Unit information: Accounting / Finance Professional Placement Year in 2020/21

Unit name	Accounting / Finance Professional Placement Year
Unit code	EFIM30032
Credit points	120
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Mrs. Sam Bell
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Overall 50% average in year 1 units; plus 55% average across EFIM10005 Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance 1 and EFIM10006 Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance 2
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Accounting and Finance - Business School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit comprises a year spent in a professional placement, involving work with an organisation which is an authorised trainer with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, having demonstrated that it provides a suitable training environment (within, for example, accounting, IT, insolvency, tax or audit) for students who might wish to complete a part of a professional accounting qualification.

The aim of this unit is to provide students with additional knowledge, understanding and skills derived from spending a period in a financial environment within a commercial, governmental or not-for-profit organisation.

The unit aims to enhance students' understanding of the areas of Accounting and Finance which they have already encountered in years 1 and 2 of their degree, as well as providing them with a practical understanding of areas which they may critique in final-year units (for example, they may choose a role in an auditing department then go on to study our final year unit in Auditing).

In addition, the placement will support personal development in terms of time management, individual responsibility within team-working, an understanding of organisational pressures and entrepreneurial skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to demonstrate:

1. knowledge and experience of an industry in an accounting/finance environment
2. the ability to work within workplace teams to solve problems, manage an employment relationship with the placement organisation and demonstrate understanding of the value of teamwork.
3. time management and communication skills
4. reflection upon their own development, identifing potential areas of strength and a strategy to address areas of potential weakness.
5. the ability to analyse a problem in a work context by applying relevant theories from their academic studies

Teaching Information

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions including lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions, discussion boards and other online learning opportunities

Assessment Information

Formative assessment required for credit: Reflective Learning Journal (pass/fail) Minimum of 4 x 300 word statements AND intervew conducted with student or feedback from placement organisation. Attendance at placement organisation for a minimum of 7 months (with allowance to reduce this given extenuating circumstances.

Summative assessment (100%) 2000 word essay (coursework)

Reading and References

Provided by partners involved, for example Study Manuals of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Students will be provided with resources on Blackboard to assist them in completing the reflective journal entries.

Library resources and previous unit readings for the summative essay.