Postgraduate Accountancy 2020-2021

The fact that money (and understanding money) really matters in business and all managers need to understand issues like cashflow and profit might depress you, but it is true. Financial viability of customers? Deciding on the likely financial viability of a project? Reporting to shareholders about performance? Does the word “sustainable” appear in a finance dictionary? All questions we will try and address.

Students will gain an understanding of what financial information is for and how it is controlled by government, the stock exchanges and other institutions. Students will explore financial accounting assumptions and conventions. They will develop their technical knowledge and skills to enable them to record business transactions and prepare financial statements. Finally, students will be introduced to financial statement analysis and the calculation of key metrics. This will allow them to explore how accounting information is used by stock market participants and the impact on users of current developments and issues in accounting practice, governance and standards.

This course introduces students to basic financial concepts before moving on to introduce students to a number of areas of corporate finance including investment appraisal decisions, examining capital structure theory, the financing decisions of the firm, and corporate restructuring. The main aim of the course is to equip students with good analytical skills in order to understand the implications of corporate financing decisions by understanding why companies behave the way they do with respect to financing choices and how this interacts with the real world financial markets, and to enable students to understand the theoretical underpinnings of corporate finance theory.

Writing insightful reports that both engage and persuade the reader is a key skill. In a finance setting this is not just about the words but also careful use of well communicated numbers. The aim of this course is for you to produce a 5,000 word report using appropriate communication devise (graphs, tables) to evaluate critically a corporate finance situation of your choosing. The result should demonstrate your research, thinking, presentation and organisational skills.

This course is part of a challenging programme which is designed to provide students with an understanding of the theory and practice of finance with an international perspective. The programme has a strong foundation in economics and international trade and aims to equip students with an understanding of the key elements of the operation of global financial and economic systems, and the skills enabling them to evaluate and manage the risks involved in international business in order to make sound investment decisions, relevant for multinational businesses, governments and international organisations in both developed and emerging markets. 

This course examines theories and issues relevant to portfolio analysis. Themes include: risk and return; investment motives; the application of modern portfolio theory (including the Capital Asset Pricing Model); information and market efficiency; portfolio analysis and asset pricing; bonds and equities; real estate and derivative markets.

This course introduces management accounting and the difference between this strand of accounting and that studied in the BU5031 module.  It develops in students the ability to apply complex problem-solving techniques in the planning, control and decision-making process.  It shows how quantitative methods and analytical techniques can be applied in management accounting solutions to management problems.  The course seeks to develop in students an understanding the organisational context as well as the nature of management accounting information.  The focus is to enhance students’ problem-solving and communication skills, and develop their ability to select and apply appropriate techniques in specific contexts.

Like football, this course is a game of two halves. The first half is financial analysis and builds your ability to analyse companies and think about the implications of financial performance for investors. We will be using Datastream and the ThomsonReuters Eikon system. In the second half we will think about the setting of international accounting standards – the system and the principles behind the IFRS’s.

Like football, this course is a game of two halves. The first half is financial analysis and builds your ability to analyse companies and think about the implications of financial performance for investors. We will be using Datastream and Bloomberg software. In the second half we will think about how stock markets work and how they are regulated.

Writing insightful reports that both engage and persuade the reader is a key skill. In a finance setting this is not just about the words but also careful use of well communicated numbers. The aim of this course is for you to produce a 5,000 word report using appropriate communication devise (graphs, tables) to evaluate critically a corporate finance situation of your choosing. The result should demonstrate your research, thinking, presentation and organisational skills.

The world of international finance is a closed box to many. This course will introduce the players, markets and products in an institutional setting. There will be a careful balance between concepts and numeric skills. Using the trading floor will be a key component of this module. 

If you do not wish to undertake the IFRS certificate, then you will be choosing this course. This is designed for those seeking a more theoretical rather than professional edge to their MSc. You will be teamed with a member of faculty to develop a literature review of a mutually agreed area of accounting research.

If you do not wish to undertake the CFA exam, then you will be choosing this course. This is designed for those seeking a more theoretical rather than professional edge to their MSc. You will be teamed with a member of faculty to develop a literature review of a mutually agreed area of finance research.

Becoming a Certified Financial Analyst charter holder is the aspiration of every finance industry professional. This course covers the CFA syllabus courtesy of our friends from FitchLearning who will teach you week by week and prepare you for the CFA level 1 exam. You will also write an essay reflecting on professional and academic approaches to finance

This widely recognised certificate-level learning and assessment programme will give you the guidance and knowledge to fully understand and apply IFRSs. The ICAEW programme is self-taught using on-line and manual materials, supplied by BPP, but supported by regular contact with University of Aberdeen staff to address any specific problem areas. By the end of the course students should be able to understand and apply IFRSs principles, concepts and knowledge in a commercial setting.

The capstone of your programme. A significant individual piece of work showing your ability to think, research, organise and analyse. You will work with a member of faculty to develop a proposal that you will then turn into 10,000 words of reality!

Being a finance-savvy manager requires knowledge, critical thinking and a skill set. The skills set is quantitative, but also includes social skills and communication skills. This module aims to develop all of these areas to equip the student for not only the critical finance project but also the work-world ahead.

Writing insightful reports that both engage and persuade the reader is a key skill. In a finance setting this is not just about the words but also careful use of well communicated numbers. The aim of this course is for you to produce a 5,000 word report using appropriate communication devise (graphs, tables) to evaluate critically a corporate finance situation of your choosing. The result should demonstrate your research, thinking, presentation and organisational skills.

Corporate governance and ethics are critical to corporate life. Often interpreted as just about the relationship between shareholders and the management of the company, this module will extend the critical investigation into how companies are governed top consider the impact and accountability to other stakeholders. Ethics in business, including finance, is a key area acknowledged by all professional bodies, but often in bounded ways, only answering the questions that fit within preset bounds.

Dissertation project for MSc International Finance