Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2008-2009 (archived)

Module ECON41915: CORPORATE REPORTING

Department: Economics, Finance and Business (Economics and Finance)

ECON41915: CORPORATE REPORTING

Type Tied Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2008/09 Module Cap
Tied to L1K309
Tied to L1K709
Tied to L1K509

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To enable students to:
  • acquire and demonstrate a specialist knowledge and understanding of the aims of financial reporting and the techniques of financial statement analysis;
  • develop a critical understanding of reasons for, and the impact of, international differences in corporate reporting;
  • appreciate the importance of corporate reporting for transparency and accountability in corporate governance systems.

Content

  • Goals of the corporate firm and agency issues;
  • the role of accounting: users, and characteristics of accounting information;
  • accounting conventions;
  • financial statements: balance sheet, profit and loss account and cash flow statement;
  • interpretation of accounting statements;
  • CSR reporting;
  • national and international standards of corporate reporting;
  • the role of corporate reporting to promote transparency and accountability in firms;
  • the role of auditors and the audit committee for the reliability of corporate reporting.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • By the end of this module students should have a specialist knowledge and understanding of:
  • concepts of financial reporting and the techniques of financial statement analysis;
  • national and international standards of corporate reporting and their importance for the evaluation of firm performance;
  • the importance of corporate reporting and the audit for transparency and accountability in systems of corporate governance;
  • the role of the auditor and the audit committee in the corporate governance system of firms;
  • the purpose of CSR reporting.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • By the end of this module students should:
  • have practised problem-solving and analytical skills in the corporate reporting context.
Key Skills:
  • written communication;
  • planning, prganising and time management;
  • problem solving and analysis;
  • using initiative;
  • numeracy;
  • computer literacy.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • A combination of lectures, seminars and guided reading will contribute to achieving the aims and learning outcomes of this module. Summative assessment by written assignment will test students' knowledge and understanding of the subject-matter, their critical judgement and problem-solving skills.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Lectures 9 1 per week 2 hours 18
Seminars 4 1 per fortnight 1 hour 4
Preparation & Reading 126
Revision session 1 2 hours 2
Total 150

Summative Assessment

Component: Written assignment Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Written assignment 3000 words (maximum) 100%

Formative Assessment:

Students will receive written comments on a formative written assignment. Additional formative assessment, and feedback, may take a number of forms such as oral feedback on work prepared by students for seminars; answers to questions either discussed during a seminar, or posted on DUO; discussions with teaching staff during consultation hours, or via e-mail.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University