Module ECON43115: International Financial Reporting

Department: Business School (Economics and Finance)

ECON43115: International Financial Reporting

Tied To

• L1K209: Accounting and Finance (see Postgraduate Handbook 2011-2012 for details)

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To provide a critical appreciation of the nature of financial statements, the assumptions underlying their preparation and their interpretation. To develop an advanced understanding of the international context of financial reporting and analysis and the varying roles of financial statements in different countries. This module provides a context for the more sophisticated analysis of later modules.

Content

• 1. Financial Statements. 2. Underlying concepts and principles. 3. Income measurement. 4. Capital maintenance. 5. Quality of Accounting information and its limitations. 6. Regulatory framework. 7. Current issues.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module students should:
• have a critical understanding of the regulatory framework of financial reporting, particularly the development of International Financial Reporting Standards;
• have a critical appreciation of the rules and assumptions underlying the preparation of financial statements;
• have a critical appreciation of the limitations of financial reporting.

• be familiar with the specialist techniques required to undertake financial analysis;
• be able to evaluate this analysis within an international context.

• Written Communication;
• Planning, Organising 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

• The module will be delivered by a combination of lectures, seminar discussions/presentations, case studies and guided reading appropriate for conveying the specialist knowledge and skills set out in the learning outcomes.
• The summative assessment, by written assignment, is designed to test the acquisition and articulation of knowledge; and test skills of application and interpretation within an international context.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Group report and presentation. 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.