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Course syllabus - Management Accounting

Scope

7.5 credits

Course code

FOA171

Valid from

Autumn semester 2026

Education level

First cycle

Progressive Specialisation

G1N (First cycle, has only upper-secondary level entry requirements)

Main area(s)

Business Administration

Organisation

Department of Business and Mathematics

Ratified

2020-01-26

Revised

2025-11-03

Literature lists

Course literature is preliminary up to 8 weeks before course start. Course literature can be valid over several semesters.

    • Ratified date: 2025-05-19
    • Latest update: 2025-05-27

    Books

    Drury, Colin; Tayles, Mike

    Management accounting for business

    8th edition (or latest)

    ISBN: 9781473778801

    LIBRIS-ID: 9t459mqj74tdlhcp

    Eighth edition, Australia, Cengage, xix, 566 pages

    Mandatory

Objectives

The course has the purpose to provide students with an understanding of management accounting principles, and how they are applied in an international context by managers to understand an organisation's position and strategy.

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course the student should be able to:

  1. Describe how management use accounting information for decision-making, performance evaluating and control.
  2. Describe and analyse how management apply management accounting applications to implement an organisation's strategy.
  3. Discuss how management control principles are applied by management to control organisational performance and strategy.
  4. Describe how governance is applied in different national contexts, in regards to ethical and sustainability aspects.
  5. Apply theories, models and concepts on specific practical situations and draw general conclusions on an organisation's activities.
  6. Present and argue, both in written and in oral, how the aspects of accounting information interrelate with management accounting principles and applications.

Course content

The course will give focus on management accounting principles and how they are used to implement and control an organisation's strategy. The course will provide an understanding of the development of management accounting literature and its application.
The course will also focus on how management retrieve and use accounting information for decision-making in regards to an organisation's position and strategy.

Requirements

Basic eligibility and English 6 Or: English level 2

Examination

Assignment (INL1), 1,5 credits, grade Excellent (A), Very good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Sufficient (E), Insufficient, complementary work possible (Fx), Insufficient (F) (Linked to learning outcomes 5, 6)
Seminar (SEM 1), 2 credits, grade Excellent (A), Very good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Sufficient (E), Insufficient, complementary work possible (Fx), Insufficient (F) (Linked to learning outcomes 1-6)
Examination (TEN1), 4 credits, grade Excellent (A), Very good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Sufficient (E), Insufficient (F) (Linked to learning outcome 1-6)

A student who has a certificate from MDU regarding disability study support, can request adaptions for the examination. It is the examiner who takes decisions on any adaptions, based on the certificate and other conditions.

Grade

AF-skala

Interim Regulations and Other Regulations

The course overlaps 7,5 credits with respective courses:
FOA133 Financial and Management Accounting 1
EFO022 Cost and Management Accounting I
EFO009 Introduction to Financial and Management Accounting
FOA147 Management Accounting