Accounting and Finance – (M.Phil.)

The accounting research group has two key objectives:

* To add to accounting knowledge by carrying out high quality policy relevant academic research in financial reporting, auditing and aspects of regulation, funded by external bodies wherever possible.
* To contribute to public policy making by: * disseminating research findings to practitioners and policy makers through newspapers and professional journals
* establishing and maintaining personal contacts with senior practitioners and regulators.



Much of the group's research effort is directed towards policy relevant research which is disseminated to both academic and practitioner communities; the research focuses on issues of central concern to the accounting profession, accountants and regulators.

While prioritising publication in academic journals, the group also uses the practitioner press to ensure timely dissemination of its findings and the opinions of its members to potential end-users and policy makers. Specifically the group's projects have focused on the following areas:

* Financial Reporting Review Panel
* Auditor independence
* Audit market concentration
* Auditor liability
* The impact of globalisation on financial reporting and auditing standards
* Accounting and auditing in the SME sector
* The ASB's Statement of Principles
* Professional regulation
* Corporate governance

The group makes a major contribution to the promotion of accounting research at a national level by running the CHA annual research methods workshop which has provided an introduction to accounting research for approximately 250 novice researchers since its inception.

The Annual Conference of the British Accounting Association was hosted by Portsmouth Business School in 2006. The conference is the keynote event for the Association and attracts delegates from many countries.

The group organises staff seminars (internal and external speakers) and provides input to other PBS research-promoting activities such as representation on the departmental committee for the allocation of research resources. Members of the group provide the chair and a further member of the Faculty Research Degrees Committee and sit on other Faculty and University committees to do with research.

The course can be studied over two years full-time or four years part-time.