B5734 - PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will: • understand the different documents part of a full financial disclosure and the related key information they provide; • use the main figures and information that can be drawn from a company’s annual report, in order to understand and analyse company's performance, and measure company’s market value; • be able to read and understand a report estimating the value of a company, knowing how to identify its most significant and characterising items, as well as its assumptions and possible criticalities.

Course contents

The Principles of Accounting and Finance course provides a fundamental understanding of accounting, highlighting its usefulness both for internal management and external stakeholders, thereby establishing a comprehensive view of accounting's role in business strategy.

It covers the essentials of financial accounting, including i) the preparation, ii) analysis, and iii) interpretation of financial statements, emphasizing their impact on business strategy and investor relations. Additionally, the course will discuss some critical aspects that link corporate governance to earnings quality and frauds.

Readings/Bibliography

Weetman P., Jubb D,. Financial Accounting, Pearson, 9th Edition (May 8, 2024): Financial Accounting: An Introduction
https://www.pearson.com/en-gb/subject-catalog/p/financial-accounting/P200000010305/9781292725369

Case studies and support material delivered or assigned in class

Teaching methods

This course is structured to provide a robust theoretical grounding in key accounting nconcepts, principles, and frameworks. The foundation is strengthened through lectures, readings, and interactive discussions.

A significant emphasis is placed on real-world application through extensive use of exercises and case studies, representing various industries and scenarios.

This approach enables students to practically apply accounting and finance principles, enhancing their skills in problem identification, data analysis, and accounting recommendation formulation.

The course culminates in a comprehensive group project, where students synthesize and apply their learning to analyze and make strategic recommendations for a company's financial disclosure strategy, demonstrating their acquired knowledge and skills. Engaging in group projects, fostering essential skills in communication, leadership, and cooperative problem-solving, essential in managerial roles.

Assessment methods

Marks are intended on a numerical grade scale (0 to 30), being 18 to 30 the passing grade range.

This is the assessment grid:

(a) <18 insufficient; (b) 18-23 sufficient; (c) 24-27 average/good; (d) 28-30 very good; (e) 30 cum laude excellent/outstanding. Any grade above or equal (≥) to 18 is accepted.

The final grade is determined by a combination of:

a) group project report and presentation and b) final examination results.

Assessment details can be found in the Syllabus published on VIRTUALE.

Teaching tools

This course consists of 10 sessions (total of 30h) which includes, lectures, workshops and presentation of case studies. Materials are published on VIRTUALE platform.

Office hours

See the website of Eleonora Monaco