Master in International Accounting, Audit & Control Program

Design your career. Get the toolset you need to master financial decision making.

  • Format

    3 Terms + Capstone Project

  • Languages

    ENGLISH

  • Location

    PARIS

  • Fees

    €17,900

  • Intake

    September

  • Credits

    120 ECTS

Accreditations

Program

The Master in International Accounting, Audit & Control is designed to shape the participants’ understanding of contemporary financial reporting and advisory functions needed for the real business world.

The program is offered on a full-time basis and consists of 3 terms of academic courses and a professional experience.

The curriculum contains a wide range of core courses on elementary and advanced issues in financial reporting and management Control. It also features a series of elective courses allowing students to specialize in different areas within the domain of Accounting, Audit & Control.

The Master in International Accounting, Audit & Control is aligned with prerequisites of international professional accountancy institutes (e.g., ACCA, CIMA and IMA) and students benefit from the program’s dedicated faculty which balance relevant academic and business experiences.

Program structure

Course Content

The program is offered on a full-time basis and consists of 3 consecutive semesters of courses followed by a professional experience.

ECTS

International Accounting

12

Due Diligence

2

This comprehensive due diligence course provides practical insights into the acquisition process. Participants will learn about operational steps and the roles of different actors involved. Financial due diligence and its main issues are covered in detail. The course also explores the impact of transactions on client expectations. Participants will have the opportunity to conduct their own due financial diligence using a real case study. By the end of the course, they will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate acquisitions effectively.

International Financial Accounting

3

This course deals with the underlying fundamentals of financial reporting, the factors that affect accounting standard-setting, and the mechanics of accounting for events and transactions that have an economic effect on single-entity firms. The focus of this course is to allow course participants to gain an understanding into the preparation of financial statements.

International Corporate Financial Reporting and Consolidation

4

This course provides a more thorough understanding of financial reporting and extends the fundamentals for multi-establishment firms to consolidation. Starting from the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), students will be able apply knowledge, skills and exercise professional judgment in the application and evaluation of financial reporting principles and practices in a range of business contexts and situations.

International Financial Reporting and Analysis

3

This course provides students with a background for evaluating trends in a company’s performance over several measurement periods and for comparing the performance of different companies over a given period. The courses cover in great depth financial analysis techniques based on the financial reports.

Audit

10

Audit Techniques

2

This is an introduction to audit assignments and discusses concepts like the need for auditors and their independence. Further it advances in audit regulations, the audit process itself, and business risk approach. Students will evaluate true and fairness in reports based upon substantive testing procedures and will discuss year-end cut off and provisions and contingencies.

Accounting Information Systems

2

This course deals with conceptual models and physical implementation of accounting information systems. Accounting systems are studied from an accounting cycle’s perspective, emphasizing the nature and relevance of accounting internal controls and the relationship of accounting systems to the functional areas of accounting. Using contemporary information technology, students analyze, design, and implement accounting systems along with relevant internal control structures.

Forensic Accounting and Fraud Risk Management

2

The purpose of this course is to give students an introduction to forensic accounting and its role within society. It will cover examples of legal system and regulations affecting forensic accounting. The module will also introduce some of the resources and technology available.

Operational Audit Techniques

2

The purpose of this course is to strengthen the students’ ability to anticipate, analyze, and react appropriately to ethical issues that managers as well as employees are confronted with. The course discusses topics on personal integrity, internal and external contexts of globalized businesses, ethics in strategy and global standards for competition.

Risk Based Internal Audit

2

This course strengthens student’s understandings of the risk management tools and techniques. The course provides a framework to allow students to categorize and prioritize different types of risk. Finally, the students will be able to develop and plan a risk based internal audit.

Management Accounting and Internal Control

11

CMA 1

2

The course is an intensive review of some topics which are part of the CMA® certification. It will prepare the students to some topics from Part 1 or Part 2 examination, leveraging on regular classes from the rest of the program, but with a “condensed” approach, helping students become efficient and effective in their preparation for the Certificate.

CMA 2

2

The course is an intensive review of some topics which are part of the CMA® certification. It will prepare the students to some topics from Part 1 or Part 2 examination, leveraging on regular classes from the rest of the program, but with a “condensed” approach, helping students become efficient and effective in their preparation for the Certificate.

Controlling and Auditing Corporate Social Responsibility

3

This course introduces the concepts of CSR and accountability. The course develops the current trends and frameworks on CSR, the assurance practices in relations to CSR reporting and the link between CSR & Management accounting.

