-based budgeting, rolling forecasts etc; the budgeting process - budget period, critical budget factors and budget assumptions, the annual budget cycle, organisation and administration of budgeting. Preparation of functional budgets (sales, materials, labour, overhead, inventory etc); preparation of the master budget including the budgeted P&L account, statement of financial position and cash budget. Budgetary assumptions and sensitivity analysis. Advantages and criticisms of budgeting.

Standard costing and an introduction to variance analysis
The purpose of standard costing; responsibility accounting and management by exception; types of standards and setting standard costs; a general model for variance analysis; calculating and interpreting price and efficiency variances for materials, labour and variable overhead; advantages of standard costing and potential challenges.

Flexible budgets, more detailed variance analysis, and reconciling actual and budgeted performance
Flexing the budget and the identification of the flexible budget and volume variances; calculating and interpreting more advanced cost variances (e.g. fixed overhead variances; mix and yield variances concerning materials and labour efficiency) and sales variances (including mix and yield); planning and operating variances; reconciliation of budgeted to actual profit/contribution; appreciation of the significance of variances and possible reasons for occurrence; variance investigation and analysis tools.

Holistic performance management – financial and non-financial performance measures
Behavioural issues associated with budgetary control; holistic approaches to organisational performance management (combining financial and non-financial information), including the Balanced Scorecard.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Rohde, C., Seal, W., Mustard, K., Garrison, R.H., and Noreen, E.W.: 2025, Management Accounting, 7th, McGraw Hill,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

1: Mc Graw Hill Connect On-line platform, McGraw Hill, McGraw Hill Connect,