Current active course description (last updated 2019/20)
Risk Management and Internal Control
ECO5015
Current active course description (last updated 2019/20)

Risk Management and Internal Control

ECO5015

The course consists of three main interrelated parts.

Part 1. Risk Management: history and theory

This part will start with historical and theoretical foundations of modern risk management, its definitions, tools and main approaches. Special focus will be given to presentation of COSO framework and Enterprise Risk Management as playing a leading role today in guiding risk management practices in a systematic way. This part also incorporates the implications of recent technological advancements, including artificial intelligence, in the context of internal control and risk management.

Part 2. Critical reflections on Risk Management

This part will be devoted to critical reflections on the principles of modern risk managementas risk management of nothing. Based on the empirical research literature and practical examples, we will challenge the widely established trends of ambitious all-encompassing risk management, consider potential collision between risk management and internal control and open discussion for alternative perspectives and opportunities for progress. This part implies active participation from students based on the studied materials and group work.

Part 3. Governance and internal control

This part will focus on the introducing the concepts of governance and internal control. During lectures based on empirical studies of big organizations, we will study the link between organization’s control environment and particular mechanisms of internal control.

The course is only open to students in the Master of Science in Business and Master of Science in Accounting, Auditing and Sustainability study program.
Must fulfill the requirements for admission to the two year Master of Science in Business program.

Knowledge:

  • Have in-depth knowledge within the field of Management Control, with a special focus on relations between business administration, risk management and design of internal control systems, knowledge about various international and internal control frameworks as, for instance, COSO/ISO.
  • Have extensive knowledge on risk typologies, evaluations of organizational capabilities to deal with risks, response strategies, operational registering, measuring and reporting of risks and internal auditing, as well as ethical dilemmas associated with risk management.
  • Have overview of empirical research literature that addresses challenges related to utilization of international internal control framework in practice in various types of organizations.
  • Have in-depth knowledge on how risks can be managed in a systematic way, including application of digital tools as a part of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) systems.
  • Acquire knowledge on external and internal drivers for internal control systems’ change.

Skills:

  • Critically analyze and evaluate contents of international framework for internal control.
  • Based on own analysis of organizations, be able to conclude whether internal control system is established in an organization, how it functions and formulate suggestions for improvements.
  • Be able to use elements of ERM systems to outline measures for managing of different types of risks as on organizational so on operational levels.

General competences:

  • Conduct advanced assignments related to analysis of internal control systems in groups.
  • Discuss in groups and communicate academic research problems related to development of internal control systems.
  • Apply and easy learn skills of work with new ERM digital tools.
  • Realize needs for and provide suggestions for potential changes in internal control systems in different types of organizations in public and private sector.
No tuition fees. Costs for semester registration and course literature apply.
Lectures, group work, group presentations.
The programme is evaluated accirding to the university's quality assurance system.

Due to the Covid-19 epedemic, a number of assessments and exams at Nord University has been changed.

Changes are made in accordance with the Temporary Regulations on Supplements to Regulation 31/01/2019 no. 63: Concerning Studies and Examinations at Nord University - Extraordinary Measures as a Result of the Coronavirus Epidemic- according to §2 of the Corona Epidemic, Assessment Methods, Sections 1-3

To accommodate this, the form of assessment will be changed from Written School examination to Take -home Examination on this course in the spring of 2020.

Pen, pencil, ruler, bilingual dictionary and simple calculator.