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ACC41270

Academic Year 2024/2025

Auditing & Assurance (ACC41270)

Subject:
Accountancy
College:
Business
School:
Business
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
8
Module Coordinator:
Dr Seán O'Reilly
Trimester:
Summer
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the core principles of auditing, emphasising both external and internal audit practices. This module covers the ethical perspectives relevant to Accountants and Statutory Auditors, highlighting the auditors' responsibilities in relation to fraud and the ethics of business managers and auditors.
Participants will learn to differentiate between various types of assurance engagements and will gain insight into the legal framework, standard-setting processes, and the business environment in which auditing is conducted. The module aims to develop a deep knowledge of the auditing process, including how to conduct assurance engagements, and highlights the value of auditing in validating financial accounts and enhancing business control mechanisms.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Demonstrate an ability to work within a professional and ethical framework and an ability to apply ethical principles to situations frequently encountered in practice. Understand the audit standard setting process, including the scope and authority of FRC / IAASA publications and announcements.
• Understand the concept of materiality
• Obtain an understanding of the system of internal control.
• Demonstrate a sound practical understanding of the nature, purpose and scope of an audit.
• Critically appraise and identify risks, and describe the procedures undertaken in the planning stage of an audit, and plan work to meet the objectives of the audit.
• Explain the methods for collecting and evaluating audit evidence.
• Critically appraise accounting and internal control systems and identify and communicate control risks, potential consequences and recommendations.
• Demonstrate the nature of internal controls, the procedures required to evaluate control risk, use of Tests of Control
• Describe the nature, timing and extent of tests on transactions and account balances and design Substantive Procedures.
• Carry out analytical procedures and discuss the implications of the outcome.
• Discuss current issues and developments relating to assurance services.

Indicative Module Content:

The module will consist of 12 x 2-hour lectures which may be supported by some additional prerecorded material which will be made available to students in advance (through Brightspace). The indicative curricular content is as follows:

• Ethics and Governance
• Audit Process
• Risk Assessment Process
• Audit Acceptance & Planning
• Controls & Controls Testing
• Audit of Revenue & Receivables
• Audit of Purchases & Payables
• Audit of Property, Plant & Equipment
• Audit of Investments, Bank & Cash
• Audit Work Conclusions
• Audit Reporting

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

24

Autonomous Student Learning

102

Lectures

24

Total

150


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
All lecture notes will be made available from Day 1. Ideally, students should review the content to be covered in class in advance of the lecture. This will free up class time for (a) a recap of the key points (b) Q&A and (c) class exercises to apply the material. The module is designed on the assumption that students will attend all the sessions. Sessions will provide a focal point for discussing and navigating the module’s material and achieving the learning outcomes in full.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): Final Examination (In-person) End of trimester
Duration:
3 hr(s)
Graded Yes

100

Yes

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.