Course outline
Code: ACC220
Title: Law of Business Associations
Faculty of Arts and Business
School of Business
Teaching Session: Semester 2
Year: 2015
Course Coordinator:
Sharne Hobill
Office No:
JG.06
Email:
shobill@usc.edu.au
1.
1.1
What is this course about?
Course description
Law of Business Associations builds on the knowledge gained in the foundation course Business Law and
Ethics. You will specifically explore the nature, scope and operation of different business structures as
important aspects of the framework that shapes business decision making and policy formulation. This
course is designed to provide you with an understanding of common business structures and their
operation. Law of Business Associations is a key course for students who wish to pursue a professional
accounting career.
1.2
Course content
2.
Unit value
12 units
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introduction and overview
corporate structure
company finance, reporting and audit
corporate governance and directors’ duties 1
corporate governance and directors’ duties 2
shareholders’ rights and remedies 1
shareholders’ rights and remedies 2
companies’ dealings with outsiders
insolvency administration
partnerships
trusts
revision
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Course Outline: ACC220 Law of Business Associations
3.
How does this course contribute to my learning?
Specific Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of
this course you should be able
to:
Use critical thinking to
identify, analyse and solve
problems related to
regulatory contexts and legal
principles for business
associations.
Work effectively with teams
from diverse backgrounds;
display effective leadership
behaviours and effectively
communicate commercerelated knowledge and
information.
Understand and interpret law
of business and apply such
knowledge and information to
regional, national and/or
global business situations and
decision making.
Assessment Tasks
Graduate Qualities
You will be assessed on the
learning outcome in task/s:
Completing these tasks successfully
will contribute to you becoming:
1 and 2
Creative and critical thinkers.
2 and 3
Engaged.
1, 2 and 3
Knowledgeable.
4.
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
4.1
Enrolment restrictions
4.2
Pre-requisites
4.3
Co-requisites
4.4
Anti-requisites
4.5
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills
Refer to the Coursework Programs and Awards - Academic Policy for definitions of “pre-requisites, corequisites and anti-requisites”
Nil
BUS103 or BUS203
Nil
LAW303 or enrolled in Program AB311
N/A
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Course Outline: ACC220 Law of Business Associations
5.
How am I going to be assessed?
5.1
Grading scale
5.2
Assessment tasks
Standard – High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL)
Task
No.
Assessment
Tasks
Individual or Weighting
Group
%
1
2
Class test
Assignment
Individual
Individual
20%
30%
3
Final
examination
Individual
50%
100%
What is the
duration /
length?
45 minutes
1500 words
max
2 hours
When should I
submit?
Where should
I submit it?
Week 4
Week 8,
Thursday, 12pm
AEST
Central
examination
period
Online
SafeAssign
In exam venue
Assessment Task 1: Class test
Goal:
To demonstrate your understanding of the regulatory context for business
organisations.
Product: Class test
Format:
The test is a closed book, written examination accessed online. The written examination
will require you to answer a series of multiple choice questions covering the first three
topics of the course. This is an individual assessment. You will have 45 minutes to
complete the test.
Criteria
The assignment will be assessed according to the following criteria:
• demonstration of knowledge of material covered in material in Topics 1-3
(covered in weeks 1-3) inclusive
• demonstration of an understanding of the material covered
Generic skill assessed
Skill assessment level
Problem solving
Developing
Information literacy
Developing
Assessment Task 2: Assignment
Goal:
Product:
Format:
Criteria
For you to apply legal principles to a given case scenario in order to demonstrate your
knowledge and understanding of relevant legal principles.
Written assignment.
You will be expected to complete a written assignment for submission. The assignment
is to be your individual work – this is not a group assignment. Details of the assignment
will be provided by the beginning of week 2.
The assignment will be assessed according to the following criteria:
• demonstration of knowledge of the law, as evidenced by accurate statement of
relevant legal principles
• demonstration of understanding of the law, as evidenced by cogent and
coherent application of legal principles to the fact situation as stated
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Course Outline: ACC220 Law of Business Associations
•
demonstration of requisite academic communication skills, as evidenced by
logical structure of arguments, appropriateness of conclusions, accuracy of
citations (legal referencing) and academic referencing and use of accurate and
appropriate expression
Generic skill assessed
Skill assessment level
Organisation
Developing
Problem solving
Developing
Assessment Task 3: Final examination
Goal:
To demonstrate your capacity to problem solve by applying relevant legal principles to
given fact situations.
Product: A centrally scheduled final examination will be held for this course during the end of
semester examination period. The final examination will be two hours in duration, with
10 minutes perusal.
Format:
This is an individual assessment. You will have 2 hours to complete the exam plus 10
minutes perusal. The format is open book, which means you may take any materials of
your choosing into the examination. This includes texts, course materials and your own
notes. Questions may be drawn from any area covered in the course. Further details on
the final examination will be provided in the revision lecture in week 13.
Criteria
Assessment of performance in the final examination will be made according to each
student’s:
• demonstration of knowledge of the law, as evidenced by accurate
recognition/statement of relevant legal principles
• demonstration of understanding of the law, as evidenced by cogent and
coherent-application of legal principles to the fact situations as stated and/or
discussion of relevant law in applied contexts
• demonstration of requisite academic communication skills, as evidenced by
logical structure of arguments, appropriateness of conclusions, inclusion of case
authorities and legislative and/or academic references, and use of accurate and
appropriate expression
Generic skill assessed
Skill assessment level
Problem solving
Developing
5.3
Additional assessment requirements
SafeAssign
In order to minimise incidents of plagiarism and collusion, this course may require that some of its
assessment tasks are submitted electronically via SafeAssign. This software allows for text comparisons to
be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work that SafeAssign has access to. If
required, details of how to submit via SafeAssign will be provided on the Blackboard site of the course.
