Main Content

Graduate Modules in Financial Accounting

Further information can be found in the examination regulations, the handbook of modules and the corresponding overviews on the website of the examination office.

Modules in "Financial Accounting"

  • Financial Accounting I – Concepts & International Issues

    Summer semester

    The module consists in particular of the courses "Economic Analysis of Financial Accounting" and "International Accounting", but can alternatively be filled in whole or in part with the courses from the module "Financial Accounting III".

    Scope: 6 ECTS

    Lecture @Economic Analysis of Financial Accounting 

    Prof. Dr. Sascha H. Mölls

    Aims and content:

    The lecture "Economic Analysis of Financial Accounting" first examines the conceptual foundations of codified (national and international) accounting principles and standards and then – based on the shortcomings of current accrual accounting procedures – focuses on alternative concepts for corporate disclosure referring to the present value and cashflow-oriented approaches. An analysis of the question of the necessity of prescribed accounting standards, i.e., voluntary incentives for the disclosure of firm information, concludes the conceptual sections and paves the way for an examination of the question of how far accounting numbers impact capital markets. In the context of this accounting-oriented empirical capital market research, the areas of decision usefulness and value relevance are presented in detail, both methodologically and in terms of their findings, and implications for standard setting are discussed. Reflections on the connection between ‘financial and managerial accounting’ – primarily referring to value-oriented disclosure and management concepts – conclude the lecture.

    Lecture @International Accounting

    Prof. Dr. Sascha H. Mölls

    Aims and content:

    Building on the courses ‘Introductory Financial Accounting’ and ‘Financial Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis’, the lecture ‘International Accounting’ takes an in-depth look at the regulations of the international standard setters. At the beginning, the upheaval in the German accounting landscape is reviewed, the reasons for international corporate disclosure are assessed and the process of harmonizing financial accounting around the world is presented. The course will then focus on an in-depth examination of accounting in accordance with the international IFRS/IAS standards, the conceptual foundations and elements of which will be discussed at the beginning. This is followed by the recognition and measurement of key balance sheet items and selected additional information tools. The course concludes with a look at group accounting and a critical appraisal of capital market-oriented accounting standards.

  • Financial Accounting II – Valuation & Governance

    Winter semester

    Scope: 6 ECTS

    Lecture @Business Valuation

    Prof. Dr. Sascha H. Mölls

    Aims and content:

    The course deals with the theoretical and practical basics of business valuation. Starting with a compact repetition of the necessary financial fundamentals and an introduction to the concerns and guiding principles of business valuation theory, the focus is initially on ‘individual marginal price determination’, in which valuation calculations (capitalized earnings values) are interpreted and designed strictly on a subject-related basis. This is followed by the discounted cash flow method originating from the Anglo-Saxon world, which is characterized by at least a ‘partial objectification’ through recourse to capital market data and is referred to as ‘market-oriented marginal price determination’. Reflections on a ‘conflict-related company valuation’ conclude the lecture.

    Lecture @Corporate Governance

    Prof. Dr. Sascha H. Mölls

    Aims and content:

    The specific structure of corporate governance determines both the regulations on financial accounting and auditing as well as the understanding and solution of valuation problems. In this respect, it makes sense to discuss questions of corporate governance from an overarching perspective. After an introductory section, the ‘capitalist enterprise’ is first examined in detail, both conceptually and empirically. This is followed by a focus on the specifics of the ‘managerial enterprise’ (i.e., manager-controlled firms), the ‘co-determined enterprise’ – which is particularly widespread in Germany – and the problems of international corporate governance. In a concluding section, corporate disclosure and auditing are dealt with as parts of corporate governance.

  • Financial Accounting III – Selected Problems

    Summer semester (depending on demand and availability)

    Scope: 6 ECTS

    In the module ‘Financial Accounting III – Selected Problems’, various in-depth courses on special issues of financial accounting and/or auditing are offered depending on demand and availability. Please note current announcements and notices!

  • Financial Accounting IV – Advanced Problems

    Summer or winter semester (depending on demand and availability)

    Scope: 6 ECTS

    Depending on demand and availability, the module ‘Financial Accounting IV – Advanced Problems’ offers more quantitative specializations from the field of ‘Accounting & Finance’" (e.g., credit risk modelling). Please note current announcements and notices!

Modules in "Business Taxation"

  • Business Taxation I 

    Summer semester

    Scope: 6 ECTS

    Lecture @Advanced Business Taxation 

    Dr. Christine Wolter

    Aims and content:

    Following on from the contents of the lecture ‘Introduction to Business Taxation’, the course ‘Advanced Business Taxation’ introduces the basic concepts of tax law and taxation and then analyzes and assesses the central German corporate taxes in detail. In addition, the taxation of selected legal forms is treated comparatively in a decision-oriented understanding and the influence of taxation on investment decisions is analyzed.

    Tutorial @Advanced Business Taxation

    Supplementary tutorial accompanying the lecture ‘Advanded Business Taxation’

    Maurice Ulitzka, M.Sc.

  • Business Taxation II 

    Winter semester

    For this module, two of the following three lectures must be successfully completed.

