Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

The purpose of the module is to give the student a deeper insight into the process of preparing financial statements and reports in compliance with Financial Reporting Standards.

During the module the student will become able to critically evaluate and discriminate among alternative methodologies, identify key concepts, assumptions and conventions underlying the preparation of financial reports. The purpose is to support the student’s ability to complete financial evaluations and offer critical and professional contributions in debates about contemporary accounting issues and controversies.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary knowledge on:

• central theoretical underpinnings of the financial accounting and reporting model and its application to addressing the information needs of users.
• alternative methodological (e.g. normative v positivist) approaches to analyzing accounting controversies and is able to critically evaluate and discriminate among these.
• key concepts, assumptions and conventions underlying the preparation of financial reports and is able to identify these.

Skills

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary skills in:

• understanding and explaining the regulatory frameworks underlying financial reporting, both nationally and internationally.
• based on the application of fundamental accounting principles, concepts and models, explaining how different approaches to the measurement, recognition and disclosure of various accounting issues can affect the reported financial position and/or performance of a reporting entity.
• critically evaluating how the quality of accounting, based on a financial analysis, is affected by various measurement bases, accounting regulations and accounting application quality.

Competences

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary competences in:

• individually undertaking a comprehensive preparation and analysis of financial reports in order to provide a complete financial evaluation of the financial position and/or performance of a reporting entity.
• participating in and providing a professional contribution to debates about contemporary accounting issues and controversies.
• developing the ability to critically evaluate the effects of alternative accounting approaches, regulatory frameworks, measurement bases and the recognition and disclosure of various accounting problems and issues in various business contexts.

Type of instruction

For information see § 17.

Exam

Exams