On completion of the course the student will be able to:

1. Describe and explain the key concepts, theories and international standards in the field of financial accounting.
2. Describe and explain the key concepts, theories and practices in the field of financial auditing.
3. Account for key concepts of different advanced methods of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis in accounting.

4. Apply financial accounting theories and international accounting standards on practical cases.
5. Select and evaluate financial and non-financial information from an auditor perspective and relying on international auditing standards.
6. Carry out qualitative and quantitative data collection and advanced analyses.

7. Critically analyze emergent issues in the field of financial accounting from theoretical and practical angles.
8. Critically analyze emergent issues in the field of financial auditing from theoretical and practical angles.
9. Independently interpret and critically review results of the empirical investigation and reflect on the ethical dilemmas in the research process.
10. Critically and independently evaluate own and fellow students’ work.

The aim of the course is to enable students to develop specialized theoretical and practical knowledge of financial accounting, financial auditing and accounting methods. The course aims to enable students to develop an understanding of contemporary issues in the fields of financial accounting and financial auditing. The course further aims to equip the students with the requisite knowledge and skills in accounting methods. The course is subdivided into three blocks: Financial Accounting, Financial Auditing and Accounting Research Methods.

Block 1 – Financial Accounting – enables students to develop specialized theoretical and practical knowledge of financial accounting focusing on international contexts and different types of organizations. The block combines a variety of theories and perspectives to enable a broad understanding of accounting choices, practices and standards. It allows students to develop advanced theoretical and practical knowledge on the emergence and application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and of accounting choices and practices, including their impact on organizations and their stakeholders.
Block 2 – Financial Auditing –is concerned with the role and functioning of auditing and auditing profession explored from theoretical and practical perspectives. The course deals with auditor’s profession as well as regulations, systems and structures that influence auditors and their work. The block further provides students with an opportunity to develop their knowledge in understanding auditing’s role in organizations. Finally, the block deals with central concepts in auditing, i.e. risk and materiality assessment, planning and execution of auditing assignments as well as reporting, primarily relying on international auditing standards (IAS) in highlighting these concepts.
Block 3 – Accounting Research Methods – equips the students with the requisite knowledge and skills to interpret and evaluate published papers in broadly defined field of accounting, formulate research questions, as well as collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data. The block introduces the students to the theory of sciences, advanced research study design, advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods, advanced qualitative and quantitative data analysis, research report writing, critical review of research reports and researcher ethics.

Connection to Research and Practice

This is a theoretically as well as practically oriented course in advanced financial accounting, auditing and accounting research methods connecting to the JIBS focus areas ownership and renewal. The theories covered in the course, in which an ownership perspective dominates, is being exemplified through its application on the real-life cases. The course also exemplifies the interaction between accounting and auditing theory and practice by the means of state-of-the-art empirical research in the field of financial accounting and auditing. The research methods block trains students in hands-on application of both quantitative and qualitative research methods and literature reviews. Finally, the course introduces students to international accounting and auditing standards, an area of constant renewal, and scrutinizes their development and application by applying theoretical lenses.

The course includes lectures, seminars, peer-to-peer teaching, and workshops

The teaching is conducted in English.

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (i.e. the equivalent of 180 ECTS credits at an accredited university).

The course is graded A, B, C, D, E, FX or F.

Individual assignment: Financial Accounting (ILOs: 1, 7) representing 4 credits
Group assignments: Financial Accounting (ILOs: 4, 10) representing 1 credit
Individual assignment: Financial Auditing (ILOs: 2, 8) representing 4 credits
Group assignments: Financial Auditing (ILOs: 5, 10) representing 1 credit
Individual assignment: Accounting Methods (ILO: 3) representing 1 credit
Group assignments: Accounting Methods (ILOs: 6, 9, 10) representing 4 credits

All parts of compulsory examination in the course must be passed with a passing grade before a final grade can be set. The final grade of the course is determined by the weighted grade of the A-E examinations, set in accordance with JIBS grading policy.

Name of the Test	Value	Grading
Individual assignment: Financial Accounting1	4 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Group assignments: Financial Accounting1	1 credit	U/G
Individual assignment: Financial Auditing1	4 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Group assignments: Financial Auditing1	1 credit	U/G
Individual assignment: Accounting Methods1	1 credit	U/G
Group assignments: Accounting Methods1	4 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F

¹ All parts of compulsory examination in the course must be passed with a passing grade before a final grade can be set. The final grade of the course is determined by the weighted grade of the A-E examinations, set in accordance with JIBS grading policy.

It is the responsibility of the examiner to ensure that each course is evaluated. At the outset of the course, the programme evaluators in the course must be contacted. In the middle of the course, the examiner should meet the programme evaluators to identify strengths/weaknesses in the first half of the course.
At the end of the course, the examiner should remind students to fill in the survey. The examiner should also call a meeting with the programme evaluators to debrief the course, based on course evaluation data and comments. The next time the course runs, students should be informed of any measures taken to improve the course based on the previous course evaluations.
At the end of each study period, JIBS’ Director of Quality and Accreditation crafts a “Course Evaluation Quarter Report”, presenting the quantitative results from course evaluation surveys. The Associate Dean of Education, The Associate Deans of Faculty, Programme Directors, and JSA President and Quality receive the report.

Academic integrity
JIBS students are expected to maintain a strong academic integrity. This implies to behave within the boundaries of academic rules and expectations relating to all types of teaching and examination.
Copying someone else’s work is a particularly serious offence and can lead to disciplinary action. When you copy someone else’s work, you are plagiarizing. You must not copy sections of work (such as paragraphs, diagrams, tables and words) from any other person, including another student or any other author. Cutting and pasting is a clear example of plagiarism. There is a workshop and online resources to assist you in not plagiarizing called the Interactive Anti- Plagiarism Guide.
Other forms of breaking academic integrity include (but are not limited to) adding your name to a project you did not work on (or allowing someone to add their name), cheating on an examination, helping other students to cheat and submitting other students work as your own, and using non-allowed electronic equipment during an examination. All of these make you liable to disciplinary action.

Mandatory course literature:

A list of published papers will be made available at the introduction of the course.

Recommended reference literature:

Bell, Emma, Bryman, Alan & Harley, Bill. (2019), Business research methods. 5 edition. Oxford University Press

Gray, I., Manson, S., & Crawford, L. (2019). The audit process: Principles, practice and cases. 7 edition. Andover, MA: Cengage Learning EMEA.

Pallant, Julie (2016), SPSS survival manual : a step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS. 6 edition. Maidenhead : Open University Press

Deegan, C. & Unerman, J. (2011). Financial accounting theory. (2. European ed.) Maidenhead:
Mc Graw-Hill Education.Vancouver