LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
Programme Specification
Mathematics and Accounting & Financial Management
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of
the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be
expected to achieve and demonstrate if full advantage is taken of the learning
opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each module can be
found in Module Specifications and other programme documentation and online at
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/
The accuracy of the information in this document is reviewed by the University and
may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Awarding body/institution;
Loughborough University
Teaching institution (if different);
Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body;
Name of the final award;
Programme title;
UCAS code;
Date at which the programme
specification was written or
revised.
Exemptions are available from: Foundation
Stage and some Intermediate Stage
examinations of CIMA; Foundation Stage
examinations of CIPFA; Company Law and
Commercial Law examinations of ICAEW.
BSc Honours
BSc Honours DPS or DIS
Mathematics and Accounting & Financial
Management
G1N4
G1NK
June 2010
1. Aims of the programme:
To provide students with an environment which enables them to fulfil their potential
by providing access to appropriate opportunities, support and educational
experiences.
To provide a sound mathematically based intellectual education appropriate to the
needs of society.
To deliver a stimulating undergraduate curriculum which provides a solid foundation
in core areas of mathematics and accountancy and allows students to meet their own
aspirations, interests and educational needs through module selection.
To equip students with transferable skills and thus help prepare them for future
employment.
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2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external and internal
reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

The Benchmark Statement for Mathematics, Statistics and
Operational Research (MSOR)

