Semester 2 (Spring)

Assessment Pattern: 

Units of Assessment 

Weighting Towards Module Mark (%)

Group presentation and case report 

30% 

2 hour closed-book examination 

70% 

Qualifying Condition(s)  

A weighted aggregated mark of 40% is required to pass the module. 

The module offers a structured approach to principles of auditing using International Standards on Auditing as its basis.  It provides a real world perspective on current auditing practices with coverage of cutting edge developments and techniques. 

·        To introduce students to the auditing profession 
·        To provide students with a real-world perspective as close to current auditing practice and thinking as possible.
·        To illustrate audit concepts with case study examples from well known companies, such as Enron, WorldCom, Parmalat, and AIG. 

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: 
·        Understand the concept of auditing 
·        Explain the need for financial controls 
·        Identify / understand the purpose and the basic processes for external audit 
·        Identify / understand the purpose and the basic processes for internal audit 
·        Clarify the concept of audit expectation gap 
·        Understand the nature of fraud 

2-hour lecture per week followed by 5 1-hour tutorials delivered at the last 5 weeks 
Lectures: 
The lectures are intended to provide the students with the essential information, to help them structure the information and to be a source of explanation. Furthermore, short example – cases will be reviewed and discussed during the lectures in order to enhance students’ understanding and promote participation. The last week will also include a revision session. 
Workshops: 
Students will be allocated in groups and are required to write a case report and present it during the workshops for a suggested audit scandal/fraud. Doing so, students are expected to understand the importance of auditing and connect issues raised in the module with the “real world”. Thus the workshops will be a vehicle for them to build on the knowledge gained in lectures and to refine their analytical and presentation skills. 
Assessment Strategy: 
During the workshop project (presentation and case report) students are expected to combine skills of project management, time management, research, analysis, report writing and presentation skills to produce a coherent and effective report efficiently which will identify and explain the sources of auditing, the need for financial control and understand the nature of fraud. Through the final examination students are expected to demonstrate understanding of the concept of auditing and auditing procedures, the differences between internal and external audit and the need for audit and control through the notion of fraud. 

Essential Reading 
‘The Audit Process: Principles, Practices and Cases’ (2008) by Gray and Manson, 4^th Ed. 
 Publisher: Cengage Learning, ISBN-13: 9781844806782  

Recommended Reading 
‘Modern Auditing’ (2009) by Cosserat and Rodda, 3^rd Edition 
 Publisher: Wiley, ISBN: 978-0-470-31973-4  

Background Reading 
‘Auditing Cases’ (2009) by M. Beasley, F. Buckless, S. Glover, D. Prawitt, 4^th Edition 
Publisher: Prentice Hall, ISBN-13:9780136084150 
‘Principles of External Auditing’ (2008) by Porter, Simon and Hatherly, 3^rd Edition 
Publisher: Wiley, ISBN 978-0-470-01825-5