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Module Code:    BE122-5-CO:

Module Title:     Financial Reporting and Analysis II

Year:         2025-26

Term:        Spring

Level:        Undergraduate Level 5

Credits:     15

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites:   None

Co-requisites:    BE121

Anti-requisites: None

Key module (requisite for): BE120, BE123

Module Leader, Teaching Staff and Contact Details

Module Leader: Dr Joshua Obeng-Nyarko

Teaching Staff and Contact Details:

1.     Dr Joshua Obeng-Nyarko

Email: Jkoben@essex.ac.uk

Office: EBS.3.25

2.     Dr Hao Lan

Email: Hao.lan@essex.ac.uk

Office: EBS.3.25

Availability

Available to Incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: No

Available to Outside Option: No

Available to Audit: No

Module Description

This module is designed to deepen students' technical expertise in key areas of financial reporting. It focuses on enhancing practical skills in preparing complex financial statements, with an emphasis on cash flows, consolidated accounts, and taxation. The module also explores the finer points of accounting for business combinations, investments, and events after the reporting period. By integrating theoretical knowledge with real-world practice through industry insights, the module aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical application, preparing students for advanced professional roles in accounting and finance.

Module Aims

The aims of this module are:

• To provide an in-depth understanding of critical and advanced areas in financial reporting. It is designed to enhance students' technical skills in preparing and analysing complex financial statements, such as statement of cash flows, consolidated accounts, and taxation. The module also delves into the nuances of accounting for business combinations, investments, and post-reporting events, ensuring students are well-versed in the comprehensive and accurate presentation of financial information. By incorporating real-world insights from accounting professionals, the module not only imparts theoretical knowledge but also bridges the gap between academic learning and practical application, preparing students for challenging professional roles in accounting and finance.
• To develop the ability to prepare and interpret Statements of Cash Flows, understanding its significance in assessing the financial health and liquidity of an entity, across two dedicated sessions for an in-depth understanding

Module Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1.    Gain the requisite knowledge in the principles and preparation of consolidated financial statements, including the statement of financial position and comprehensive income, with a focus on accurately reflecting the financial status of a business group.

2.    Understand the principles of business combinations, including the treatment of goodwill and impairment processes, as well as the accounting for associates and joint ventures, emphasizing the equity and proportionate consolidation methods.

3.    Acquire a detailed understanding of accounting for taxation in financial reporting, covering various tax-related accounting policies and treatments, and gain insights from professionals in the field through a specialized talk.

4.    Understand the treatment and disclosure of events occurring after the reporting period and the significance of segmental reporting in providing detailed financial insights into different areas of a business.

Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)

Upon completing this module, students will have developed key transferable and subject-specific skills, including:

§   Critically analysing and dealing with challenging issues without complete information, and executing tasks and delivering results with a high level of accuracy.

§   Clearly communicating complex problems, judgments, and potential solutions with greater detail to both specialists and non-specialists.

§   Building confidence in working within a group or team, collaborating with professionals from various backgrounds, articulating ideas, and building crucial relationships.

§   Cultivating integrity and ethical behaviour in any professional field by being well-versed in ethical standards and regulations.

§   Adapting constantly evolving work environment with advancements in new technology and changes in regulations, and transitioning smoothly into various industries by possessing the flexibility to learn and adapt to new environments and technologies.

Indicative Lecture Programme

Learning and Teaching Methods

This module will be delivered via:

§  Ten 2-hour lectures (Weeks 16-25)

§  Five one-hour classes (weeks 16-25)

The lectures will explore the main areas and themes covered in the module. The workshops will be used flexibly depending on the topic covered in the lecture to elaborate or expand on the lecture material or to demonstrate the solution to problems or questions. The material covered in the classes will be drawn from a wide variety of sources such as textbooks, journal articles, learning materials for professional exams, past exam papers etc. As such, the class question for each week will be uploaded on Moodle the week before.

Students are expected to read the references in the reading list and prepare problems and exercises as specified in advance of the classes, so that they can take an active part in discussing the various issues that will be considered in the classes.

Bibliography

All reading lists are available here: http://readinglists.essex.ac.uk/

Essential Textbook:

·       Elliott, B. and Elliott, J. (2019) Financial Accounting and Reporting (19th ed.), Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Recommended Book Purchases

The following texts provide a useful supplement to Elliot and Elliot (2019):

·       Melville, A (2019) International Financial Reporting: A Practical Guide (7th ed.), Harlow: FT/Prentice Hall.

·       McKeith, J and Collins, B (2013) Financial Accounting and Reporting (2nd ed.), London: McGrawHill.

·       Dunn, J. (2013) Financial Reporting and Analysis, Chichester, Wiley.

NOTE: Where relevant additional readings will be provided during the course of the module.

All reading lists are available here: http://readinglists.essex.ac.uk/.

Assessment Items

Overall Assessment

The module will be assessed by a combination of online tests and examination. The final mark will be:

Main Assessment:

         50% of the examination mark, plus

          50% of the coursework mark**

**The coursework consists of:

         One 50% online test mark to be completed in the Spring term

Reassessment:

Coursework 50% (MyLab Tests) / Exam 50%

Online Test (further details)

The test in the Spring will be an online test using MyAccountingLab. The test will include all topics covered up to the test date. More information on the test will be made

available through Moodle in the course of the term.

Format of Exam Paper

The exam paper will consist of two sections, each containing three questions. Section A will be numerical and Section B, discursive. Students will be required to answer THREE questions altogether – at least one question from each section.

Academic Offences Procedure

 For details of the University’s Academic Offences Procedure, see: www.essex.ac.uk/see/academic-offence It is your responsibility to make yourself aware of the Academic Offences Procedure, the regulations governing examinations, and how to correctly reference and cite the work of others.

Additional Support

EBS Student Success

At EBS, your success is important to us, and we want you to reach your potential. The EBS Learning & Teaching Adviser, Fay Aljibory, provides support for all students at the school.  You can use this support to have a general discussion on study skills to help you with your programme, to understand feedback on your coursework, to get advice on how to improve your grades, or to talk through any difficulties you are experiencing as a student. You can make an appointment for a 30-minute one-to-one tutorial.  Fay also runs practical skills development sessions to help students with their studies. You can contact Fay on f.aljibory@essex.ac.uk or make an appointment. You can also find a wide range of study skills / student resources on Moodle on the EBS Student Success page.

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle https://moodle.essex.ac.uk/

Listen Again Available

Yes