47736 - Accounting

Learning outcomes

This course aims at introducing students to accounting and preparing them to deal effectively with this subject in their future professional careers. The course focuses on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) that are adopted by the European Union (EU) and most countries in the world, emphasizing the decision usefulness of financial reporting. A special attention will be devoted to the main differences among IFRSs, set by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP), issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), and Italian Civil Code and Accounting Standards, set by the OCI (Organismo Italiano di Contabilità – Italian Accounting Board).

At the end of the course students will be able to understand financial statements, and the fact that these are the product of the financial accounting process and they represent the means of communicating economic information about the organization to stakeholders willing to make decisions and inform judgments about the entity's financial position.

Course contents

The course gives an overview mainly of financial accounting and explores the following topics:

• Overview on Accounting: Financial Accounting, Social and Environmental Accounting, Managerial Accounting and Auditing;
• Key financial accounting concepts and principles;
• Annual financial statement: documents and contents;
• Basic analytical tools that allow financial statement users to make fundamental interpretations of a company's financial position and results of operations;
• The bookkeeping process;
• Main differences among IFRSs, US GAAP and Italian Accounting Standards.

Readings/Bibliography

E-book:

Financial Accounting: IFRS, 3rd Edition

Jerry J. Weygandt, Paul D. Kimmel, Donald E. Kieso

ISBN: 978-1-118-97808-5

856 pages - September 2015, ©2016

€ 51,99

Teaching methods

The pedagogical approach is based on a combination of lectures, exercises, discussion questions and case studies. Attendance is highly recommended. It is expected that students come to class ready to contribute to classroom discussions. Students are strongly encouraged to interact with the teacher, asking questions, making comments, and providing answers.

Assessment methods

Compulsory written exam.

The final mark will be calculated as the average mark of two mid-term exams. Only by passing the first mid-term test (min 18/30), it is possible to take the second mid-term test. In case of failure of the first mid-term, or passing the first mid-term but failing the second mid-term, it is possible to take the full exam (June, July, and September).

Exams include: 15 multiple choice questions, 2 exercises, and 1 open question.

Only calculators are permitted during the exams (no mobile phones, no other tools).

Teaching tools

Student Companion Site (free access):

http://bcs.wiley.com/he-bcs/Books?action=index&itemId=1118978080&bcsId=9784

All news and information related to the course and further teaching materials will be available on the e-learning platform (https://elearning-cds.unibo.it).

Office hours

See the website of Cristina Gianfelici