Course

Advanced Management Accounting

Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Department
Accounting
Course code
ACCT 4520
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
30
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Course designation
None
Industry designation
CPA,PEP
Typically offered
Fall
Summer
Winter

Overview

Course description
This course builds on ACCT 3420 by developing an advanced understanding of the development and application of management accounting information for decision making. Students learn to perform analysis, develop and utilize information for operational and strategic decision making, and acquire an understanding of the ethical responsibilities of management accountants. Topics include: the strategic context of management accounting; implementing ethic control systems; planning and control issues in decentralized operations; performance measurement; capacity management and its effect on inventory costing; managing quality; inventory cost management strategies; theory of constraints; and strategic cost management. Data analytics tools are used for descriptive and predictive analysis.
Course content
  1. Strategic context of management accounting, including strategy maps and effective decision support systems;
  2. Ethics: issues and implementing corporate ethics programs, including privacy issues related to information technology;
  3. Planning and control issues in decentralized operations;
  4. Performance management, including the effect of transfer pricing on business unit performance;
  5. Strategic cost management of supply chains;
  6. Information as a corporate resource to be managed strategically;
  7. Quality control systems and the costs of quality;
  8. Inventory cost management strategies including EOQ, JIT, and backflush costing;
  9. Variable, absorption, and throughput costing methods including the effects of denominator activity on inventory valuation;
  10. Integration of course themes and decision making in a strategic context through the use of cases and appropriate data analytics tools.
Learning activities

Lecture, demonstration, group discussion, case analysis with written and oral reporting. Learning strategies will focus on engaging students in critical thinking for problem-solving and providing opportunities for hands-on experiences and reflection. In addition, students will be required to use an effective team approach in casework.

Means of assessment

Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy.

Assignments and/or quizzes                                                    20%
Case studies   20%
Midterm examiniation 30%
Final examination   30%
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, midterm exam and the final exam. 

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. Analyze alternatives in a variety of decision-making situations and recommend a feasible course of action;
  2. Apply management control techniques in achieving corporate objectives;
  3. Choose performance measures that aim to align business unit work with corporate objectives;
  4. Select and effectively communicate data that is critical to support a recommendation;
  5. Relate course topics to current issues affecting management accounting;
  6. Demonstrate the ability to work cooperatively in a group setting.

 

Textbook materials

Textbooks and materials:

Datar et al, Horngren's Cost Accounting:  A Managerial Emphasis, latest edition. Pearson Education; OR, other text(s) as approved by the ACCT Dept.

Selected cases to be purchased by student (if applicable) and/or textbook(s) of cases, various periodical articles, instructor compiled materials (if applicable).


Only Faculty of Commerce and Business approved calculators may be used in examinations.

Requisites

Prerequisites

ACCT 3420 AND (CMNS 1115 OR ENGL 1130 with a grade of “C” or better)

OR

ACCT 3420 AND currently active in the PDD Accounting or PDD Accounting Studies or PBD Accounting or PBD Accounting & Finance)

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent 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.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for ACCT 4520
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU ACCT 4720 (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG FMGT 3223 (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) No credit
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU BUSI 324 (3)
University Canada West (UCW) UCW ACCT 4XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV BUS 3XX (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC COM 4XX (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU ACCT 362 (3)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
30
Currently enrolled
30
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N4213
Times:
Start Time
18:30
-
End Time
21:20
Section notes

This is a hybrid synchronous course that incorporates both face-to-face and online instructions at scheduled times. Classes will meet in person on: TBA

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
30
Currently enrolled
30
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
1
Building
Anvil Office Tower
Room
626
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
15:20
Section notes

This is a hybrid synchronous course that incorporates both face-to-face and online instructions at scheduled times. Classes will meet in person on: TBA