What is Management Accounting?

In academics and in practice there is a variety of different perspectives to what Management Accounting is.

We take the view that management accounting has the mission to coordinate the information within a company so that the overall company goal may be achieved. 

Due to the interdependencies of decisions in a decentralized organizational structure, e.g. between departments or business units, the necessity of coordination arises and is crucial to success.

What is the subject of Management Accounting?

The Management Accounting courses deal with the efficient employment of Management Accounting tools with the objective of reaching corporate goals. These are typically coordination tools, such as:

• transfer pricing
• budgeting
• incentive creation
• cost allocation, etc.

The topic of cost accounting is also covered since cost accounting offers the information necessary for the solving planning problems. The resulting decisions (e.g. a cost optimal production plan) are then usually evaluated using criteria other than cost.

Why choose Management Accounting as a Major?

Merely a brief glance at the job market section of any major newspaper, such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine, offers a simple yet convincing answer. Currently in the field of business administration, most job offerings are searching for management accountants. Therefore, as a management accountant your career opportunities are excellent!

Moreover, the major invites to take a closer look at interesting current management topics which have a high relevance not only in academics, but also in the corporate practice.

What is a Good Combination of Majors?

In general, expertise in the field of Management Accounting is an enriching complement to most other business administration fields.     

If your goal is a specific specialialization, combining Management  Accounting with the major Finance, Taxation or Accounting and Auditing may be beneficial.

Structure of Management Accounting (Master of Science)

To complete the major Management Accounting, you have to earn 24 Credit Points (CP) in the lecture and discussion courses listed below. The following overview shows all courses offered in which students are able to earn CPs for the major Management Accounting. Furthermore, the figure contains the following information:

-          type of course: obligatory course or elective course, lecture (LV) or discussion session (UE);

-          weekly duration of course (SWS, 1 SWS = 45 min.);

-          teaching cycle (2 = every other semester, # = to be announced);

-          number of CP which can be earned;

-          possible methods of examination: KL = written exam, MP = oral exam, RE = presentation, HA = paper.

 

Attachment No. 20: Controlling	Type of lecture	SWS	Turnus	CP of the Module	Type of exam
Elective Courses
Specialisation module Operative and Strategic Controlling	LE/EX	2+2	2	12	written exam
Specialisation module Value-Based Controlling	LE/EX	2+2	2	6	written exam
Specialisation module Selected Issues in Controlling I (as part of Selected Issues in Accounting & Taxation I)	LE	2	2	3 (6 in total for the module)	written exam
Specialisation module Selected Issues in Controlling II (as part of Selected Issues in Accounting & Taxation II)	LE	2	2	3 (6 in total for the module)	written exam

Please note:

Please check the current course plan of the chair. Here you can find additional information regarding the structure of the study:

http://www.wiso.uni-koeln.de/pa/

http://www.wiso-studienberatungszentrum.uni-koeln.de/

For more information, visit the website of the examination office:

https://www.wiso.uni-koeln.de/de/fakultaet/dekanat/pruefungsaemter/po-2015/download/