Course Topics
The course covers key aspects of professional subjects and their application to case studies, which are essential for successfully passing the Italian CPA Exam. Different aspects of mergers and acquisitions, along with other corporate reorganizations, will be analyzed using an interdisciplinary approach. The analysis of topics will focus on tax, company law, and accounting issues. The exercises will involve one or more of the following subjects: 1. Corporate valuation: introduction to valuation methods based on cost approach, economic value added (EVA), economic income (UEC), income approach, and discounted cash flows (DCF). Empirical methods (market approach). 2. Mergers & Acquisitions: Asset deal versus share deal: tax, company law, and accounting issues. Merger, split-up (demerger), and spin-off of companies: tax, company law, and accounting issues.

Teaching format
After a brief theoretical introduction of course topics, the concepts will be applied in the solution of CPA Exam papers drawn from previous exam sessions or prepared by the instructor.

Educational objectives
ILO (Intended Learning Outcomes) ILO 1 – Knowledge and Understanding: ILO 1.1 Knowledge of business models and performance measurement for planning and management control, as well as internal and external auditing methods and models ILO 1.2 Accounting courses will also provide expertise in specialised topics that characterise the profession of chartered accountant and auditor ILO 2 – Applying Knowledge and Understanding: ILO 2.1 Ability to analyse and solve complex problems in a national and international interdisciplinary context ILO 2.2 Ability to develop and integrate the results of economic-financial communication into corporate decision-making models ILO 3 – Making Judgements: ILO 3.1 Ability to apply acquired knowledge to make managerial and operational decisions and to solve problems related to administration and finance in companies, intermediaries, and financial markets, while jointly considering multiple analytical perspectives, from economic to legal, financial, strategic, and managerial ILO 3.2 Ability to select data and use appropriate information to describe a problem concerning the management of companies, intermediaries, and financial markets ILO 4 – Communication Skills: ILO 4 Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, the specialised content of individual disciplines, using different registers depending on the audience and the communicative and educational purposes, and to assess the educational impact of such communication ILO 5 – Learning Skills: ILO 5.1 Ability to identify thematic connections and establish relationships between different cases and contexts of analysis ILO 5.2 Ability to develop general models based on the phenomena studied

Assessment
A. Attending students: - Group Assignments, based on examination papers required under the CPA exam and case studies (ILOs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4, 5.1, 5.2); - Written test in the form of a CPA exam simulation, with multiple-choice and/or open-ended questions (ILOs 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1). B. Non-attending students: Single written final exam in the form of a CPA exam simulation. The final exam is one of the examination papers required under the CPA exam, drawn from past CPA exam sessions (ILOs 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4, 5.1, 5.2).

Evaluation criteria
A. Per gli studenti frequentati: - Assignments (70%); - Written final exam (30%). B. Per i non frequentati: - Single written final exam (100%).