What you will study
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- Financial statements and their users
- Ratio analysis, its uses and limitations
- Profitability ratios
- Liquidity ratios
- Measuring activity and use of resources: efficiency ratios
- Measuring risk and financial strength
- Measuring working capital management efficiency
- Valuation ratios and analysis for the investor
- Horizontal, vertical and common size analysis
- Segment analysis
- The limitations of financial reporting information
- Special problems in analysing financial obligations
- Detecting creative accounting methods in financial reports
- Major issues in financial reporting
Key features of the course
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- Flexibility to suit your needs – allowing you to study anytime, anywhere
- An emphasis on personal and professional development through independent learning
- Relevance of topics and practical examples to the context of your own professional practice
- Illustrative practice activities with solutions, “test your understanding” activities and tutor-marked assignments to reinforce learning
- Certificate of completion from London School of Finance and Law
This non-credit short-term course is intended for students who want to gain general knowledge, learn a new skill, upgrade existing skills or develop personal interests in subjects related to finance or tax law.
This course can be taken alongside your degree or professional qualification studies elsewhere or as part of your informal career development programme. It will be of particular value to undergraduate, postgraduate or professional students of business management, banking, investment, finance, accounting and tax law.
Learning outcomes
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- Knowledge and understanding
- Key skills
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Transferable skills
Career relevance
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- Accounting professions
- Financial management
- Tax advisory
- Investment analysis and management
- Business administration
- General management
- Risk management
- Management consultancy
- Professional bodies
- Professional training
- Coaching, mentoring and counselling in finance, tax advisory and business management
- Government offices and NGOs
Study method
Online learning with tutor guidance and support
How long it takes
1 month (32 hours)
You need to be able to spend approximately 8 hours per week on studying this module.
Teaching and assessment
A tutor will guide you throughout the study process and mark and comment on your written work. You and your tutor will primarily communicate with each other through email.
The course work includes online practice tests, tutor-marked assignments and end-of-module assessment. You must use the online VLE-system to submit your tutor-marked assignments and end-of-module assessment.
The Pass mark for the module is 50%. Upon successful completion, students are issued a certificate of completion from London School of Finance and Law.
Study materials
All study materials are provided on the module website.
Microsoft Office presentations and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of study material are available.
A computer with a browser and broadband internet access is required for this module. Functionality may be limited on mobile or tablet devices.
If you have a disability or particular study requirements, please tell us as soon as possible.
Fees and funding
Course fees for the 2024/2025 academic year: £220
Course fees cover registration, course materials, tuition and assessment.
LSFL course fees depend on the level and duration of courses: check all tuition fee rates for the current academic year here.
You may be eligible for tuition funding.
Registration
Next term start date: 20 January 2025
The module website will be available to registered students three days in advance of module start. Module sessions will be opened on a weekly basis to enable tutor-led, gradual progression through the study materials and continuous assessment.
Course registration is open, but please be aware that due to the increased demand it may take us longer to respond than usual.
Registration closes 10 January 2025 (places subject to availability)
Registration for current students:
Registration for new students:
You have to register as an LSFL student to study this course.
Future availability
Interpretation of Financial Statements starts three times a year – in January, May and September.
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English language requirements
There is no formal requirement to prove your English language proficiency to study our courses. If English is not your native or second language, or you would like to improve specialist language skills necessary for your profession, you may complete one of the following English language courses:
A full range of our English language courses can be viewed here.