Course Description

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are the global financial language. The course systematically builds your expertise in preparing and analyzing IFRS financial statements.

The course has three objectives:

  1. To convey knowledge about the institutional and conceptual foundations as well as the most important topics of IFRS;
  2. To develop your structured reasoning (or ‘algorithmic thinking’) skills by practicing how to map firms’ economic activities into their IFRS financial statements; and
  3. To foster your critical thinking and financial intuition.

Our course “Trends in Corporate Governance & Audit” by Professor Dr. Martin Plendl (in the second half of the semester) is a perfect complement that provides valuable practical application.

Format and Features

  • Lectures (MO 8:30-10:00) and tutorials (TUE 8:30-10:00) live and interactive on Zoom
  • Videos and free textbook for self-study
  • Interaction w/ expert practitioners (guest lecture, interviews)
  • Moodle as main communication channel
  • Blocked in the first half of the semester
  • 6 ECTS 
  • 120-minute online exam scheduled around the beginning of June

Course description:
M&A deals are among the largest, most complex, and publicly visible transactions that firms undertake. From a financial accounting perspective, poses a challenge to preparers and users of financial statements alike. This course aspires to making you familiar with the financial reporting implications of M&A transactions by asking the following core question: How do corporate acquisitions and similar transactions affect the financial situation of investor firms as portrayed in their consolidated financial statements? Understanding these effects is important to anyone who is involved M&A transactions or who analyzes or advises the companies that are. These financial reporting effects frequently are ill understood by the parties involved, although they can have a profound effect on the effectiveness of deals.

Format and features:

  • Lecture (MON, WED; 10:15 11:45) and tutorial (THU 10:15-11:45) live and interactive on Zoom
  • Video recordings and other material for self study
  • Guest lectures
  • Moodle as main communication channel
  • Blocked in first half of semester; online exam scheduled on MON, 07.06.2021, 10:00-12:00