Module Descriptors

Year 1

Introduction to Business Enterprise

This module will provide students with a working knowledge of fundamental management and enterprise concepts applicable to a wide range of careers.

Personal and Professional Skills

This module will help students to develop and refine skills necessary for successful study and assessment in higher education, and subsequently enhance their employability. Students will be able to focus on particular skills areas, which are relevant to their own needs and targets, and to their degree programme.

Principles of Management

This module introduces the structure of business firms and the principles of organisation. The course defines, explains and discusses management functions; namely, planning, organising, leading and controlling. Leadership, ethics, motivation, culture and organisation structure will also be covered.

Basic Accounting

This module introduces students to the required basic knowledge of the principles and practices of accounting. By the end of the module, students will be able to explain the functions of financial accounting; describe the regulatory framework governing financial accounting and the principles of double entry bookkeeping; assess the nature of internal control in accounting; prepare bank reconciliations; control accounts and entries for the correction of errors; prepare basic financial statements of sole traders and limited companies; and illustrate accounting adjustments. 

Business Statistics

This module provides understanding of basic concepts of inferential statistics. Students will gain knowledge and skills of some important tools of statistical analysis.

Principles of Marketing

This module aims to introduce the main marketing principles, theory and practice as they apply in consumer, industrial and service organisations.  The module’s purpose is to explore the manner in which firms can gain competitive advantage by adopting a consumer orientation.

Principles of Microeconomics

This module aims to develop the student’s knowledge and understanding of the concepts of microeconomics and to apply principles and models to real world cases and situations. By the end of the module students will have an appreciation of the relevance of economics for business. The module facilitates the application of basic economic concepts, principles and models to understand and analyse the business and economic environment in which we live and work, and to appreciate the impacts of economic decisions and events.

 

Year 2

Principles of Macroeconomics

The aim of this module is to develop the student’s ability to analyse and explain the functioning of an economy at the macro level. The module focuses on examination of the theories of exchange rate determination and the impact of monetary policy on exchange rates. It encourages students to discuss and explain the importance of interest rate parity theorems and the role of macroeconomic parameters in the functioning of international capital flow. It also addresses the mechanism of the determination of aggregate output and employment, interest rates and monetary transmission.

Introduction to Finance

The aim of this module is to develop the student’s abilities to analyse and explain the fundamental financial theories and goals of financial management; identify the agency problem and ways to resolve it; explain the functions of financial markets and the modern financial instruments in use; evaluate investment decisions using discounted cash flow methods under the assumptions of certainty and to examine the role of risk and uncertainty in capital budgeting. 

Analytical Techniques A

In this module students will gain knowledge and skills of operations and research-based applied mathematical tools. This module will focus on developing an understanding of mathematical translation and solution of business problems using linear programming models.

Introduction to Management Information System

This module aims to introduce students to the diversity and use of management information systems in the context of the broader business environment.

Understanding Organisations

This module examines a variety of approaches towards analysing work organisations. The module focuses on individual and group processes within organisations addressing issues such as perception, motivation, group and team structure. It will also explore the nature of organisations, giving an overview of traditional approaches to designing organisations including scientific management, classical theory, contingency theory, and socio-technical systems. It concludes with an overview of organisational structures.

Analytical Techniques B

The aim of this module is to develop the student’s knowledge of mathematics in solving some relevant business problems. The module describes the tools of financial mathematics such as the time value of money, compound interest, and internal rate of return. Also included in this module are project planning tools, inventory models and forecasting methods.

Financial Analysis and reporting

The aim of this module is to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to provide financial information for the purpose of decision-making. This financial information is provided to external decision-makers primarily by means of general purpose statements of operating results, financial position, and cash flow. The module covers the different valuation techniques pertaining to credit risk assessment and cash flow analysis as well. It also develops the student’s ability to prepare different reports for tax and other regulatory compliance-related purposes as well as for the owners of the business, i.e. equity shareholders, lenders, equity analysts and investment bankers.

Management Accounting

This module aims to introduce students to fundamental concepts and practices of management accounting. The module examines basic management and cost accounting concepts and explores their uses in the development of costing systems and decision making in the context of planning and controlling business enterprises.

Managing Organisations

This module is about how people behave in work organisations, how managers seek to shape human behaviour in the workplace, and issues arising from those topics.  The module links with important themes introduced in the Understanding Organisations module, and develops further on the study of behaviour in organisations. It places principal emphasis on the individual and group aspects of organisational behaviour.

