| Unit name | Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in Accounting and Finance |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ACFIM0017 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Morales |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Accounting and Finance - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit is going to give the students an introduction to both qualitative and quantitative research methods that will be crucial to understand and evaluate the problems the students will be faced with in the rest of their units in the programme.
For what concerns qualitative methods, this unit aims to introduce the knowledge and skills required for the undertaking of qualitative research in accounting and finance, including philosophical, practical and ethical issues. It also aims to introduce qualitative research methods and discusses techniques for analysing and drawing sound inferences from qualitative research.
For what concerns quantitative methods, students will learn some of the techniques required to analyse financial data, understand the academic finance literature, and solve financial problems. The econometric models presented in this unit also underpin much of the work conducted by quantitative researchers and analysts in the financial markets, and thus they represent valuable industry knowledge.
This unit will enable students to gain the ability to critically read and evaluate both qualitative and quantitative academic research in accounting and finance. There is a focus on application and the students will learn how to put in practice the knowledge that they acquire during the lectures.
How does this unit fit within your programme of study?
This unit covers a range of qualitative and quantitative techniques that are essential knowledge to be able to critically read and evaluate both qualitative and quantitative research. This unit is essential to all the other units in the programme as well as the dissertation. For the qualitative part, the students will be exposed to case studies that will enable the students to understand and evaluate the empirical work in published academic papers. For the quantitative part, students will undertake practical applications of the statistical techniques in computer lab sessions using an econometrics package such as Stata. As such, the unit will provide them with the skills they need to be able to understand the research literature, choose the most appropriate methods for a given type of problem, and conduct valid analysis when undertaking the investigative part of their dissertations.
An overview of content
This unit begins by introducing the different qualitative research methodologies and methods commonly used in the accounting and finance academic literature. In so doing, it considers the philosophical and ethical issues in qualitative research. Furthermore, the unit considers how qualitative methods can address specific accounting and finance research questions.
Then, the unit proceeds with the illustration of the econometric techniques most commonly used in accounting and finance, including multiple regression methods. Students will learn how to interpret fitted empirical models from statistical and financial perspectives. They will also develop the skills to execute their own econometric models to analyse specific datasets using a software package.
The unit will prepare students to be able to tackle a wide range of topics in accounting and finance using either a qualitative or a quantitative approach. This will enable them to get the most out of a range of optional units in TB2 and their dissertation.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will gain confidence in both analysing empirical research that employs both quantitative and qualitative techniques and criticising the assumptions stated by academic researchers. They will also develop applied problem-solving skills, being able to select and implement the most appropriate tools to explore their data validly and address a particular problem. More broadly, this unit will foster students’ critical thinking and analytical problem solving.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities including lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions, discussion boards and other online learning opportunities. A range of qualitative and quantitative techniques that are essential knowledge to be able to critically read and evaluate both qualitative and quantitative research will be presented in the lectures. In the tutorials, cutting edge research as well as some classics will be discussed. For the qualitative part, these will include case studies that will enable the students to understand and evaluate the empirical work in published academic papers. For the quantitative part, students will undertake practical applications of the statistical techniques in computer lab sessions using an econometrics package such as Stata. Overall, the lectures will provide important technical skills as well as a broad overview of research questions and approaches that will then be applied in more student-centred, interactive sessions in the tutorials. This will help the students develop critical thinking and rigorous analytic skills that are crucial for their dissertation and, beyond the course, highly valued in heavily analytical accounting and finance jobs.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
There will formative assessment that will consist of case studies and self-assessed practice questions.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
This unit will have two forms of summative assessment:
When assessment does not go to plan
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, failed components will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis. The resit exam will have an identical structure to that of the first sit exam, the individual coursework will be a new submission.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ACFIM0017).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
