3 credits.

Elective

Addresses the use of financial statements to analyze and value firms. Topics include advanced issues in accounting, earnings quality, performance measurement, cash flows, and accounting-based valuation and trading strategies.

3 credits. Seminar.

Required Course

Open to students in the Accounting M.S. program.

The groundwork for three fundamental issues that are embedded throughout the curriculum in the MS in Accounting Program will be set. First, you will explore the foundations of the accounting profession. Topics will include, but are not limited to the role of personal and professional ethics and ethical ideals in the conduct of a professional, the importance of an auditor in serving the public interest, the cultural significance of accounting, and the regulatory environment governing the accounting profession. Second, you will be exposed to the use of technology within the profession and learning environments. Third, you will apply the concept of information literacy to help ensure continued professional development throughout your career as you develop the skill set to identify an information need, efficiently select information resources relevant to that need, effectively retrieve pertinent information from those relevant resources, astutely synthesize that information into a form that responds to their initial information need, and lastly, articulate the fit of that response to the need as you seek to become a critical user of a variety of information sources within the profession.

Authentication and academic issues are addressed various ways in each course but are more thoroughly explained during this course.

3 credits.

Elective

Topics covered include reporting practices, reporting frameworks, reporting standards, current and proposed regulatory requirements, rating agencies, investment products, and assurance of the reliability of the information. The course also analyzes guidance for synthesizing information from corporate sustainability disclosures into traditional financial and valuation analyses.

3 credits.

Elective

This course focuses on major financial reporting issues in consideration of the current data-centric technological and analytical environment.  Broad topics are derived from FASB’s conceptual framework, including income determination and asset valuation.  Specific topics covered in this course include risk management, earnings management, firm valuation, investing, and corporate governance issues.  This course introduces tools that link non-financial metrics with financial reports, providing actionable insights for external decision makers.

3 credits.

Elective

Study of major managerial accounting issues including analysis and evaluation of cost management systems. Overall focus is on the use of internally generated accounting data to support business strategy and maintain competitive advantages. Current research in the constantly evolving area of managerial accounting is emphasized.

3 credits.

Elective

Students will develop and test expectations about the content of financial reports based on an understanding of how national culture and subcultures affect financial reporting in a principles-based decision environment.

3 credits.

Elective

Advanced treatment of significant assurance services issues. Intended for students with previous coursework in assurance services and/or auditing. Emphasis is placed on (1) planning and performing audits of financial information systems, (2) computer applications of auditing and assurance services, (3) statistical applications in auditing and assurance services, and (4) contemporary ethical and legal issues confronting the professional accounting environment. The course also demonstrates more detailed-level audit techniques: audit planning, risk analysis, assessing internal control, executing audit procedures to substantiate validity of key financial accounts, and a presenting the audit findings in a final audit report.

3 credits.

Elective

Forensic accounting continues to be one of the hottest areas in accounting. This course will first increase your familiarity with opportunities where forensic accounting is gaining utility, and second, establish a mind-set to engage these opportunities that includes skills and abilities not typically taught as part of traditional accounting instruction. You will develop an approach to an engagement using accounting and non-accounting (investigative) skills, learn the importance of verbal and written communications skills, and gain an appreciation for both perspectives on either side of a debate, dispute or issue that will prove invaluable both within and outside the context of forensic accounting.

The course is designed similar to actual real world experiences of new accountants within a firm. Initially, it is similar to the group orientation new hires receive upon hiring, and the class will work together within the threaded discussion just as new hires would complete orientation as a group. Then orientation ends, and new staff are assigned to engagements. Some staff may continue to interact and work together while on a new engagement, the remaining new hires may never see and interact with each other again except at training and firm functions.

3 credits.

Elective

Accounting for nonprofit organizations (NFPs), including educational institutions, hospitals and other healthcare entities, and civic and cultural organizations, is substantially different than for-profit entities. This course will examine topics relating to preparing and using financial statements for NFPs, including accounting, audit, and disclosure requirements and selected issues relating to government grants awarded to NFPs.

3 Credits. 

Elective

This course is an introduction to the skills and technologies used to analyze data with an emphasis on preparing accountants with the ability to interact with data scientists and others.  The role of data analysis in the accounting profession will be explored.  The course utilizes Excel, SAS, and a variety of different statistical models.  Students will be introduced to the tools and concepts fundamental to data analytics.

3 Credits. 

Elective

This course introduces practical issues such as dealing with errors in data and preparing data for analysis.  Additional techniques for preparing data and dealing with data anomalies are explored and practiced.  This is a technical, hands-on course that prepares students for tasks entry level accounting professionals handle.

3 Credits.

Elective

This course provides an overview of Accounting Information Systems with emphasis on business process analysis, data modeling, business analytics, and internal controls. The course highlights emerging trends in data analytics and its growing impact in accounting. Students work directly with various software tools to learn relational database design, data retrieval, and analysis. In addition, the course introduces principles of Big Data, data visualization and software for fraud detection and internal controls.

3 credits.

Elective

This course provides students with an understanding of how the characteristics and unique objectives of government entities are manifested in the accounting standards, audit procedures and disclosure requirements. Topics addressed include the different types of governance structures and related authority, purpose of the various governmental financial statements, basis of accounting and measurement focus of the various fund types, and certain financial statement disclosures.

3 credits.

Elective

This course provides students with the ability within the COSO framework to identify events that may impact a non-financial,publicly traded enterprise’s ability to realize value for its stakeholders using the concept of the triple bottom line of profit, people, and planet. Events will be evaluated as risks that have negative impacts and opportunities with potential positive impacts. ERM techniques applied in the course will include: risk control, business continuity, reputation risk, supply-chain management, compensation system alignment, and strategic decisions.

3 credits.

Required if plan of study has no included 5532 or 5533, otherwise an elective

Application of basic tax concepts to business entities, with particular emphasis on flow through entities. At the end of the course, students should be able to identify and address the tax issues faced when forming, operating, and liquidating a flow through entity.

3 credits.

Elective

Application of basic tax concepts to business entities, with particular emphasis on C corporations. At the end of the course, students should be able to identify and address the tax issues faced when forming, operating, and liquidating a C corporation.

3 Credits.

Elective

This course provides a foundation for understanding how taxes affect economic behavior. Students work through a conceptual framework that describes how tax rules affect business decisions. At the end of this course, students should be able to apply this conceptual framework to a number of settings including compensation, organizational form, investment strategies, and multinational tax issues.

3 credits.

Elective

This course provides students with the information literacy skills required of an accounting professional to research, analyze, and communicate findings related to complex financial reporting, auditing, internal control, and tax appropriate resources to meet information needs, specify and implement research strategies, and evaluate resources in order to fulfill those needs. It will evaluate how to use resources including databases that cover the authoritative literature.

3 credits.

Elective

This course focuses on the financial reporting related to federal, foreign, and state income taxes. Students will learn how to: calculate income tax amounts reported on the income statement and balance sheet, and prepare the income tax footnote and related disclosures.