Accounting and Financial Management

Core Modules

The mandatory modules you will take during your studies are:

• Financial Accounting and Reporting

  In this module you will develop an understanding of contemporary issues in the theory and practice of international financial accounting and reporting. You will look at the fundamental characteristics, aims, contents, and structures of the main financial reports through which organizations measure and report their financial performance and position. You will examine the usefulness of financial accounting reports, and the tools and techniques of financial analysis. You will consider issues related to the recognition and measurement of intangible assets, ways of valuing assets, key regulatory differences, the conceptual framework and differences between IFRS and US GAAP. You will also critically evaluate the reporting and the financial performance of companies.

• Management Accounting for Decision-Making

  In this module you will develop an understanding of current issues in management accounting and related social, organisational and international influences. You will look at performance management and investment appraisal in an international context, perspectives on culture, control and accountability, and the transition to a knowledge and service-based business environment. You will consider the differences in management accounting across countries, and examine issues in the context of the private sector and new public management, making comparisons between the two.

• Foundations of Financial Management

  This course aims to introduce you to the key concepts of Financial Management through a combination of sound intuition and theoretical rigour; to prepare the foundations for more advanced study of Finance by encouraging you to develop a critical understanding of the main theories and models of Financial Management; to provide you with structured opportunities to apply the key tools and techniques of Financial Management; to encourage you to read widely and built links between what you are learning in the classroom and the financial reality.

• Business Economics for Accounting and Finance

  This module aims to provide an understanding of the economic way of thinking about the world around us and how eg. government policies, changes in product price, cost and market structures affect businesses. The process is achieved through studying business economics from both microeconomics and macroeconomics perspectives. In microeconomics, you will learn to apply basic but fundamental economic concepts underlying the theory of the firm – profit maximisation, consumer behaviour – utility maximisation, and market competitions. In macroeconomics, concepts of key economic indicators and government economic policies are introduced.

• Research methods for accounting and financial management

  In this module you will develop your analytical research skills so that you are better prepared for your dissertation project. You will look at approaches to research in accounting and financial management and the assumptions upon which they are based, and consider how to critically evaluate primary and secondary data sources. You will examine how to choose appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methods for data collection and subsequent analysis, and how to conduct research in a systematic and critical reflective manner. You will also analyse the ethical implications of research investigations and their impact upon findings.

   

• Academic Integrity

  This module will describe the key principles of academic integrity, focusing on university assignments. Plagiarism, collusion and commissioning will be described as activities that undermine academic integrity, and the possible consequences of engaging in such activities will be described. Activities, with feedback, will provide you with opportunities to reflect and develop your understanding of academic integrity principles.

   

Optional Modules

There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

Students can choose between:

Accounting and Finance Dissertation plus 45 credits of optional modules or Accounting and Finance Research Project plus 60 credits of optional modules.

• Accounting and Finance Dissertation

  The dissertation provides you with an opportunity to learn and practice researching and writing skills for your future career. You will apply the analytical and problem-solving techniques you have acquired throughout your studies to explore a specialist interest in greater depth. You will critically evaluate academic literature, collect data systematically, organise your findings, and present your research results in a clear and logical and manner. To help, your research proposal will be read by the programme director, who will select an appropriate member of staff to act as your dissertation supervisor. Your final submission will be between 12,000 and 15,000 words in length. 

• Accounting and Finance Research Project

  This module provides you with an opportunity to learn and practice researching and writing skills for your future career. You will demonstrate how to apply the analytical and problem-solving techniques you have acquired throughout your studies to investigate, analyse and make recommendations for a project in the area of accounting and/or finance. You will critically evaluate academic and business-related literature, collect data systematically, organise findings, and present research results in a clear and logical and manner in a 6,000 words project.

• Sustainability and Accounting

  The objective of this module is to provide students with a critical appreciation of the relevance and overall role of sustainability accounting and accountability. To achieve this objective, the module will explore contemporary issues in the growing area of sustainability accounting including: notions of accountability in the context of sustainability, the role of accounting in embedding sustainability in decision making, sustainability reporting research and practice, and accounting's role in addressing key contemporary sustainability issues.

• Topics in Finance and Investment Management
   

  In this module you will develop an understanding of investment management in theory and practice. You will look at the contexts in which investment management takes place in an increasingly globalised market. You will consider theoretical perspectives, such as the capital asset pricing model, arbitrage pricing theory, and models of systematic risk, alongside empirical evidence and current practice. You will examine the techniques of financial risk management, with particular emphasis on derivatives, and critically analyse issues of international investments, behavioural finance and corporate restructuring. You will also gain experience in using professional sources of data such as those provided by Bloomberg Professional.

• International Financial Markets

  The aim of this module is to develop in-depth understanding of the characteristics and operation of the international financial markets. The analysis of international equity, bond, exchange and derivatives markets will be linked to the main concern of governments and international financial organisations taking part in these flows. This also enables students to appreciate the different trends in the integration of financial markets and financial intermediation within countries, regions and at global level.

• Financial Statement Analysis

  This module provides students with the knowledge and techniques required to analyse a company’s financial statements and to estimate a company’s value. The following are the core topics to be covered: accounting analysis, financial analysis, forecasting and valuation.