Work-Study Certificate Leading to Diploma in Accounting and Corporate Secretarial Practice

Management Accounting

Management accounting is an area of finance dealing, where accounting and financial information within an organisation is leveraged to provide managers as well as employees the basis to make informed business decisions; allowing them to be better equipped for both management and control functions. 

This module focuses on cost management to ensure that a company or specific project is profitable. Students will learn to evaluate the financial viability of a project, review the financial success of a project or company, carry out costing and budgeting, and design financial models using spreadsheets. The learning scope also covers a wide range of topics including basics of accounting, costing concepts, costing systems, data and variance analysis, capital budgeting, revenue and pricing management, cost-volume-profit analysis, forecasting, and budgeting. 

Financial Accounting

This module aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the fundamental accounting concepts, principles and procedures underlying the preparation of financial statements. The module lays the foundation for students to apply basic accounting concepts in business transactions. They will be able to interpret accounting information of businesses, understanding how the various businesses use accounting to identify, record and communicate information about the businesses’ activities to their stakeholders.

Business Finance

Business Finance deals with financial decisions that corporations make, and the tools and analysis used to make these decisions. The goal is to drive corporate growth while effectively managing financial risks and ensuring long-term sustainability.

This module equips the students with a basic understanding of the financial aspects of a corporation. This knowledge will further enhance the student’s conceptual and analytical skills necessary to make sound financial decisions for a corporate entity. It is useful for both financial and non-financial executives.

Business Law

This module equips students with an in-depth awareness and understanding of the practical legal responsibilities, risks and issues that arise in today’s business environment, so that they can be more effective in their future roles as professionals, executives or entrepreneurs. Students will begin by familiarising themselves with the Singapore Legal Framework and the fundamentals of Contract Law, with an emphasis on consumer protection legislation.

Thereafter, students will analyse the implications of the Tort of Negligence on businesses and how it can extend one’s obligations towards consumers and other third parties beyond that of contracts. Students will also explore the issues involved in online business transactions and intellectual property (IP) law using recent case law.

Audit and Assurance

This module aims to develop the skills for students to explain the demand for audit, the responsibilities of auditors under the different types of audits, as well as statutory and non-statutory audits. Students will be able to describe the audit process, including conducting audits in an information technology environment, identifying types of audit evidence, documenting findings, and understanding audit objectives.

They will gain knowledge to apply audit procedures used for the main processes within the organisation. Additionally, students will be able to discuss threats to auditor independence in the context of professional ethics in accounting.

Principles of Taxation

This module aims to develop students’ understanding of the general scope, objectives, principles and practice of the Singapore taxation system. In this regard, they will be able to calculate income taxes for corporations, sole proprietorships and individuals as well as compute the Goods and Services Tax. They will also be able to describe the statutory requirements and obligations of taxpayers and the implications of non-compliance.

Organisational Behaviour

This module has been designed to help students become better employees and people managers. It is a multidisciplinary module that draws from sociology, psychology and management, with a focus on applying research evidence to explain the behaviours of individuals and groups in an organisational context. 

Students will acquire insights into the cognitive and affective elements that underpin human behaviour, strategies to handle behavioural issues that affect organisational effectiveness and practices to guide people towards achieving organisational goals. Students will also examine realistic workplace issues at the individual, team and organisational levels.

Communication in the Global Workplace

Information and communication technologies have not only transformed the way companies conduct business, but they have also expanded the concept of the workplace by going beyond local borders. This is the primary motivation for the module.

This module’s framework will be divided into three interconnected parts: the importance of core communication principles, business communication and global communication vis-à-vis cultural diversity.

Economics for Business

This module enables students to understand the general economic environment within which businesses operate. Students will learn to explain consumer demand, producer costs, markets and competition as well as the impact these interlocking decisions have on resource allocation and profit maximisation.

Students will also develop skills to assess the overall performance of the economy by analysing key indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation and unemployment rates. The module will also explore the impact of government economic policies and the importance of international trade.

Entrepreneurship

This module introduces students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Designed specifically to equip students with core foundational know-how in setting up a business, this module will take them through the value creation process from generating and evaluating various business ideas to other key topics such as marketing and sales, finance, and the legal aspects of setting up a business.

Students will be encouraged to learn experientially as they develop the attributes, ways of thinking, and behaviours of an entrepreneur. They will gain first-hand practical insights through case studies that capture real-world entrepreneurial practices. From there, they will find out how to apply the concepts learnt to solve real-life situations.

Data Visualisation and Analysis

This module provides students with an understanding of how data can be translated into insights, with the use of data visualisation tools. Students will be introduced to the common processes to generate insights from data collection, data analysis, to data visualisation in meaningful ways. Through hands-on activities using data visualisation tools, students will acquire the knowledge and skills to create informative and engaging data visualisations.

Design Thinking for Business

This module is a practice-based introduction to the Design Thinking methodology. It builds upon its theories and frameworks to solve business problems and identify growth opportunities. Through case studies and hands-on assignments, students will learn and practice methodologies needed to take a creative idea from cradle to consumer.

Key topics covered in this module include design fundamentals, ethnographic tools for user research, basic design ideation, prototyping and ideas testing techniques, as well as the Design Sprint framework.

Digital Technology for Business

The rapid emergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and blockchain has significantly disrupted traditional business processes across industries. This module builds foundational knowledge on how these innovations are strategically adopted to optimise business operations and decision-making in the digital economy.

Key topics include digital transformation, cybersecurity, cloud computing, blockchain, and robotic process automation, equipping students with the skills to leverage these technologies for driving efficiency and growth in modern businesses.

Company Law

This module introduces the essential principles of corporate law, with a focus on Singapore's legal framework. Students will learn about company formation and governance of the various business organisations in Singapore. The course also covers regulatory requirements, directors' duties, share capital, debentures, legal processes for restructuring and liquidation and the rights of company members.

By focusing on Singapore's legal system, this module prepares students to understand, comply with the key aspects of corporate law and appreciate the legal rights, responsibilities and risks present in the business setting.

Corporate Secretaryship

This module provides a comprehensive overview of the critical functions and responsibilities of a company secretary. Students will gain insight into the foundational aspects of BIZFILE, understand the powers and functions of the Registrar of Companies, and learn the essential steps for the registration and establishment of local companies and business representative offices.

The course will cover key areas such as company constitution, capital and shares management, and the maintenance of statutory registers and records. Additionally, students will explore the intricacies of conducting meetings and passing resolutions, managing charges, preparing accounts, and filing annual returns.

Corporate Governance and Compliance

This module covers the fundamentals of corporate governance and compliance, focusing on transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making. Students will learn about the roles of the board of directors, internal controls, and key compliance requirements, including legal standards and regulatory filings.

The course also includes a focus on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), covering regulatory frameworks, risk assessment, enforcement, and technological solutions. This equips students with the knowledge to identify and mitigate financial crimes. Through practical examples, the course teaches how to address governance issues and implement effective compliance strategies to protect stakeholders and ensure sustainable business practices.