Entry requirements

Completed 30 credits from basic courses (A-level) in business studies, and attended 30 credits intermediate courses (B-level) in business studies of which at least 15 credits must be completed.

Learning outcomes

The course Advanced Financial Accounting is divided into two modules, one focusing on in-depth subject specific knowledge and one focusing on research design.

The subject specific knowledge part of the course aims to provide students with knowledge and skills in:

• International accounting standards (IFRS),
• Detecting accounting manipulation,
• Leveraging digitalisation (e.g., AI as Machine Learning/LLM) applied to financial reporting.

Upon completion of this part of the course, the student will be able to independently:

• apply a selected set of IFRS accounting standards,
• perform advanced consolidated accounting, including addressing special accounting challenges that may arise during the consolidation process,
• identify common accounting techniques that may be used by firms to manipulate earnings,
• understand how AI and other emerging technologies can be applied in the context of IFRS accounting,
• comprehend how sustainability reporting can influence investors and creditors,
• present findings both verbally and in writing.

After completing the part of the course focusing on research design, the student should independently be able to:

• explain basic qualitative and quantitative research methods in business studies,
• use relevant research methods to analyse, interpret and critically evaluate research in business studies,
• critically examine and evaluate research results based on methodological and theoretical perspectives,
• reflect on ethical aspects in the research process and show awareness of how to conduct empirical investigations responsibly.

Content

The content of the course Advanced Financial Accounting deals with in-depth subject specific knowledge and knowledge related to research design.

The first part of the course focuses primarily on IFRS reporting and how it can be used to manipulate earnings. Since IFRS is designed to provide useful information to investors and creditors, the course concentrates on these two key stakeholder groups.

The content covers important and current IFRS standards, as well as special accounting issues related to business combinations.

IFRS reporting allows for certain accounting choices, which can lead to situations where reported earnings differ from economic earnings. We supplement standard IFRS instruction with an exploration of accounting techniques that can manipulate reported earnings. Our goal is to sensitize students to the use of accounting practices such as earnings manipulation and classification shifting.

Additionally, we will explore how emerging technologies, including AI (e.g. Machine-learning, LLM, SLM), can be leveraged to enhance the analysis of financial reports.

We also seek to discuss how the emerging sustainability reporting system can investors' and creditors' decision-making process.

In terms of research design, the aim is to lay the foundations for the ability to understand, account for, choose and use relevant qualitative and quantitative research methods to solve problems in business studies. The course focuses on the most common qualitative and quantitative research methods that students come into contact with and are expected to use at graduate level.

Instruction

The course employs a wide range of teaching methods, including on-campus lectures, recorded video lectures, and in-person seminars. A mandatory quiz on cheating and plagiarism is carried out. The course is taught in English.

Assessment

The examination consists of four modules:

1. Seminars and Assignments, 2 credits (U, G)
2. Written Exam, 8 credits (U, G, VG)
3. Research Design, Written Assignments and Seminars, 5 credits (U, G)
4. Quiz on Cheating and Plagiarism, 0 credits (U, G)

A collective grade is given for the entire course, 15 credits.

For a Pass (G) as a collective grade of the entire course, a Pass (G) is required of all modules respectively. For a Pass with distinction (VG) as a collective grade of the entire course, a Pass (G) is required on Module 1, 3 and 4, as well as a Pass with distinction (VG) on Module 2.

In Module 1, the examination is carried out individually and in groups, while the examination in Modules 2 and 4 is an individual examination. In Module 3 examination is carried out in groups. Grading criteria are presented in the study guide that applies to the course section. Examinations that are not submitted on time will not be graded, unless special circumstances can be substantiated.

For a student who has not attained a passing grade on Module 1, there is the opportunity to, without re-registration, submitting a supplementary or revised assignment for re-assessment and present it at a seminar at the same or a subsequent teaching period of the course. For a student who has not attained a passing grade on Module 2, there is the opportunity to be examined without re-registration via a retake on the exam. For a student who has not attained a passing grade on Module 3, there is the opportunity to be examined via re-registration at a future teaching period. For a student who has not attained a passing grade on Module 4, there is the opportunity to be examined without re-registration via a retake of the quiz at a subsequent course section.

Assignments and exams handed in late will not be graded except in special circumstances.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Uppsala University does not accept cheating or plagiarism. Suspected incidents of cheating or plagiarism are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, which may issue a formal warning to the student or suspend the student from studies for a certain period.

NOTE: Only completed courses can count toward a degree.

Other regulations

The course substitutes/overlaps among others Accounting and Finance 2FE411, Financial Accounting 2FE414 and Advanced Financial Accounting, and Project Work 2FE435.