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
c) You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
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Course Outline: ACC220 Law of Business Associations
5.4
Submission penalties
Late submission of assessment tasks will be penalised at the following maximum rate:
• 5% (of the assessment task’s identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified
as the due date for the assessment task.
• 10% (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the third day
• 20% (of the assessment task’s identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and
including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task.
• A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date
identified as the due date for the assessment task.
Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must
contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
6. How is the course offered?
6.1
Directed study hours
6.2
Teaching semester/session(s) offered
6.3
Course activities
On campus Lecture: 2 hours per week
On campus Tutorial: 1 hour per week
Semester 2
Teaching
Week /
Module
What key concepts/content will I
learn?
1
Topic 1: Introduction and Overview
2
3
Topic 2: Corporate Structure
Topic 3: Company Finance, Reporting
and Audit
Class Test
Topic 4: Corporate Governance and
Directors’ Duties 1
Topic 4: Corporate Governance and
Directors’ Duties 2
Topic 6: Shareholders’ Rights and
Remedies 1
Topic 7: Shareholders’ Rights and
Remedies 2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Monday,5th
October
What activities will I engage in to learn the
concepts/content?
Directed Study
Independent Study
Activities
Activities
Lecture
NO TUTORIAL
Lecture and tutorial
Lecture and tutorial
Hanrahan et al Ch 1, 2
&3
Ch 3, 4 & 5
Ch 16, 17 &18
NO TUTORIAL
Lecture and tutorial
Ch 5 & 9
Lecture and tutorial
Lecture and tutorial
Ch 10,12 & 14
Ch 6-8 & 15
Lecture and tutorial
Ch 6, 8 & 15
TASK 2 DUE
Topic 8: Companies’ dealings with
Lecture and tutorial
outsiders
Mid Semester Break
Topic 9: Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Lecture and tutorial
Ch 22 & 23
Ch 11 & 25-26
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Course Outline: ACC220 Law of Business Associations
Labour Day
Public
Holiday
11
12
13
Topic 10: Partnerships
Topic 11: Trusts
Lecture and tutorial
Lecture and tutorial
Revision
Latimer Ch 10
Latimer Ch 9 (9-750–
980)
Study Period
Central Examination Period
End of Semester Break
Please note that the course activities may be subject to variation.
7. What resources do I need to undertake this course?
7.1
Prescribed text(s)
7.2
Required and recommended readings
7.3
Specific requirements
7.4
Risk management
8.
How can I obtain help with my studies?
9.
Links to relevant University policies and procedures
Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below:
Author
Year
Title
Publisher
th
Hanrahan, P., Ramsay, I.,
2015,16
Commercial Applications CCH, Sydney.
and Stapleton, G
edition
of Company Law
*Latimer, P
2015, 34nd Australian Business Law
CCH, Sydney
edition
* This is NOT a prescribed text but it is highly recommended, particularly in relation to the partnership and
trust topics
Lists of required and recommended readings may be found for this course on its Blackboard site. These
materials/readings will assist you in preparing for tutorials and assignments, and will provide further
information regarding particular aspects of your course.
N/A
There is minimal health and safety risk in this course. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the
Health and Safety policies and procedures applicable within campus areas.
In the first instance you should contact your tutor, then the Course Coordinator. Student Life and Learning
provides additional assistance to all students through Peer Advisors and Academic Skills Advisors. You can
drop in or book an appointment. To book: Tel: +61 7 5430 1226 or Email:
StudentLifeandLearning@usc.edu.au
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
• Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
• Review of Assessment and Final Grades
• Supplementary Assessment
• Administration of Central Examinations
• Deferred Examinations
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Course Outline: ACC220 Law of Business Associations
• Student Academic Misconduct
• Students with a Disability
http://www.usc.edu.au/university/governance-and-executive/policies-and-procedures#academic-learningand-teaching
10. Faculty specific information
Locating Journal Articles
If you have been notified that the journal articles in this course are available on e-reserve, use the on-line
library catalogue to find them. For journal articles not on e-reserve, click on the "Journals and Newspapers"
link on the Library Homepage. Enter the journal title e.g. History Australia, then search for the volume and
issue or keyword as needed.
Assignment Cover Sheets
The Faculty of Arts and Business assignment cover sheet can be found on Blackboard or on the USC Portal
at: Faculty of Arts and Business (Students) > Forms. It must be completed in full identifying student name,
assignment topic, tutor and tutorial time. This must be attached securely to the front of each assessment
item prior to submission. Claims of loss of assignments will not be considered unless supported by a
receipt.
Help: If you are experiencing problems with your studies or academic work, consult your tutor in the first
instance or the Course Coordinator as quickly as possible.
Difficulties: If you are experiencing difficulties relating to teaching and assessment you should approach
your tutor in the first instance. If not satisfied after that you should approach in order your Course
Coordinator, Program Coordinator then Head of School.
General enquiries and student support
Faculty Student Centre
Tel: +61 7 5430 1259
Fax: +61 7 5430 2859
Email: FABinfo@usc.edu.au