Financial Analysis and Reporting

The aim of this module is to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to provide financial information for the purpose of decision-making. This financial information is provided to external decision-makers primarily by means of general purpose statements of operating results, financial position, and cash flow. The module covers the different valuation techniques pertaining to credit risk assessment and cash flow analysis as well. It also develops students’ ability to prepare different reports for tax and other regulatory compliance-related purposes as well as for the owners of the business, i.e. the equity shareholders, lenders, equity analysts and investment bankers.

 

Year 3

Auditing

This module introduces students to the theory and practice of auditing. It will cover the following topics: role and conceptual framework; authority to audit and the role of the professions; ethics and independence; regulation; auditors’ duty and the expectations gaps; auditing standards and the True and Fair View; the nature of evidence; audit process and audit risk; internal control and the auditors’ report.

Accounting Theory

The aim of the module is to develop students’ abilities to analyse and evaluate the alternative measurement systems which may be selected for financial reporting. On completion of the module, students will be able to describe and explain the origins of the conceptual framework approach to financial reporting; understand the characteristics of different depreciation methods; and demonstrate ability in analysing financial statements using a comprehensive range of tools and techniques.

Company Accounting

The aim of the module is to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the historical, conceptual and regulatory framework of UK financial reporting. On completion of the module, students will be able to explain and critically evaluate accounting for tangible and intangible assets and report financial performance. In addition, the module covers preparation of company accounts, in accordance with IAS/GAAP, and the financial statements of groups of companies including subsidiary, associates and joint ventures. Students will develop their skills in the analysis of financial statements and demonstrate the capabilities necessary to analyse a company balance sheet based on GAAP.

Information Systems for Accounting

The aim of the module is to understand the modern business computing environment. It includes the ability to appreciate the role, function and operation of internal controls within a business information system; examine the issues related to the role of information management in an organisation; evaluate the nature and role of ERP systems, database use and automation in accounting and business; and analyse the importance of internal control.

Financial Markets and Institutions

This module is designed to enable students to gain an understanding of financial markets, which include financial institutions, instruments and services. An understanding of the structure, dimensions and the operating mechanisms of financial markets is important as it has wider usage in banking, insurance, forex, and also in capital and money markets. This module enables students to analyse the emerging trends in financial disintermediation and financial instruments. It helps students to be aware of the regulatory framework and its role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the financial markets.

Corporate Financial Management

The aim of the module is to enable students to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the investment appraisal techniques within the framework of overall capital budgeting. By the end of the module, students will be able to explain the advantages and disadvantages of discounted cash flow techniques; describe the relationship between portfolio theory and efficient markets, and the capital-asset pricing model (CAPM); estimate the cost of equity, cost of debt and overall weighted average cost of capital for companies; and critically appraise the important models proposed to explain corporate capital structure and dividend policies and practices.

Modern Banking

The aim of this module is to develop students understanding of the structure and emerging developments in the field of banking. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the structure of the banking industry,  the diversification of banking activities, the special nature and the challenges being faced by this important industry in the post-crisis era . The students will also analyse the most relevant issues of modern banking such as e-cash, consolidation and diversification of the banking industry and the emerging prudential regulations introduced.

Financial Risk Management

This module introduces the sources of financial risk together with the methods used to measure it. Managing financial risk is a key activity for firms and a range of different approaches is outlined in the module. After completing this module, students will be able to understand what financial risk management is designed to achieve; the difference between uncertainty and risk; the multidimensionality of risk; how different attitudes towards risk lead to different decisions; the basic approaches used to manage risks; the basic nature of financial risks being faced by a firm; the three key steps used in risk management (risk awareness, risk measurement and risk adjustment).

Small Business Finance

The aim of this module is to enable students to enhance their skills in managing small businesses and medium level enterprises. It enables students to gain adequate expertise in the development of a small business plan, organising and financing a new venture, and measuring and evaluating the financial performance of businesses and enterprises. The module will enable students to identify the macroeconomic environment, business risk, financial risk and the turnaround strategies for small and medium enterprises.

Operations and Supply Chain Management

The aim of this module is to provide analytical concepts and tools for the management of operations in relation to supply chain management. The module will enhance the student’s ability to perform the analyses necessary to understand management issues in order to make good operational and supply chain decisions. Coverage will include efficient planning of production, process analysis, production planning and line balancing and sequencing, inventory management, supply chain management, quality control and assurance, forecasting and maintenance management.

Business Ethics

The aim of this module is to enable students to acquire a critical understanding of the foundations of business ethics; to develop a sound understanding of both individual and social aspects of business ethics; to examine the historical context of ethical practices and applications; and to develop an appreciation for new or alternative perspectives of ethics, particularly in relation to issues of globalisation.