Management Accounting

2

This course introduces candidates to elements of management accounting which are used to make and support decisions. The course introduces the nature, the source and purpose of cost accounting and the costing techniques used in business. Further, it contains a discussion on the use of budgeting and standard costing and variance analysis as essential tools for planning and controlling business costs.

Management Control and Decision Making

2

This course builds on the concepts covered in management accounting and intensifies the focus on decision-making. It introduces the student to an economics-based framework for understanding the use of accounting data for decision-making and control in organizations. The course aims at developing an analytical and critical mind towards relevant management accounting practices.

Corporate Finance and Taxation

9

Corporate Finance

2

This course provides an introduction to business finance issues on corporate financial management and investments. The primary objective is to provide a framework, concepts, and tools for analyzing financial decisions based on fundamental principles of modern financial theory.

Financial Econometrics

2

Based on real datasets and practical applications students will cover the fundamental econometric techniques for business. These techniques include graphical investigation of breaks in time series and usage of dummy variables; Validation of regressions; and the use and limitations of linear regressions.

Corporate Governance

2

This course provides the theoretical framework needed to understand the key internal and external governance mechanisms existing in the firms: Ownership structure; Board of directors; Managerial incentives; Corporate debt. Students will also learn the effect of different situations that affect the governance of the firm and understand the current regulation.

International Taxation

3

This international taxation course provides a comprehensive understanding of key concepts and rules governing VAT, Direct Corporate Taxes, and international tax principles. Participants will explore the complexity and hierarchy of international tax rules, including the concept of Soft Law. The course covers conventional treaties and their important definitions, such as “Permanent establishment.” It also highlights the ongoing global changes in international tax, focusing on transparency and combatting aggressive tax practices. Participants will gain insights into significant tax cases between the European Union and the United States. Furthermore, the course offers insights into the role of a Tax Director in an international company’s organization and their interaction with other finance functions. Participants will be trained in transfer pricing techniques suitable for their organization and learn to think strategically about implementing tax planning strategies within a global perspective to maximize after-tax returns.

Data Science for Decision Making

15

Data Analytics

3

At the end of this course, the students will have a good understanding of a global IT audit framework. The students will be able to realize a preliminary evaluation of risks related to an information system, and assess the risks related to the systems security, the systems adaptability, the activity continuation plan and management of accesses. They will also have the opportunity to: evaluate the coverage of the risks related to an information system by the appropriate criteria; prepare the right recommendations to be implemented from the identified risks; and reproduce an IT audit interview in a real business context. The student should also be able to identify advanced data analytics techniques through real-life examples (clustering, link analysis, tag cloud and text mining, etc.). In addition, the participant should be able to distinguish the main steps in a forensics data analytics approach and suggest the right utilization for the right situation. Similarly, the student will be able to: define the right questions starting from the available data; collect and pre-process data; review models estimations and interpretation. The students should also be able to use some basic methods packaged in data analytics software’s like R.

Data Visualization

2

Business is emphasizing the power of data analytics to support decision making. Visualization is a crucial tool for data analytics professionals. To be able to coalesce data into visualizations that convey useful information that effectively supports decision making is a valuable skill. In this course, you will learn basic principles and techniques in data visualization. The course will include hands-on experience using visualization software (Tableau) for data analysis and decision making. Class exercises and a semester project will give you the opportunity to apply foundational skills in design and visualization to create a data story that effectively and efficiently illustrates your analysis, conclusions, and recommendations in an interactive, visual format that assists decision making.

Dataviz Challenge

2

The ‘Dataviz’ challenge will allow participants to tackle a real challenge from the bank sector, responding to a problem issued by the partner company of the project. In the framework of this project, students will thus receive an anonymous database that they will then transform into a visual by using the Data Visualization software of their choice.

ERP

2

This course aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of ERP systems and their significance in organizational settings. Students will gain hands-on experience with SAP ERP software, reaching an intermediate level of proficiency. They will learn how to align business strategy with market realities and effectively adapt the SAP system to execute the strategy. Furthermore, students will develop the skills to establish key performance indicators that facilitate strategy monitoring. By the end of the course, students will have the knowledge and practical abilities to leverage ERP systems in implementing and monitoring business strategies.

Quantitative Methods

2

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to time value of money techniques and statistics and probability techniques. Also, the course introduces students discrete and continuous probability distributions most commonly used to describe the behavior of random variables in the field of investment and project valuation and in financial risk management.

Simulations for Decision Making

2

This course focuses on developing students’ skills in modeling complex business questions and assessing their financial impact. Students will enhance their financial modeling abilities and learn to incorporate probability distributions and run Monte Carlo simulations. They will gain expertise in identifying distribution patterns in historical data to build predictive models for decision-making. Additionally, students will learn to effectively present their analyses to decision-makers, positioning themselves as valuable experts and internal consultants. By the end of the course, students will have acquired beginner to intermediate proficiency in using Palisade’s “@Risk” software for Monte Carlo simulations.

