Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After this course students will:

  • Understand and apply basic concepts of costs and profitability
  • Understand and apply basic and advanced cost tracing and assignment methods (job costing, process costing, traditional costing, ABC) to accurately determine profitability
  • Understand and apply tools for profitable operational and strategic decision making (cost volume profit analysis, pricing and product mix decisions, customer analysis)

Credits: 6

Schedule: 24.02.2025 - 06.05.2025

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): David Derichs

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: Finnish, English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Managing costs (understood as capacity and material inputs to the implementation of organizational strategy) is essential for achieving product and service profitability and ultimately organizational profitability. Understanding what gives rise to costs is hence essential for the survival of any kind of organization. This course focuses on developing an actionable understanding of profitability from the costing perspective.

    Students will gain an intermediate-level understanding of profitability and profitability management from the costing perspective. They will also explore various cost assignment and tracing techniques, and discuss their applications, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. After arriving at a basic understanding on costing we explore uses of cost information for profitable decision making performance management.

Assessment Methods and Criteria
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Exam
    Cases (group work)
    Exercises
    Oppotunity to earn bonus points - detailed info provided on the course page

    To pass the course the student has to get: (a) at least 50% of the exam and (b) + cases / exercises of at least 50% 

Workload
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Period II implementation - main, campus implementation:

    • Live teaching 12 h (f2f - interactive; unless announced otherwise).
    • Pre-recorded lectures: 18 h
    • Case work (group (intended) or individual (if necessary)): 18 h
    • Individual home assignments: 18 h
    • Independent study: 86 h
    • Exam 2 h - booked through the EXAM system and taken in EXAM facilities

    Period IV implementation - secondary, online assynchronous only!

    • Pre-recorded lectures: 18 h
    • Case work (group (intended) or individual (if necessary)): 18 h
    • Individual home assignments (about 60% more individual work): 30 h
    • Independent study: 86 h
    • Exam 2 h - booked through the EXAM system and taken in EXAM facilities

DETAILS

Study Material
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Required: Rajan Datar Horngren (2021). Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis 17th Edition, Global Edition

    Alternative (please check chapter mapping provided in MyCourses – students take responsibility for assuring content fit of all chapters): Rajan Datar Horngren (2015). Cost Accounting, Global Edition.

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    8 Decent Work and Economic Growth

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Teaching Language: English

    Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn II
    2024-2025 Spring IV
    2025-2026 Autumn II
    2025-2026 Spring IV

    Registration:

    Registration for Courses in Sisu