Financial Accounting Theory and Practice: A Work Integrated Learning Experience

Financial Accounting Theory is designed to enable you to apply financial accounting theories to a contemporary workplace situation. It includes a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) experience in which your knowledge and skills are applied and assessed in a simulated workplace context and where feedback from industry and/or community is integral to your experience. 
Background Information 

You are currently undertaking a student placement at ‘Water Partners’, a top-tier accounting firm, in their Advisory Services area. The Advisory Services area of Water Partners provides services to a diverse range of clients from all sectors of industry. One of Water Partners’ clients has requested a report on a specific ‘Topic of Investigation’. As part of this task, you are advised to meet with an expert in this topic to discuss your approach and ask for advice (a list of experts will be provided with your topic). You are to write this report and submit to the Advisory Services Manager, who will send it directly to the client. The report should be of an appropriate professional standard to send to the client. 

Each individual team member is required to undertake research beyond the initial reference to address the question posed for your team’s selected topic of investigation and individually submit a complete and thoroughly investigated report which using your own research. The initial reference can be used, in addition to at least 5 – 10 other academic references. 

You should read through the rubric to better understand the expectations of this assessment. There you will see that you are expected to engage with an accounting theory to explain your topic of investigation. Choose only one theory and try to link this theory throughout your whole report. It is advised that one of your sections is dedicated to defining and explaining this theory. Your other sections can be used to explain key aspects of your topic. 

Report format: The Individual Report must be in a report format, i.e., the content is split into several logical sections and sub-sections. These sections should include: an executive summary, introduction, main section of the report, conclusion and reference list. A typical report structure is: 

Executive Summary Introduction Section 1
Section 2 
Section 3
Section 4... Conclusion References Appendices (optional) 
Length: Maximum of 2,500 words (excluding references, tables, figures and appendices). Refer also to the section on penalties for exceeding the word limit on page 4.