Introduction to Accounting and Finance

3 ECTS credits
88 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 2021589ANR for all students in the 1st semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool

Department

Business

Educational team

Filip Sans
Marie-Laure Vandenhaute (course titular)
Linde Kerckhofs

Activities and contact hours

12 contact hours Lecture
16 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
60 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

This course is designed to introduce students to the basics of 1) accounting and 2) investment analysis.

The course consists of two parts. The first part provides an introduction to accounting. The theoretical framework is given consideration, with particular attention being paid to the accounting obligations, the content and the form of the financial statements. The process leading to the preparation of the financial statements is examined. The course focuses on basic accounting principles, rules and tools. The double-entry accounting technique is thoroughly discussed. Attention is paid to the logical connection between the balance sheet and the income statement. In addition, this first part focuses on the accounting treatment of the sales and purchase cycles of a company and the use of accruals and deferrals. Throughout the course, reference is made to the Belgian legal framework, which is in line with the relating European directive. The second part focuses on some basic principles of investment analysis. These include the time value of money, the current value and the evaluation of investment proposals.

Course material

Handbook (Required) : Boekhouden, Tweedelig handboek, theorie + vragen & oefeningen, Joël Branson en Diane Breesch, Die Keure, 9789048639052, 2020
Digital course material (Required) : (1) Videotutorials; (2) Eigen studiemateriaal omtrent investeringsanalyse; (3) Modeloplossingen van de oefeningen, Canvas
Digital course material (Recommended) : PowerPointpresentaties en extra digitale oefeningen, Canvas

Additional info

The text book is normally available in the VUB bookshop (Standaard Student Shop). However, do not hesitate to buy the text book elsewhere (online).

Teaching Methods
- Lecture: collective contact-dependent moments during which the lecturer engages with learning materials
- Seminar, Exercises or Practicals (Practical): collective or individual contact-dependent moments during which the students are guided to actively engage with learning materials
- Independent or External Form of Study (Self): independent study

This description of the teaching methods is indicative, in order to assess the expected study load:

DAY- AND EVENING STUDENTS
Lectures: 12 hours

Introduction: 3 hours
Acquiring theoretical knowledge: 9 hours

Practical: 16 hours

Practice on the application of key concepts, methods and techniques by solving exercises with guidance of the teacher of the course: 12 hours
Individual counselling (during consultation hours, via e-mail, on discussion forums or during the study guidance days): 4 hours

Self: 60 hours

Solving quizzes on the digital learning platform to test the understanding of the theory and to prepare for the practical sessions: 6 hours
Solving homework assignments on the learning platform to extend the learning: 6 hours
Consulting additional study material, solving extra exercises and keeping track of the course material during the semester: 24 hours (at a rate of 1 hour per lecture hour and 1 hour per practical hour)
Examination preparation: 24 hours (3 days of 8 hours)

Learning Outcomes

General competences

The student can name and explain the main headings of the balance sheet and the income statement.
The student can generate a balance sheet and an income statement based on the analysis of a set of transactions.
The student can make the connection between items from the balance sheet and the income statement.
The student can explain and apply basic accounting terminology and principles.
The student can apply the double-entry accounting technique in accordance with general accounting principles and Belgian accounting law.
The student can analyse and journalise the purchase and sales cycle of a company.
The student is able to use and analyse accruals and deferrals.
The student can calculate the present value of an amount and use it to solve investment problems.
The student can evaluate investments using various return calculations.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 85% of the final mark.
Other Exam determines 15% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Schriftelijk Examen with a relative weight of 85 which comprises 85% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Tussentijdse Opdrachten with a relative weight of 15 which comprises 15% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Throughout the course students will be asked to complete and submit homework assignments. The component “homework assignments” cannot be resumed in the second session. No replacement assignment will be organised. The grade on this component is transferred from the first to the second session, but is not transferred to the following academic year. If the homework assignments were not carried out during the semester, the grade on this component will be zero in the first and second exam session. As such the final grade will be limited to a maximum of 85% or 17 out of 20.

Homework assignments have a strict due date. No grades will be assigned in case of late submission.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context