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)

2

This VBA course offers a comprehensive learning experience for students. It begins with a review of advanced Excel functionalities, setting the foundation for VBA programming. Students will learn how to use the Excel macro recorder to record and create absolute and relative macros. The course covers referencing ranges, workbooks, and worksheets, enabling students to interact with different elements of an Excel file. Basic VBA programming structures such as variables, conditional statements, loops, and arrays are explained in detail, providing students with the necessary skills to write effective VBA code. Additionally, the course focuses on working with files and folders, equipping students with the knowledge to manipulate and manage data externally. Lastly, students will explore the creation and utilization of user forms, enhancing their ability to build interactive and user-friendly interfaces within Excel. By the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of VBA programming and be able to leverage its power to automate tasks and enhance Excel functionality.

Management and Consulting

11

Business Ethics and Managerial Behavior

3

This course helps to understand the global context of business, key issues for business activity, as well as business’ social and environmental impact. Students will be able to develop a strategic, proactive vision that reflects social and environmental concerns while emphasizing competitive advantage, corporate value creation, innovation, and leadership. During the course, students will apply theory to practice by emphasizing how global businesses can potentially contribute to the creation of positive social change and to the development of a sustainable future.

Business Game

2

This course is based on a business management simulation game that integrates the functional areas of production, marketing, logistics, finance and strategy. It increases participants’ awareness of operating a company from a general management perspective. At the end of the course, the student should be able to understand how to design and implement a strategy for different kinds of markets; interpret and forecast market situations and financial results and translate them into goal-oriented decisions; analyse problems, find solutions and take decisions in a context characterised by changes; recognize the interactions among the various companies and external stakeholders in a complex and interrelated environment. In this business game, teams will develop and execute strategies for their simulated company operating in different markets with specific customer behavior, cost structures, and currency fluctuations. They will be required, in several rounds of the game, to make operational decisions and overcome various business challenges.

Managing and Leading a Professional Service Firm

2

The course aims at providing students with a good understanding of the nature and rigour of project management, to learn to Initiate, define a project planning, and execute the project in line with budget, time, and scope requirements. Students will also learn how to control/manage the execution of a project and transfer the results of a successful project.

Managing Consultancy

2

The course intends to provide the students with all the necessary tools in order for them to understand the nature and rigour of management consulting and apply skills in management consulting processes; to identify the consulting sector characteristics and features for future employment; to recognise, analyse and negotiate consulting opportunities; to demonstrate problem solving, design and other analytical skills and learn overall consulting process skills; to apply the economics of management consulting to set rates and compensate consultants; to generate insights with meaningful conclusions and recommendations.

Project Management

2

The course aims at providing students with a good understanding of the nature and rigour of project management, to learn to Initiate, define a project planning, and execute the project in line with budget, time, and scope requirements. Students will also learn how to control/manage the execution of a project and transfer the results of a successful project.

Innovation and New Business Development

16

Business Consultancy in a Digital Environment*

4

The course is designed to immerse students into the daily life of business consultants working for an ERP implementation company. Through interactive lectures, group assignments, and the intervention of four expert professionals, this course confronts students with the diverse expectations, tasks, and challenges functional consultants need to tackle. Combining theoretical concepts with hands-on exercises on a hypothetical business case, participants are expected to acquire knowledge on and experience with ERP deliverables and domains (i.e., Microsoft Dynamics 365), workflow design for top-level business processes (i.e.., Procure-to-Pay, Order-to-Cash), project management activities, and functional consulting analysis tools (e.g., XMind, Bizagi).

*(2 courses to be chosen among “Business Consultancy in a Digital Environment”, “Leading for Creativity and Design Thinking” or “Strategic People Management”)

Leading for Creativity and Design Thinking*

4

Creativity is one of the critical components of an organization’s ability to survive and thrive in today’s competitive and dynamic markets. This course will provide participants with a rich understanding of how creativity can be facilitated and managed in a work setting. They will acquire knowledge regarding various theoretical conceptualizations (i.e., how do you define creativity), antecedents (i.e., what makes you and others more creative) and outcomes (i.e., what is the impact) of creativity as well as knowledge on design thinking techniques and tools to lead teams in the creative journey.
How do creative ideas happen? How can we foster our creativity and the creativity of those around us? What are the paths of creative development of individuals who are successful in their creative endeavours? What are the implications for fostering and managing creativity in the workplace? What are the obstacles to creativity? What is the nature of creativity in teams and organizations? These are some of the questions we will address. During the course, a variety of teaching and learning techniques will be used to enable participants to think critically and imaginatively about various perspectives of creativity. To realize the goal of a shared learning experience between participants and the instructor, the course is aimed at integrating real challenges and practical experiences of creativity, projects, presentations, experiential exercises, and critical reflection on the various course materials. 

