Advanced International Financial Analysis (P00229)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : MSE-P-AIFA

This course will cover accounting in an international context, studying multinational enterprises and international financial markets. Specific problems in the international context will be addressed, including creative accounting and current issues in financial reporting. Students will learn techniques for international analysis and interpretation of 'foreign' financial statements. The planned introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards will also be studied.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : PGs only

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Common Courses (Management School and Economics), (Management School and Economics, Schedule H)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

The course aims to introduce students to financial analysis in an international context. Students will gain knowledge of international differences in financial reporting and of techniques available to analysts in overcoming the lack of comparability of financial information. This course also aims to introduce students to complex accounting issues relevant to international companies. Since many of the techniques used in financial analysis often rely on the use of accounting numbers and since accounting numbers are far from objective and unbiased, users of financial statements who have an understanding of the complex accounting issues will obtain a better picture of a company's financial position. Thus the course seeks to develop a critical understanding of conceptual issues in financial accounting as well as to enhance technical and analytical skills.

Assessment Information

Assessment will be via a two-hour examination at the end of semester one (70% of the final mark) and an essay during the semester (30% of the final mark) which will make use of financial databases such as Datastream or FAME.