Public Sector Accounting Management Practice

Overview

Course description

Public Sector Accounting Management focuses on how public sector (government) entities of various kinds make best use of the resources entrusted to them in creating public value. Public sector accounting is a core body of supporting financial management. The purpose of this course is to provide students with public sector accounting and financial management skills needed to function in the public sector environment of low to medium complexity.

The content will focus on applied knowledge in real world situations using Excel. Communication skills will be developed in a team environment.

Course content

1. Governance and decision-making process

2. The planning and budgeting process

3. Government operating and capital budgets

4. Public sector accounting and reporting - Part 1

5. Public sector accounting and reporting - Part 2

6. Decision support

7. Auditing

Learning activities

Lectures and/or online.

Means of assessment

Quizzes and/or Assignments and/or Project	30%
Midterm Examination	30%
Final Examination	40%
Total	100%

Students must write both the midterm examination and the final examination to obtain credit for the course.

To pass this course, students must obtain a minimum of 50% on invigilated assessments, with the 50% calculated on a weighted average basis.

Invigilated assessments include, in-class quizzes, in-class tests, midterm exam and the final exam.

Students must write both the midterm examination and the final examination to obtain credit for the course.

Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the successful student should be able to:

1. Explain and understand typical authorities, governance and decision making, including stakeholders at all levels.

2. Explain and understand the planning and budgeting process and their components such as operating and capital budgets on an annual basis.

3. Prepare budgetary components for a program or division that will roll into a larger budget.

4. Prepare financial statements, notes and schedules for a public sector entity.

5. Demonstrate understanding of public sector accounting as a basis for reporting and the role of governments in this area.

6. Evaluate whether a government sponsored organization should be consolidated with its host governmental body.

7. Apply public sector GAAP to government transactions.

8. Use financial analysis and performance measurement techniques to assess the financial strength of public sector agencies and how this compares to for profit companies.

9. Describe the concept of public sector auditing and accountability to the stakeholders.

10. Analyse financial and internal controls in the public sector to identify weaknesses and recommend appropriate solutions.

11. Apply internal and external audit techniques in the public sector to assess value for money.

Textbook materials

Textbook(s) and/or materials as approved by the department

Requisites

Prerequisites

ACCT 2320 with a grade of "C" or better AND (ACCT 3310 OR ACCT 3410 with a grade of "C" or better)

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

No equivalency courses

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

January 2021 (Current)