NBS8340 : Introduction to Financial Reporting
NBS8340 : Introduction to Financial Reporting
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Mr Donald Halliday
- Lecturer: Dr Khansaa Tezeny
- Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
None
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
None
Aims
This module aims to enable students to:
* acquire professional knowledge to prepare financial statements, or information for inclusion within the financial statements, for individual and group entities within the current international legal and regulatory framework
* critically analyse comparative entity performance and financial position from published financial statements and other publicly available information and make recommendations for further action while recognising that information may be incomplete
* critically use online resources to access relevant information about entities and to support the continuous development of their knowledge and understanding.
The module focus is on accounting to meet external user needs. The emphasis is on interpretation and analysis, as well as the construction, of accounting information. In addition the emphasis is on a critical evaluation of underlying assumptions.
Outline Of Syllabus
The legal structure of organisations, particularly companies and groups of companies
Principal and agent issues
Users, their information needs and the content of financial statements
The international regulatory framework for financial reporting and the efficient working of the international capital markets
Systems of data recording – evidencing, recording and summarising transaction data, the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement and other primary financial statements.
Preparation of Financial Statements:
Data collection, analysis, processing and summarisation
Accounting treatment of major items (e.g. revenue, inventory, receivables and payables, non-current assets, taxation)
Constructing accounting statements: Income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement
Comprehensive Income and Changes in Equity
The role of audit
Analysis and interpretation of company financial statements including ratio analysis:
Business performance and efficiency, including profitability and asset utilisation
Operating segments and their contribution to overall performance
Liquidity and working capital management
Gearing and financial structure
Investor ratios
Analysis and interpretation of company accounts using cash flow statements:
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Construction, analysis and interpretation of consolidated financial statements:
Types of control and their implications for financial reporting
Group financial statements including subsidiaries, associated companies and joint ventures
Acquisition accounting and equity accounting
Goodwill, measurement and reporting issues
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
At the end of this module students will be able to:
Systematically prepare financial statements for individual entities and groups of companies which comply with international accounting standards, using professional skills, knowledge and judgement.
Critically evaluate the liquidity, financial performance and position of entities making time series and/or cross-sectional comparisons within the context of incomplete information.
Intended Skill Outcomes
Application of professional knowledge and insight to analyse and synthesise real world financial and other data to evaluate performance and create original recommendations for change.
Work with resilience under pressure, producing specified outputs within a stated time-limited period
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:30 | 16:30 | PIP Lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Time for students to complete formative and summative coursework & assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 33:00 | 33:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | PIP Seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 17:30 | 17:30 | N/A |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The teaching and learning activities are designed to engage students in a rich and varied collection of resources to encourage independent critical thought, discipline, engagement and continual self assessment with a view to continuous achievement of the module leaning outcomes.
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 100 | Delivered online via Canvas and Inspera on Campus |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer assessment | 2 | M | Mock Exam |
| Prob solv exercises | 2 | M | Case study questions will be available (with suggested/model solutions) throughout the semester |
| PC Examination | 2 | M | Weekly tests will be available online for formative feedback. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The formal examination tests students’ knowledge and skills outcomes in financial and management accounting, focusing on the preparation, interpretation and application of relevant information.
The examination will be a mix of essay questions and objective test questions.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NBS8340's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- NBS8340's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2024 academic year.
In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.
Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2025/26 entry will be published here in early-April 2025. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.