Course Details in 2023/24 Session

Module Title	LH Public Sector Accounting and Governance
School	Birmingham Business School
Department	Accounting
Module Code	07 33843
Module Lead	Melina Manochin
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-32 hours Tutorial-2 hours Guided independent study-166 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module covers Financial Accounting, Auditing, Governance, and Management Accounting in non-business contexts. The central theme of the module is the management of public money and governance in the public interest. The module is split into two parts; firstly, public governance, which includes public sector financial accounting, standard setting, audit, and corporate governance in the public sector at both the national and transnational level. Second, public management, which builds on student knowledge of management accounting in the private sector to explore the specific challenges in not for profit contexts. The module draws on case examples of transnational governance such as the EU, the IMF and World Bank in reforming accountability and governance internationally, and national level governance from the UK context such as parliamentary reporting and scrutiny, the UK Combined Code on corporate governance, and public sector specific regulation such as Freedom of Information and charities legislation. It goes on to cover the adoption of accrual accounting and IPSAS accounting standards, national accounts, and the impact of austerity at the national and transnational level. The module goes on to look at the importance of budgeting, performance measurement and management, and audit outside of central government and at the local level. The module draws on examples from local government, healthcare, education, and other areas of the public sector including not for profit organisations to investigate historical developments such as New Public Management and austerity at the operational level. The UK and EU contexts predominate but reference is made to developments and reforms across developed and developing economies. Theoretically the module draws on characterisations and critiques of New Public Management reform in a post-austerity context, notions and critiques of the ‘audit society’, and considers broader conceptions of ‘social value’ in not for profit contexts. Students are invited to engage in broader theoretical discussions and to investigate specific case examples through the course.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Discuss and critically evaluate the role of transnational organisations in the governance of public money internationally; Discuss and critically evaluate cash vs accrual accounting, financial reporting and standard setting under the IPSAS regime; Discuss and critically evaluate audit practices, including ‘value for money auditing’, in specific public sector contexts; Discuss and critically evaluate budgetary practices in specific public sector contextsDiscuss and critically evaluate ‘performance’ and ‘performance measurement practices’ in specific public sector contexts; Demonstrate an awareness of Public finance in the UK and internationally, and be able to discuss and critically evaluate private sector management and accounting techniques in a range of public sector contexts;
Assessment	33843-01 : Group Presentation : Coursework (30%) 33843-02 : Essay : Coursework (70%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: 5 minute small group presentation plus Q&A, and 750 word poster presentation;(30%) and 2,500 word individual essay (70%) Reassessment: N/A
Other
Reading List