*(2 courses to be chosen among “Business Consultancy in a Digital Environment”, “Leading for Creativity and Design Thinking” or “Strategic People Management”)

Strategic People Management*

4

Description to come.

*(2 courses to be chosen among “Business Consultancy in a Digital Environment”, “Leading for Creativity and Design Thinking” or “Strategic People Management”)

Career Program

4

Our Career Program helps participants to establish their professional career plan by working on their skills, personal strengths, and using networking tools to be prepared to meet recruiters’ expectations internationally.

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

Build a professional career plan;

Identify personal skills and accumulated experiences (e.g., Master experience);

Adapt professional tools (e.g., CV, LinkedIn) to the local market;

Develop an accurate representation of their professional profile;

Use personal networking to better identify professional opportunities;

Gain insight into techniques and tools to find a job or an internship in France or abroad;

Build self-awareness of personal vocations and interests.

Learn more about the Career Program

Entrepreneurship and New Business Development

4

This course provides participants with a profound understanding on entrepreneurship, new business development, and business plan writing. Through lectures, testimonials, field-work, and group assignments, participants are confronted with the how, where, when, whom, and why of starting and developing new business activities. As part of an international and multicultural team, participants are invited to work on an operational business plan aimed at either the creation of a new venture (NVC-track) or the acceleration of new business for an already established SME (NBD-track). This course’s ambitions thus go beyond providing theoretical insights. Hands-on experience is gained through out-of-class field work covering all steps of the entrepreneurial decision-making process (e.g., idea generation, feasibility analysis, industry study, market analysis, marketing plan, production plan, product development, and financial statements). In doing so, participants accumulate entrepreneurial knowledge and behaviours that support innovative solutions and new value development.

Language Courses

6

Language Courses

6

French language lessons for all levels are included in the program for international students. French is the mandatory choice for all non-French speaking students.
For French speaking students, other languages will be offered, and credited as well (Chinese, Spanish, German – list subject to change).

Hands-on Experience

30

Internship/work experience or thesis/consulting project

30

Capstone Project: 4-to 6-month internship or work experience anywhere in the world. Alternatively, students can opt for a consulting project or a thesis.

Please note that courses are subject to change; please check with the local contact if you have any questions.

Workshops and Corporate Events

Alongside the courses, the program includes various workshops and corporate events to further develop your personal and professional skills. These cover a range of topics, such as conflict management in cross-cultural environments and intercultural communication.
Our Career Program helps participants to establish their professional career plan by working on their skills, personal strengths, and using networking tools to be prepared to meet recruiters’ expectations internationally.

Discover the Career Program

INTERNSHIP

During their internship, students are able to combine theories of management with hands-on experience and apply the cross-cultural skills they have developed at IÉSEG.

Audit Intern, Accountant Intern, Financial Analyst, Control Intern, Audit Project Manager or Financial Control Assistant for example: the internship opportunities offered by the program at the end of the curriculum are multiple.

Some companies which hire our interns: BMW Bank GmbH, Capgemini, Cargill Business Services, Deloitte, Motion Equity Partners, Evergreen Shipping Agency Corporation, Grant Thornton, HSBC, KPMG, Mizuho Bank, PWC, Safran Aircraft Engines, Sanofi Aventis Groupe, etc.

The internship can be undertaken in France or abroad. Most students have done their internships in Europe, in France or in Asia for example.

An IMA Higher Education Endorsed Program and the CMA®

The IMA (Institute of Management Accountants) Higher Education Endorsement Program is a program that identifies business curricula that meet the quality educational standards required to enable students to earn the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) designation. IÉSEG is the first institution in France to receive this endorsement.

IMA’s globally recognized CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) program is a relevant assessment of advanced accounting and financial management knowledge in critical areas such as financial planning, analysis, control, and decision support.
For more information about the CMA certification program, please visit www.imanet.org/certification.

Zoom on… Data Analytics

The evolution of the accounting profession is fundamental for the program.The Data Analytics course allows participants to get involved with advanced data analytics techniques through real-life examples.
Participants get acquainted with the main steps in a forensics data analytics approach and gain knowledge on the use of some available data analytics software.

Local contact

Find here your dedicated contact in your region.

General contact

Corinne M'LANAO

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