MSc International Accounting & Finance

Learning Outcomes

Advanced Financial Management

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Understand and valuate the role and responsibility of the senior financial executive in meeting conflicting needs of stakeholders and recognise the role of international financial institutions in the financial management of international organizations;
• Critically evaluate the appropriateness of financial information to meet stakeholders’ needs;
• Evaluate potential investment decisions and assess their financial and strategic consequences;
• Evaluate and advise on alternative corporate re-organisation and growth strategies, such as mergers and acquisitions;
• Critically evaluate the value of financial decision-making and risk management techniques in the successful development of business strategy.

Audit and Assurance

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Understand and advise on the regulatory, professional and ethical issues relevant to those carrying out an assurance engagement.
• Understand the processes involved in accepting, planning and managing assurance engagements in accordance with the terms of the engagements and appropriate standards.
• Conclude and report on assurance engagements in accordance with the terms of the engagements as appropriate.
• Critically evaluate the changes to the audit profession and the implications of these changes for companies and audit firms and their impact on audit process and quality.

Data Analysis for Global Business

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• understand different types of data and techniques employed in data analysis for the development of theory and empirical research in subject areas related to global business;
• process and analyse primary data in the subject areas;
• investigate the relationship of quantitative data variables in the subject areas;
• appropriately interpret the results from an empirical exercise and develop evidence-based decisions and incorporate technical analysis into a clearly written business-oriented report.

International Financial Reporting

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of the need of regulations and sources of regulation
• demonstrate an understanding of the process of international standard setting and regulations for financial reporting.
• evaluate the reporting of information for single companies and for groups in accordance with GAAP and relevant IAS/IFRS Standards
• undertake analysis and interpretation of information from financial reports.

Business Consultancy Project-portfolio assessment

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Demonstrate good judgment in the planning, selection, prioritisation and collection of evidence to investigate the chosen issue or topic via primary and/or secondary data
• Analyse and evaluate the findings of their research based on the primary and/or secondary data collected and in the light of the appropriate theoretical background and the constraints introduced by practical and real-life business issues.
• Communicate effectively the business project conclusions and recommendations including presentation of quantitative/qualitative data in appropriate format and a well-structured professional report
• Demonstrate personal accountability and integrity in their work, leading to achieving the status of a trusted business advisor
• Demonstrate the development of independent and self-managed learning

Dissertation

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Critically devise a carefully considered research project;
• Critically evaluate complex ideas and analyses in their area of research;
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in carrying out independent and evidence informed study, which analyses and evaluates aspects of the course studied.

Business Work Placement Project

By the end of the placement students should be able to:

• demonstrate depth of knowledge and understanding of current practices and recent developments in a specific area of business/service sector management
• demonstrate a range of appropriate professional competencies and more general transferable skills in business and service sector management
• evaluate a business problem and recommend action to increase the efficiency or effectiveness of the organisation
• demonstrate a reflexive capacity to appreciate how current knowledge and models of practice in business can inform their own practice and that in other organisational and cultural contexts

Commercial and Investment Banking

On successful completion of the module students, will be able to:

• Demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge relating to the role of commercial and investment banks.
• Demonstrate conceptual understanding that enables the critical evaluation of key theories, current research and methodologies relating to the structures and strategies of commercial and investment banking, and the management and mitigation of financial risk arising from commercial and investment banking.
• Develop theoretical and quantitative knowledge and understanding, and to develop analytical skills to a high level to understand forms of banking products and activities.

Financial Regulation and Compliance

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• demonstrate conceptual understanding that enables the critical evaluation of the rationale, types and limitations of financial regulation.
• demonstrate originality in the analysis and evaluation of the regulatory environment in which domestic and international financial institutions operate, the critical issues in regulatory compliance, and the role of regulators and compliance professionals in the financial services industry.
• develop knowledge and understanding of national and international bodies involved in regulation and compliance, and problem-solving skills in regulatory and compliance matters in the financial services industry.

Fundamentals of CSR and Sustainability

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Critically evaluate core issues, policy and legislation surrounding CSR
• Analyse and interpret CSR reports of corporate entities.
• Discuss the interrelationships between business and society.
• Discuss the need for sustainable business models.
• Analyse the link between CSR and financial performance.
• Explore how CSR is perceived and practiced around the globe.

International Corporate Finance

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the historical and contemporary policy and institutional issues in the international financial system and their implications for the development of the international financial architecture dealing with international business and finance.
• Discuss the theoretical determinants of foreign exchange rates and the functions of currency markets and their implications for international corporate finance.
• Analyse how global firms meet their funding, liquidity and risk management objectives through the use of major capital and money markets as well as international banking and finance systems.
• Evaluate capital investment projects that multinational firms undertake.

International Logistics

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Critically evaluate international logistical processes, including the role of the many intermediaries involved and their value added: analyse the on-going developments in international logistics at a global level, assessing its consequences for economic development, and the social effects associated with that expansion.
• Demonstrate a conceptual and practical understanding of the risks involved in international supply chains and the strategic decisions made by multinational enterprises in their sourcing and production plans, anticipating the consequences of development for future supply chain investments and trading plans and relations
• Understand the reasons behind out-sourcing and unbundling of production processes to remote locations; the costs and benefits this has brought to manufacturers and consumers as well as the workers involved both in developed and developing markets.
• Understand the development needs of a range of emerging markets, and be able to assess the appropriate forms of investment and trading activities that would best support those developments
• Be able to make suitable proposals both at the corporate, governmental and intergovernmental level, for actions further to facilitate beneficial changes for emerging markets’ logistics infrastructure

International Project Management Practice

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Critically evaluate leading edge project management theory and practice.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of risk within a project management context.
• Analyse and evaluate a business case in order to inform project management decision making.
• Solve project planning, budgeting, tracking and change problems using MS Project throughout the lifecycle.
• Communicate clearly and professionally project plans, costs, benefits and risks throughout the life of a project.