Corporate finance is concerned with the financing and investment decisions made by management of companies in pursuit of corporate goals. This module will give you a conceptual and analytical framework for looking at organisations and how they operate in capital and financial markets. It aims to provide real-world perspectives and emphasise how the principles of corporate finance learnings are applied in practice. We’ll begin by considering the availability of financial information that may be relevant for informed investment decision making. We will explore the choice and source of funding and consider how this can impact firm value. The course continues with a practitioner’s view of several key topics in corporate finance including the evaluation and impact of mergers and acquisitions on the value of the corporations involved.

Using real life, recent case studies to support your course work, you’ll look at both the theoretical and practical elements of tax and provide detailed tax advice or tax planning to resolve such problems. Tax and Audit is very practical subject and you will be able to participate in professional events organised by the professional accounting bodies such as the ACCA and AIA, as well as taking part in guest lectures from practicing tax experts. The audit element of this module looks at the nature, purpose and scope of assurance engagements, including the statutory audit, its regulatory environment, and introduces professional ethics relating to audit and assurance. The importance of auditing theory underpinning practice is also emphasised. Internal audit will be covered, including the scope of internal audit as well as the differences between internal audit and external audit. The module then covers a range of areas relating to an audit of financial statements. These include planning and risk assessment, evaluating internal controls, audit evidence, and a review of the financial statements. The final stage deals with reporting, including statutory audit reports, management reports, internal audit report and an evaluation of current issues facing auditing profession.

The word International in International Accounting can be defined at three different levels. The first level is the supranational accounting, which denotes standards, guidelines and rules of accounting, auditing and taxation issued by supranational organisations (United Nations, International Federation of Accountants). At the second level, the company level, international accounting can be viewed in terms of the standards, guidelines and practices that company follows related to its international business activities and foreign investments. These would include standards for accounting denominated in foreign currency and techniques for evaluating the performance of foreign operations. At the third and broadest level, international accounting can be viewed as the study of the standards, guidelines and rules of accounting that exist within each country and comparison of these rules with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) set by International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).
One of the main focuses for the design of this module has been the further development of relevant professional skills.

Students registered on MSc Accounting and Finance or MSc Accounting and Finance (with professional experience) who successfully complete this module are eligible for exemption from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants’ (ACCA) Financial Reporting (FR) unit.

In this module, you’ll cover both theoretical and practical areas of international financial markets, with a special focus on investment analysis and portfolio management. There is an international approach and you’ll study the subject from an international perspective, alongside students of diverse backgrounds and learning from academics with international reputations.

You’ll learn modern finance and investment theory alongside practical skills and knowledge of the finance and investment industry, with a strong focus on employability and activities designed to develop your transferable skills. You will be able to work with your peers and module tutors in the University’s Bloomberg trading room to develop analytical and trading skills and as teams conduct financial investment analysis and make investment decisions in international financial markets. You will be guided to carry out independent research and critically evaluate key theoretical concepts and practical applications in finance and investment.

This major project module allows students to engage in a substantial piece of individual research focussed on a topic relevant to their business degree award and specialist subject area under the supervision and guidance of a member of academic staff. This module requires students to develop their chosen topic into a specific project under the guidance of their supervisor. Supervisors will discuss with students contemporary research problems and issues based on their research and practice, and students will be required to conduct literature reviews, evaluate and critically appraise a range of information, investigate and adopt suitable theoretical frameworks, research methodologies and methods, and process and analyse data to produce a coherent and justified solution to the problem(s) identified. Throughout the module your supervisor will support you in terms of content and skills development so that you can work semi-autonomously on your individual research project. This is achieved through regular supervisory meetings throughout the year, which will allow for individual discussion of the tasks that will have to be completed in order to develop the project smoothly. Students will receive formative and constructive feedback from their supervisors in order progress their research to a conclusion. Attendance at meetings and engagement with the proposed tasks are essential to successful completion of the project.