ACC4025H - Corporate Governance

Course Description

The Corporate Governance course is structured so as to comply with the education requirements of the ((IRC) Interim Representative Council of Accountants. An interdisciplinary approach is used to highlight the relationship between the course syllabus and the other course topics offered for the Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting. A copy of the IRC syllabus for Auditing & Business Information Systems, related to Part I of the Qualifying Examination for Chartered Accountants, is available in the 3 day loan section of the library.

Course Objectives

Stated broadly, the basic aims of the Control of Financial Accounting Systems, Auditing I and the Corporate Governance courses, taken together, are for students to be able:

1.  To explain, and apply the principles and practices underlying accounting and internal control systems.
2.  With respect to the law and the Code of Corporate Practices and Conduct relevant to companies and their auditors:

• to demonstrate a comprehension and understanding of the overall perspective of these and an ability to identify problems and apply the relevant legal/code provisions to their resolution.

3.  To explain, apply and evaluate matters relating to the accounting/auditing professional environment, in particular professional ethics and the responsibilities, rights and liabilities of auditors.
4.  With respect to the audit function:

• to know and explain the underlying principles and concepts (as articulated in South African Auditing Standards and related documents),
• to identify problems and apply relevant principles and concepts to practical situations to resolve these,
• to design, in given circumstances, necessary audit procedures.

The most significant difference between Auditing I, and this course is the nature of the issues (raised in tutorials, and tests and examinations) and their resolution. These are more diverse, comprehensive and inter-disciplinary in terms of the principles and knowledge to be applied. Furthermore, the development of a sound analytical approach to problem solving in auditing is a critical challenge facing Corporate Governance students.