Public Accounting

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

The curricular unit is assessed by a mixed regime, combining final exam (60%), attending lectures (5%) and a group assignment or an individual reading fiche of a scientific paper (35%).

The course comprises theoretical-practical lectures, combining an expositive approach in more theoretical matters (complemented when appropriate, by illustrative examples), with discussion and resolution of exercises specially prepared for the course in more practical classes. At the final, a few classes will be dedicated to presentation and discussion of essays prepared by the students. The preparation of reading fiches seeks to familiarize the students with techniques of research and scientific literature review.

All materials supporting the course are made available in the respective page in NÓNIO platform.

Learning Outcomes

While successfully completing the course, students must:

– Understand the Portuguese Public Sector Accounting reform within the international trends

– Comprehend the accounting system based on POCP (namely concerning integrating the three accounting perspectives – Budgetary, Financial and Cost Accounting), understanding its innovations compared to the previous one

– Apprehend the accounting and budgetary principles and rules as well as measurement criteria

– Comprehend the Budget central role within Public Sector Accounting, whereas understanding the logic of budgetary operations accomplishment (in articulation with different accounts classifications) and its consequences on the three accounting subsystems

– Understand the notion of Public Domain versus private domain assets, as well as the use of classifications CIBE

– Know how to prepare the main budgetary and financial statements comprised within Public Sector entities’ budgetary and financial reporting

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Public Sector Accounting vs. Business Accounting – Public Sector framework in Portugal

2. Budget: definition and framework within public sector entities’ planning cycle

3. From traditional to actual Public Sector Accounting – the reform of Portuguese Public Sector Accounting and trends at international level

4. The Public Sector Accounting Official Plan (POCP) as basis to the Public Sector Accounting integrated system in Portugal:

4.1. Objectives of the three accounting subsystems – Budgetary, Financial and Cost Accounting

4.2. Accounting and budgetary principles and rules

4.3. Measurement criteria

4.4. Budgetary and patrimonial accounts classifications

5. Phases of expenditures and revenues cycles, briefly addressing the main accounts contents

6. Notion of public patrimony; introduction to the Classification and Inventory of State Assets

7. Public Sector entities financial reporting – budgetary and financial statements contents and form; main purposes of the reported information

Assessment Methods

Continuous evaluation
attending lectures : 5.0%
a group assignment or an individual reading fiche of a scientific paper : 35.0%
final exam: 60.0%

Bibliography

BERNARDES, A. F. — Contabilidade pública e autárquica: POCP e POCAL. 2ª ed.. Coimbra: CEFA, 2003.

CAIADO, A. C. Pires; CARVALHO, J. B. C.; SILVEIRA, O. C. P. — Contabilidade pública: casos práticos. Lisboa: Áreas Editora, 2007.

CAIADO, A. C. Pires; PINTO, A. C. — Manual do Plano Oficial de Contabilidade Pública. 2ª ed. Lisboa: Áreas Editora, 2001.

CARVALHO, J. B. C.; ALVES, J. M. A. — Cadastro e Inventário dos Bens do Estado – CIBE comentado. Lisboa: Publisher Team, 2006.

CARVALHO, J. B. C.; MARTINEZ, V. Pina; PRADAS, L. Torres — Temas de Contabilidade Pública. Lisboa: Editora Rei dos Livros, 1999.

FRADE, C. M. - Gestão das organizações públicas e controlo do imobilizado. Lisboa: Áreas Editora, 2003.

JONES, R.; PENDLEBURY, M. — Public Sector Accounting. 6th ed.. Pearson: Financial Times/Prentice Hall, 2010.

PINTO, A. C.; SANTOS, P. G. dos - Gestão Orçamental Pública, Publisher Team, 2005.