    Scope: 6 ECTS

    Lecture @Taxation of Mergers & Acquisitions 

    Prof. Dr. Eberhard Kalbfleisch

    Aims and content:

    The lecture ‘Taxation of Mergers & Acquisitions’ focuses on tax and related legal issues that regularly arise in connection with corporate transactions (‘mergers & acquisitions’). The first part of the course deals with the tax bases, in particular the different legal forms of entrepreneurial activity and their income tax treatment, including the legal form-specific taxation of share sales. The second part of the course focuses on the conceptual structuring of typical M&A transactions (asset deals, share deals, mergers) and the associated areas of tax advising (tax due diligence, tax clauses in company purchase agreements, reorganization tax law). The lecture is rounded off by a presentation of the key tax and legal aspects of succession planning in medium-sized companies, which is an important sub-category of mergers & acquisitions in owner-managed family businesses.

    Lecture @International Taxation

    Christof Letzgus, RA StB

    Aims and content:

    The course "International Taxation" supplements the analysis of national corporate taxation with an explicitly international perspective and thus ties in with the empirical fact that not only the activities of large companies, but also those of most medium-sized German companies are cross-border. The fundamentals and principles of such cross-border taxation will be presented and analyzed in detail. With regard to the avoidance of double taxation as a result of cross-border transactions, the focus will be on unilateral avoidance strategies on the one hand and efforts to avoid undesirable taxation effects on the basis of bilateral law on the other.

    Note: If the lecture ‘International Taxation’ is included in the module ‘Taxation III’, it can no longer be taken as part of the module ‘Taxation II’!

    Lecture @Taxation of Capital Market-based Investments

    Dr. Bela Jansen

    Aims and content:

    Issues relating to the taxation of (capital market-oriented) investments, the taxation of transactions and restructurings (‘mergers & acquisitions’), but also the taxation of other investments, asset investments and their transfer are of significant importance for their economic attractiveness. Not least due to the (still ongoing) investigation into the so-called ‘cum-ex transactions’ or other tax-motivated investment products, numerous tax issues have become the focus of both the tax authorities and the political and public debate. Irrespective of these current issues, the legal and tax structuring of investments is an extensive, but at the same time highly practice-relevant area of business taxation. In this course, the relevant issues and solutions from the perspective of initiators and investors are derived and justified from a decision-making perspective and analyzed in detail on the basis of case studies. The structuring and taxation of pension obligations and their cover assets as a central area of capital market investments rounds off the course.

  • Business Taxation III  

    Winter semester

    Scope: 6 ECTS

    Lecture @International Taxation – Lecture & Cases

    Christof Letzgus, RA StB

    Aims and content:

    Tax competition between countries on the one hand and the optimization of the tax burden at the level of international groups on the other are of great economic importance as ‘location policy’ is becoming the focus of business decisions in terms of tax considerations. While such considerations already have a long tradition in the operational practice of companies, they are likely to become even more important in the future in view of the upheavals caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the tax increases to be expected as a result, as well as BREXIT, among other things. Against the background outlined above, the MSc module ‘International Taxation - Lecture & Cases’ offers a special in-depth option in the highly relevant sub-area of ‘Business Taxation’.

    As part of the module, the lecture component is a mixture of self-study and lecture (preferably in attendance), in which integrated presentations on case studies are provided by the participants. In the course, the basics and principles of cross-border taxation are presented and analyzed in detail. With regard to the avoidance of double taxation as a result of cross-border transactions, the focus is on unilateral avoidance strategies on the one hand and efforts to avoid undesirable taxation effects on the basis of bilateral law on the other. The case study component of the module directly picks up on the content conveyed in the lecture and is intended to enable students to delve deeper into current topics. While the topics for the case study are assigned in a kick-off event at the beginning of the semester, the (group) presentation and the project report must be submitted at the end of the semester. If desired by the participants, the completed case study can lead to a practice-oriented project phase in ‘Accounting & Finance’ with a focus on ‘International Taxation’.

    Note: Please note that the module ‘Taxation III’ cannot be taken if the lecture ‘International Taxation’ has already been chosen as part of the module ‘Taxation II’.

Seminar

Other

  • (Research- or industry-related) Project Phase [= Independent Study]

    In the major ‘Accounting & Finance’, you can complete a research- or industry-related project phase in your M.Sc. program. Depending on the examination regulations applicable to you, you can earn up to 18 CP in this module. In each case, working on a project with its specific subtasks will strengthen both your specialist skills and your ability to work independently. While in the "industry-related" project phase you will work on a defined task in cooperation with a company, in the "research-related" project phase we believe that the focus is on preparing you specifically for a M.Sc. thesis in the field of financial accounting/business valuation by working on a small research project.

    Supervision in the ‘research-related’ project phase is provided directly by the staff of the Chair of Financial Accounting, while in the case of an ‘industry-related’ project phase, joint supervision with the practice partner is planned.

    If you are interested, please contact us at rlsek@wiwi.uni-marburg.de to arrange an appointment for an information meeting!

  • M.Sc.-Seminar ‘Empirical Methods in Accounting & Governance‘

    Summer and winter semester

    3 CP for ‚Key Qualifications‘

    Vladlena Prysyazhna, M.Sc.

    Aims and content:

    The lecture is aimed in particular at those students who are currently writing their Master's thesis at the Chair of Financial Accounting or would like to write their final thesis in the foreseeable future. In the course, the most important basics of empirical research methods are repeated and the models potentially relevant for the empirical part of the thesis are presented. The focus is on the application in the field of financial accounting and corporate governance, including interpretation and critical appraisal of the results. Specifically, the following content is covered: (1.) Basics (hypothesis tests, GM assumptions etc.), (2.) factor analysis, (3.) cluster analysis, (4.) linear regression and (5.) categorical regression.