• Home
• Study
• Study Information
• Modules
• Module Information

Accounting systems and controls

Module description

Accounting systems and controls are essential components of financial management within organisations. They are designed to ensure the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of financial information, as well as compliance with relevant laws and regulations.  

Within this module you will explore the principles and practice of designing, implementing and maintaining internal controls that mitigate risk and prevent issues, such as with quality, accuracy, fraud, cyber-attacks, or other irregularity.  

You will be able to document organisational manual and digital internal controls, identify weaknesses, and make practical recommendations for improvement. In doing so you will use a variety of approaches to internal controls for both manual and digital systems and processes, with consideration for the control environment.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to explore how those working within the accounts department play a pivotal role in guarding against misuse of resources, and will provide you with the tools to evaluate internal controls and to recommend improvements.  Within this module you will review accounting systems to identify weaknesses and will make recommendations to mitigate identified weaknesses in future operations. In doing so you will apply several analytical methods to evaluate the implications of any changes to operating procedures

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Evaluate the legal and organisational framework for managing receivables, credit control, and internal and external relationships. (K28)
• 2. Evaluate the approaches to using technology that manages credit control for internal and external stakeholders. (K29)
• 3. Assess the principles and practice of designing, implementing and maintaining internal controls that mitigate risk and prevent issues, such as with quality, accuracy, fraud, cyber-attacks, or other irregularity. (K30)

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Critically analyse the approaches to internal controls for both manual and digital systems and processes, with consideration for the control environment. (K31)
• 5. Analyse, design, implement, communicate, monitor and review internal control systems and processes that mitigate risk, including error, fraud, and cyber risks. (S29)

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Document organisational manual and digital internal controls, identify weaknesses, and make practical recommendations for improvement. (S30)

Syllabus plan

This module cover accounting systems and internal control topics including but not limited to:

• The role and responsibilities of the accounting function within an organisation
• Internal control systems 
• An organisation’s accounting system and underpinning procedures 
• The impact of technology on accounting systems 
• Improvements to an organisation’s accounting system

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 40%

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

• Amos, S. and Fardon, M. (2021) Internal Accounting Systems and Controls Tutorial : Osbourne

Web-based and electronic resources:

• ELE – Faculty to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages

Key words search

Accounting systems and controls