Finance and Accounting

We can define accountancy as: "the identification, measurement and communication of economic information to enable the users of that information to form sensible opinions and make sensible decisions".

Accounting is surrounded by mystique and "jargon", and, as a professional skill, it requires a high degree of technical expertise. However, it is a very "common-sense" activity and addresses some very basic issues and questions about the nature of businesses and the real-life events, people and activities that make them work.

One of the problems with accounting is that many people focus on the "count" component of the word, and believe that it is no more than counting or "doing the numbers". Nothing could be further from the truth! Look at the complete word! Very few people when asked to give an account of themselves, will express themselves in quantitative terms - shoe size, IQ, height and weight.

Rather, they offer information in qualitative terms - where they live, what they do, their background, likes, dislikes, family, occupation and so on. Indeed they will "tell a story" - which is what accounting strives to do for an organisation - albeit, today largely in financial terms.

Syllabus

Part 1: Financial Accounting

Unit 1: Introduction to Accounting

Introduction

Objectives

1. What is accounting?

2. Organisations, objectives and management

3. Financial and managerial accounting

4. Profit, profitability and cash

5. Accounting conventions, concepts and policies

6. Capital and sources of finance

7. Capital structure - limited liability company

Unit Summary

Unit 2: Financial Statements

Introduction

1. Objectives

2. Content of financial statements

3. The "big three"

4. The balance sheet

5. Measurement of profit

6. The income statement

7. Bookkeeping and books of account

8. The trial balance

9. Judgement

10.The cash flow statement - profit versus cash

Summary

Review activities

Unit 3: Interpretation and Analysis of Published Financial Statements

Introduction

Objectives

1. The analysts

2. Analytical techniques

3. The key issues

4. The principal ratios

Summary

Part II: Management Accounting and Financial Management

Unit 4: Cost and Management Accounting
Introduction

Objectives

1. Introduction to management accounting

2. Costs and historical costing

3. Controlling costs

4. Total absorption costing

5. Marginal costing

6. Break-even analysis

Summary

Appendix: examples of cost units

Unit 5: Budgetary Control

Introduction

Objectives

1. The household budget

2. Benefits of budgeting

3. Rules for budgeting and budgetary control

4. Cash budgets

5. Behavioural implications of budgeting

6. Control though comparative statements

7. Fixed and flexible budgets

Summary

Unit 6: Capital Investment Appraisal and Project Evaluation

Introduction

Objectives

1. Capital investment appraisal

2. What is investment?

3. Evaluation - alternative approaches

4. Judgement

5. Non-financial aspects of capital investment appraisal

Summary

Further reading

Sample Course Materials

Please click on the logo below to view a few sample pages of the course materials we provide. Whilst this is only a few sample pages, we do hope that it will give you some idea of the quality of the materials we provide. If you have anymore queries in relation to the course materials, please feel free to contact one of our friendly course advisors who will be more than happy to deal with any queries that you may have.

Click to View

Qualifications

On completion of your course, you will receive the dual award:

Award 1 is issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges: Finance and Accounting Diploma

Finance and Accounting Diploma issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges, to view a sample of the college’s award, please click here.

Award 2 is issued by our Awarding Body: Level 4 Finance and Accounting Award

At the end of this course successful learners will also receive a Level 4 NCFE Award Certificate of Achievement. Our course has been accredited under our NCFE IIQ Licence and the course measurable learning outcomes have been benchmarked at Level 4 (using Ofqual’s Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) level descriptors) to allow you to consider the depth of study, difficulty, and level of achievement involved.

This award has been designed by Stonebridge Associated Colleges to meet specific learners' or employers' requirements. Accreditation by NCFE is a guarantee of quality. It means that this learning programme has been scrutinised and approved by an independent panel of experienced educational professionals and is quality audited biannually by NCFE.

To view a sample of the NCFE Certificate of Achievement, please click here.

To view a sample of the NCFE Candidate Unit Summary, please click here.

What is NCFE

NCFE is the UK's longest established awarding body, recognised as a highly professional and responsive organisation, committed to maintaining excellent customer service and a friendly approach.

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

Accreditation by NCFE is a guarantee of quality. It means that the college has been inspected and approved by an independent and experienced education professional and is quality audited biannually by NCFE. The centre delivering the programmes has been licensed by NCFE on the basis of its own quality systems. At the end of an accredited course, successful learners will also receive an NCFE Award certificate of achievement.

For more information on this award, click here

Requirements for Entry

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

Study Options

In order to offer our students the most convenient and flexible distance learning courses, Stonebridge Associated College offers you the option to study for your course via two methods:

• 1. Via the traditional paper-based method.
• 2. Through the online method via ElearnUK.

If you do not have Internet access, or would prefer to study this course via the traditional paper/postal based study method, you can find more information on the course by clicking on the link below.

Stonebridge Prices

Studying by Post. If you would like to pay by instalments, we do offer an affordable interest free payment plan scheme which allows you to spread the cost of your course over a number of months. However, to use this option you will need to study for your course using the traditional paper-based method. For more information on our payment plans please visit our website at www.stonebridge.uk.com

The reason why the course fee is less if you choose to study online, is because with online study there are no costs associated with postage and printing etc. and thus we are able to offer the course at a reduced rate.

The total amount payable over the term's period, is no more than the total cash price of the course.
(APR = 0%). Written quotations are available on request.

Study Hours

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 90 hrs.