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AC491      Half Unit
Financial Accounting, Reporting and Disclosure

This information is for the 2024/25 session.

Teacher responsible

Professor Ane Tamayo, MAR 3.36

Availability

This course is available on the CEMS Exchange, Diploma in Accounting and Finance, Global MSc in Management, Global MSc in Management (CEMS MIM), Global MSc in Management (MBA Exchange), MBA Exchange, MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and Columbia), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and Hertie), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and NUS), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and Sciences Po), MPA Dual Degree (ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and Tokyo), MSc in Accounting, Organisations and Institutions, MSc in Management and Strategy and Master of Public Administration. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

The course is aimed at MSc students who have not previously studied accounting subjects to a significant extent.

Students on the MSc Accounting and Finance programme are not permitted to enrol on this course. 

This course cannot be taken in conjunction with AC416 Topics in Financial Reporting.

This course has a limited number of places (it is controlled access) and is capped at 130 students. In previous years we have been able to provide places for all students that apply but that may not continue to be the case.

 

Course content

This course provides students with an introduction to financial accounting, and highlights aspects of reporting that are important to users of financial information. The course covers the preparation of the main financial statements and discusses accounting issues related to intangible assets, equity, debt, and intercorporate investments, among others. Students are also introduced to the basics of financial statement analysis and to research on the use of accounting information in financial markets.

Teaching

30 hours of seminars in the AT, with an optional review session/surgery in week 11 of the AT.

Teaching is delivered in two one and a half hour sessions each week. Sessions contain a variety of technical content, practical exercises, and case analyses.

Formative coursework

Students are expected to complete weekly formative assessments.

Indicative reading

A detailed reading list will be made available at the start of the course. Some iIlustrative texts:

Harrison, Horngren, Thomas, Tietz and Suwardy, Financial Accounting (IFRS), 11th ed., Pearson Higher Education/Prentice Hall.

Weetman, Financial Accounting: an Introduction, 8th ed., Pearson Higher Education.

Stickney, Weil, Schipper and Francis, Financial Accounting: An Introduction to Concepts, Methods and Uses, 14th ed., Cengage, South-Western.

Assessment

Exam (80%, duration: 2 hours, reading time: 15 minutes) in the January exam period.
Problem sets (20%) in the AT.

Student performance results

(2020/21 - 2022/23 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 42.6
Merit 27.8
Pass 21.5
Fail 8.1

Key facts

Department: Accounting

Total students 2023/24: 42

Average class size 2023/24: 43

Controlled access 2023/24: Yes

Value: Half Unit

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Commercial awareness
  • Specialist skills