Benchmark Statement for Accounting

Framework for Higher Education Qualifications

Loughborough University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy

School Assessment Poliies and Assessment Strategies

Annual and Periodic Programme Review

External Examiners’ reports

Staff/student committees

The particular specialisms of the Schools’ staff

Requirements of the professional accounting bodies (see cover page)
3. Intended Learning Outcomes
3.1
Knowledge and Understanding:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
In Mathematics:
1. the core disciplines of Calculus and Linear Algebra;
2. the role of proof and deductive reasoning in mathematics;
3. the processes and pitfalls of mathematical approximation;
4. the formulation of problems in mathematical form;
5. a range of analytical, numerical, and qualitative techniques;
6. the applicability of computer software to the solution of mathematical
problems;
In Accounting and Financial Management:
1. business organisations in their economic, fiscal, legal and political
contexts;
2. accounting and financial management in its major contexts, including
the legal and social environments, the business entity and capital
markets and the integral nature of the accounting function in the
successful management of organisations;
3. current technical language, developments, methods, practices and
issues in accounting and financial management;
4. selected alternative techniques and practices in accounting and
financial management;
5. methods of recording and summarising economic events and
preparation of financial statements;
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6. analytical tools for the effective financial management of business
operations;
7. contemporary theories of accounting and financial management and
their related research evidence.
Those students undertaking a placement should have acquired additional
skills, experience and knowledge that are related or applicable to their subject
area. The students should have experienced the way in which these skills are
applied in practise and hence should have a better understanding of the
relevance and importance of their studies.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated
Acquisition of theoretical knowledge and understanding is, for most modules,
achieved via a regular programme of lectures. Tutorials, problem classes and
seminars develop this knowledge and understanding further and allow
students to practise in small groups. All of these are supported by private
study throughout the programme for all students.
Assessment of knowledge and understanding is via a combination of unseen
examination and coursework involving computer-based and in-class tests,
written assignments and essays. The exact split between exams and
coursework is heavily dependent on the optional modules chosen.
3.2
a.
Skills and other attributes
Subject-specific cognitive skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to
1. demonstrate knowledge of key mathematical concepts and topics;
2. comprehend problems and abstract the essentials of problems in
mathematics, accounting and finance;
Those students undertaking a placement will have acquired further
organisational skills relevant to their chosen area of professional training.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated
The acquisition of subject specific cognitive skills is aided by the inclusion of
teamwork projects and individual projects including reading, research,
problem solving and presentation. These extended pieces of work enable
students to demonstrate their application of mathematical and accounting and
financial management concepts to a range of problems. Students confidence
in developing sound mathematical reasoning and drawing appropriate
conclusions is also supported through seminar work.
While all the modes of assessment detailed to assess knowledge and
understanding contribute also to the assessment of subject specific cognitive
skills, these skills are particularly assessed via coursework involving in-class
presentations, peer review within groups and written assignments.
b.
Subject-specific practical skills:
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On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to
1. formulate and solve problems in mathematics, accounting and finance
using appropriate tools;
2. construct and develop logical mathematical arguments with clear
identification of assumptions and conclusions;
a. record and summarise transactions and other economic
events;
b. prepare financial statements;
c. use appropriate analytical tools for accounting and financial
managements tasks;
3. gather relevant data and evidence from various sources, integrate
them appropriately and reference sources adequately;
4. critically evaluate arguments and evidence.
Those students undertaking a placement will have acquired further
organisational skills relevant to their chosen area of professional training.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated
Subject specific practical skills in mathematics and accounting and financial
management involves the application of cognitive skills to the practices of
solving problems in mathematics and in business.
The acquisition of subject specific practical skills is aided by the inclusion of
teamwork projects and individual projects including reading, research,
problem solving and presentation. These extended pieces of work enable
students to demonstrate their application of mathematical concepts to a range
of problems. Students confidence in developing sound mathematical and
accounting and financial management reasoning and drawing appropriate
conclusions is also supported through seminar work.
Assessment of subject specific practical skills is via coursework involving
computer-based and in-class tests, in-class presentations, peer review within
groups, written assignments and essays.
c.
Key/transferable Skills
On successful completion of this programme, students should
1. possess general study skills, including the ability to learn
independently using a variety of media;
2. have good time-management and organisational skills;
3. have highly developed skill of numeracy;
4. have general IT skills;
5. communicate quantitative and qualitative information, analysis,
argument and conclusions in appropriate ways;
6. gather relevant data and evidence from various sources, integrate
them appropriately and reference sources adequately;
7. critically evaluate arguments and evidence.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated
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The acquisition of transferable skills is aided by the inclusion of teamwork
projects and individual projects including reading, research, problem solving
and presentation. These extended pieces of work enable students to develop
general skills that can be applied in other areas of their work. Through
collaborative engagement in workshops and seminars, and in group work and
presentations, students get opportunity to expand their horizons, compare
their own skills with those of their peers, and develop more confident
approaches to communication, organisation and working collaboratively.
Assessment of transferable skills is largely through coursework involving
computer-based and in-class tests, in-class presentations, peer review within
groups, written assignments and essays.
4. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and
awards:
The programme is a three/four-year, full-time course of study, with the option of
spending the third year on a professional placement, or at a European or overseas
University. The programme is divided in to units of study called modules, which may
be rated as 10 (single) or 20 credits (double). Each Part of the programme comprises
120 credits taken over one year of study, usually 60 credits in Semester 1 and 60
credits in Semester 2. Each semester lasts 15 weeks, with 11 weeks of teaching
followed by revision time and examinations.
In Part A (Year 1), students take 120 credits of modules, of which 60 are core
mathematics modules and 60 are core business studies modules.
Part B (Year 2) further develops students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in
mathematics, accounting and finance and provides the opportunity to choose two
optional 10 credit modules in either mathematics or business studies.
Students have the option to spend their third year on a professional placement or at a
European or overseas University. On successful completion of the placement and the
programme, students will be awarded the Diploma in Professional Studies or the
Diploma International Studies, respectively, in addition to their degree.
Part C (Year 4) comprises of core modules in accounting subjects together with a
range of optional modules, which can be chosen from both mathematics and
business studies subject areas. Students must study at least 50 credits of each
subject area.
Full details can be found in the Programme Regulations at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/lps/progreg/year/1011/index.htm
5. Criteria for admission to the programme:
These can be found at:http://www.lboro.ac.uk/prospectus/ug/courses/dept/ma/mwafm/index.htm
6. Information about assessment:
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Students study modules weighted at 120 credits each year. The following modules
count for 20 credits: Calculus; Linear Algebra; Financial Accounting Fundamentals;
Management Accounting A; Advanced Financial Accounting; Management
Accounting & Control. All other modules have a weighting of 10 credits.
In order to progress from Part A to Part B, students must accumulate at least 100
credits in Part A modules, including Calculus and Linear Algebra, and in at least one
of the core Business modules, BSA017 and BSA018. Candidates must also obtain a
minimum of 30% in the remaining modules. To progress from Part B to Part C,
students must accumulate at least 100 credits including at least 40 credits in modules
in each of Mathematics and Management and in addition must achieve at least 30%
in BSB005 (Management Accounting) and BSB007 (Intermediate Financial
Accounting). To be eligible for a degree at the end of Part C, students must
accumulate at least 100 credits, including at least 30 credits in modules in each of
Mathematics and Management, and obtain at least 20% in the remaining modules.
Any student who fails to meet these requirements has the right to re-sit (once and
once only) any module which is causing them to fail the year.
A Diploma of Professional Studies or a Diploma of International Studies is awarded
to graduating students who successfully complete their placement or a year of study
at a European or overseas university, respectively.
Full details can be found in the official Programme Regulations (see the link in
section 4).
7. What makes this programme distinctive
This joint honours programme provides a solid foundation in the essential core areas
of both Mathematics and Accounting & Financial Management. It includes a range of
optional topics in the final year that enable students to follow their own interests and
inclinations in these fields, and training in the kinds of skills that are required for
employment in a variety of roles in our modern society.
The separate parts of the programme are taught by staffs of the School of
Mathematics and the Business School who each have expertise and research
experience in their respective disciplines. This expertise is reflected both in their
teaching and in the range of topics that are available as final year options in
particular.
A sandwich version of this programme exists so that students who wish to undertake
a year of professional training, or study at a European or overseas university, after
the second year may do so. After the appropriate supervision and assessment, this
leads to the award of a Diploma in Professional Studies or a Diploma of International
Studies, respectively.
8. Particular support for learning:
Full details are available online at
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/templateshop/notes/lps
9. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of learning:
Further details are available online at
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http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/templateshop/notes/lps/
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