Offered Semester 1 only
The aim of this Course is to develop knowledge of finance and accounting and the ability to use that knowledge to interpret financial and accounting information in order to provide advice to the board, or a similar decision-making body, in strategy development and/or decision-making.
On successful completion of the course, you should be able to:
- Understand and interpret financial reports
- Identify the financial reporting regulatory regimes and their objectives
- Identify and critically evaluate sources of finance and their associated risks and returns
- Utilise the major fundamental financial models and evaluate these for decision-making
- Conceptualise the nature and importance of capital structure and the cost of capital and evaluate these for decision-making
Topics covered
- Introduction to accounting and business decision-making
- The conceptual framework for financial reporting3
- Analysing the assets and liabilities of he organisation - The balance sheet
- Analysing the profit of the organisation - The profit and loss statement
- Analysing the cash flows of the organisation - The cash flow statement
- Analysis and interpretation of financial statements
- Planning and budgeting systems and performance management
- Financial investment principles
- Financing the business - Analysing risks and returns
- Assessing capital structures and the cost of finance
- Analysing the investment decision
- Assessing competitive advantage and the investment decision system
This course is delivered fully online over 15 weeks. There are 14 weeks of mostly self-directed learning time and includes a mid-semester teaching break (2 weeks). The course concludes with a study week before the final examination.
Assessment
Course assessment will require analysis and synthesis, and the application of theory into governance practice using case studies.
Students must attempt all assessments and achieve an overall final grade of at least 50% to pass the course.
Assignment 1 30%
Assignment 2 40%
Examination 30%