Courses Master Display 2014-2015
Course Description | To PDF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Course title | Assurance Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Course code | EBC4037 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ECTS credits | 6,5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assessment | None | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Period |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Level | Advanced | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinator |
Ann Vanstraelen For more information: a.vanstraelen@maastrichtuniversity.nl |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Language of instruction | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Goals |
The objectives of this course are twofold. First, students will gain insight into the essential elements of the process of assurance services. Second, students will obtain a solid knowledge of the academic literature on assurance services. To that end, the process of assurance services will be put into perspective by the results of academic research.
Students who successfully complete this course will have sufficient knowledge of the process of assurance services to effectively perform entry-level assurance work in professional accounting firms. Furthermore, students will be able to read and critically evaluate auditing research, and report the results of research on current and fundamental issues in the accounting profession. Graduates have profound, evidence-based and up-to-date academic knowledge and understanding of theories, methods and tools in business/economics. This includes demonstrating the ability to develop new ideas. Graduates can apply their profound knowledge and understanding to identify and solve also unstructured or semi-structured real life business/economic problems in unfamiliar environments within broader multidisciplinary contexts. This includes demonstrating analytical skills and a problem-solving attitude. Graduates can integrate various perspectives to formulate Judgments even with incomplete information on complex theoretical and practical business/economic issues. Graduates can effectively communicate both to specialist and nonspecialist audiences. This includes demonstrating strong presentation skills, project- management skills, interpersonal skills, a high level of argumentation and context sensitivity. Graduates have self-directed learning skills and the ability to regulate their own learning process. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Description |
The broad area of assurance services concerns the relevance and reliability of financial and non-financial information. This course more specifically focuses on those assurance services that improve the reliability of information as perceived by decision makers such shareholders. In particular, this course on assurance services will focus on audits of financial statements performed by public accounting firms. The course will cover the essential elements of the process of assurance services (audit process) as well as academic literature on assurance services. Essential elements of the audit process are for example business risk assessment, internal control evaluation, planning of the audit approach including audit risk assessment, performance of analytical and detailed procedures, and audit reporting. Academic research that will be discussed relates to current issues such as professional skepticism, auditor independence, audit firm governance, quality control, public oversight, audit market structure, concentration, competition, and audit pricing.
The course is linked to audit practice by means of case-studies, a workshop in collaboration with a large audit firm and a guest lecture. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Literature |
Textbook and articles
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prerequisites |
Courses and workload are very demanding for all IB Master courses. Exchange students need to have obtained a bachelor degree with a major in Business. Exchange students need to major in accounting in their Master.
An advanced level of English |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teaching methods (indicative; course manual is definitive) | PBL / Lecture / Assignment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assessment methods (indicative; course manual is definitive) | Participation / Written Exam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Evaluation in previous academic year | For the complete evaluation of this course please click "here" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This course belongs to the following programmes / specialisations |
|