Accounting AAT Level 2 Foundation Certificate

There are no formal entry requirements for this course but you must have a good standard of English and maths, along with an interest in accounting.

Areas covered:

Introduction to Bookkeeping
This unit provides students with an understanding of manual and digital bookkeeping systems, including the associated documents and processes. Students will learn the basic principles that underpin double-entry bookkeeping systems.

Principles of Bookkeeping Controls
This unit builds on the knowledge and skills acquired from studying Introduction to Bookkeeping and explores control accounts, journals and reconciliations. Students will develop the ability to prepare the value added tax (VAT) control accounts as well as the receivables and payables ledger accounts. They’ll use the journal to record a variety of transactions, including the correction errors. Students will be able to redraft the initial trial balance, following adjustments.

Principles of Costing
This unit gives students an introduction to the principles of basic costing and builds a solid foundation in the knowledge and skills required for more complex costing and management accounting tasks. Students will learn the importance of the costing system as a source of information that allows management to plan, make decisions and control costs.

The Business Environment
This unit provides knowledge and understanding of key business concepts and their practical application in the external and internal environment in which students will work. Students will gain an understanding of the legal system and principles of contract law and an appreciation of the legal implications of setting up a business and the consequences this may have. This unit will also give an understanding of how organisations are structured and where the finance function fits.

AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting.

Your knowledge and skills will be tested via computer based assessments (CBAs). These are run entirely on PCs or laptops.

The CBAs are marked in one of three ways:

• wholly computer marked, and so results will be available automatically
• partially computer marked and partially human marked, and so results will be available within six weeks
• human marked, and so results will be available within six weeks.

Career progression:

Accounting technicians are skilled staff, employed in jobs ranging from clerks to accounts department managers. They are also increasingly required in industry and commerce, so if you have AAT qualifications at any level your career prospects will be extremely good.

Course progression:

On successful completion of this course you could progress on to the AAT Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping or the AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting.

These professional examinations require a high standard of preparation and considerable commitment if success is to be achieved. In addition to the course fees, you will also be required to purchase a set of textbooks (approximately £120) and register with the AAT (approximately £180).