Accounting and Finance

• To equip students with knowledge, competencies, and professional integrity to effectively function as specialists in the field of accounting and finance.
• To endow students with independent critical thinking, encourage creativity and academic rigor to pursue career goals and further graduate studies.
• To provide students with the opportunity to pursue a professional accounting qualification (such as ACCA, ACA etc.) with the advantage of obtaining significant exemptions from the exams from certain accounting bodies (e.g., Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Association of International Accountants (AIA).
• To prepare students for a career in the investment industry by following closely the chartered financial analyst (CFA) curriculum preparing students wishing to pursue the CFA qualification.

• Record, analyze, report, and interpret financial accounting information for external reporting purposes.
• Interpret financial information for management (internal reporting) purposes and perform cost and management accounting.
• Use techniques and methods for preparation and audit of financial statements.
• Outline and apply auditing theories and auditing standards.
• Prepare tax computations in various areas of taxation for both individuals and companies and make suggestions for tax planning.
• Apply finance techniques for capital budgeting and financing of investments.
• Analyze financial issues relating to financial markets and the risk management of financial institutions.
• Analyze and understand the use modern financial techniques for portfolio investments, evaluating risk and the valuation of securities.
• Synthesize the functions of the international financial markets and the operation of the EU executive institutions.
• Develop computer and statistical skills for analyzing data, reading, and understanding academic literature and performing research.
• Develop specific communication skills for presentation and written reports, learn how to work in groups and participate in joint projects.
• Develop the skills necessary to perform teamwork and leadership, creativity and information retrieval and research.
• Enable students to cope with assessing economic information and evaluating different beliefs and opinions, develop their own set of arguments and values and apply theories to problem and economic policy issues.
• Develop important management skills for understanding the structure of organizations and managing human resources.
• Apply knowledge and understanding for navigating their businesses within the legal framework as applicable to individuals and corporations.

The graduates of the accounting and finance program obtain the knowledge and skills required for a career in the accounting and more broadly in the financial sector. The graduates of the program are employed as accountants or financial analysts in:

• accounting
• audit firms
• banks
• financial consulting firms
• investment companies

They also fulfil the requirements for employment in the public and private sectors in management related positions utilizing their skills and knowledge in accounting and financial analysis.