Human Resource Management

The module aims to assess the strategic relevance of HRM practices and their impact upon business performance. Students will be able to assess the role of managerial competencies in the development of HR plans and strategies, provide a comprehensive analysis of the role of HR metrics in the delivery of HR practices, understand the implications of using differing methods of selecting, promoting and assessing employees, provide knowledge about the main ways of rewarding and managing the performances of employees, and become able to re-evaluate the relevance of the concepts of ‘culture’ and ‘learning’ for the understanding of HRM issues.

 

Year 4

Advanced Accounting Theory and Policy

The aim of the module is to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the financial accounting policy-making under the IASB and in the GCC, UK, and US contexts. By the end of the module, students will be able to explain the nature of financial accounting theory and place it in an historical perspective; to understand politicisation in historical context; understand financial accounting research in the context of capital markets, and particularly its relevance to policy-makers.

Advanced Financial Statement Analysis

The aim of the module is to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of financial statement analysis techniques and the valuation of firms using financial statement data. The module covers the basic equity valuation techniques, various financial statement analysis techniques, relationship between equity risk and the cost of capital in a financial statement analysis context, and the relationships between forecasting, accounting quality and the valuation of the firm.

Advanced Financial Analysis and Valuation

The aim of the module is to critically appreciate the emerging and advanced models and techniques in financial analysis and valuation. Students will acquire the ability to use information and data culled from financial statements to analyse, value and project the behaviour of accounting and financial variables for decision making. Students will also learn the usage of different econometric software in valuation, projections and risk assessments.

Advanced Management Accounting

The aim of the module is to consider the appropriateness and effectiveness of management accounting information as used for decision making and control purposes in organisations and to critically evaluate the contribution of management accounting to the management of business strategy. By the end of the module, students will be able to describe and evaluate methods of transfer pricing within organisations, discuss the ways of analysing different factors which affect the design of management accounting systems and examine the emerging role of management accounting in modern organisations.

Investments

The aim of the module is to discuss and analyse current developments in the field of investments and consider risk in financial markets, pricing of financial and derivative assets, the use of derivatives, important aspects of fund management, bond characteristics, international investments, and hedging techniques. The module also examines features of the management of investment funds and bond valuation. It covers a comprehensive range of tools and techniques to analyse the financial decision-making process and to identify the impact of human psychology on financial decisions.

Public Sector Accounting

The module addresses the concepts of budgetary accounting, including commitment accounting and accrual accounting. In addition, it examines the concepts of audit independence and value for money auditing. It develops students’ knowledge and understanding of the techniques of measuring performance in budgeting, financial accounting and reporting, and auditing. The module also covers traditional budgeting, programme structures, zero-based reviews, capital budgeting, audit independence and local government finance.

Comparative and International Taxation

The aim of the module is to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the principles of comparative taxation, and to provide an understanding of the taxation of international business activity. The module equips students with a grounding in the principles of international taxation and illustrates the ways in which these principles are currently applied in key jurisdictions across the world.

International Corporate Governance

The purpose of this module is to examine the distinctiveness of national norms of corporate governance in advanced and emerging economies. It will provide students with the knowledge of the processes through which international patterns of corporate governance are emerging. The module will examine the pressures of globalisation forces and international organisations on national corporate governance regimes.

Business Law

This module introduces students to the legal framework of business as well as business related areas of law. It will examine how the law operates to ensure coherence, fairness and efficiency in the conduct of business. Students will study the interaction between various principles of business law, current legal issues in the business world, and case studies, and learn how to apply legal rules to hypothetical problems.

International Business Management

This module aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of some of the main forces that are shaping international business. These include the increasing globalisation of business activity (understood as the increasing integration of business activity at the level of both firm and nation state); the new forms of business organisation that multinationals (MNEs) use to capture business opportunities; and the challenges presented to western MNEs by the rise of MNEs in emerging economies such as China and India.

Strategic Management

This module is concerned with the formulation, evaluation, and implementation of long-term strategies by business organisations, mainly in manufacturing and service sectors.  It is also concerned primarily with the higher, strategic level of management decision-making. Strategic Management requires the analysis of complex, uncertain and incomplete information and the ability to deal with this ambiguity, and make and implement firm-wide judgements.

Business Research Methods

This module aims to equip students with skills to develop and undertake a business research report. The course covers the necessary skills and requirements for a literature review, research design, measurement and scaling techniques, sampling methods, methods of data collection and report writing.

The British University in Dubai

Block 11, 1st and 2nd floor, Dubai International Academic City PO Box 345015, Dubai, UAE

Tel: +971 4 279 1400

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