276 January Term Topics. (0-4)

277 January Term Core Topics. (0-4)

324 Financial Accounting Theory. (2)

325 Intermediate Accounting I. (4)

326 Intermediate Accounting II. (4)

330 Governmental and Institutional Accounting. (3)

331 Cost Accounting. (4)

332 Income Tax Accounting. (4)

335 Business Law. (4)

340 Accounting Information Systems. (4)

371 Individual Learning Project. (1-4)

375 Supervised Study. (0-4)

376 January Term Topics. (0-4)

377 January Term Core Topics. (0-4)

397 Internship. (1-8)

398 Honors Senior Essay, Research or Creative Project. (4)

Chair: Paul Pladson

Faculty: Diane Bratvold, Lucy Larson, Carleen Nordquist, Jean Ochu, Jim O'Meara, Paul Pladson, Betty Wolterman

The accounting department offers a curriculum designed to meet the needs of various student interests. The major provides the student the opportunity to develop a solid conceptual foundation as well as the skills required for entry-level positions in public, private and governmental accounting. In addition, it allows students to prepare for graduate programs in such areas as business, government, finance and law. Students who complete the accounting major and have earned a baccalaureate degree are academically qualified to sit for the CPA Examination.

The discipline of accounting requires that the student develop an ability to think analytically and to organize and categorize a mass of data. It further requires the student to develop an ability to synthesize the information and present it in summarized reports that are understandable to the public. Citizens in a highly developed economic society such as ours should understand economic descriptions of its complex organizations; they should also realize the limitations of those financial reports. As professional accountants, our graduates will be expected to present and interpret financial information, both in writing and orally, to the public.

Required Courses:

113, 114, 324, 325, 326, 331, 332, 338 and one course from 340 or 355. Required supporting courses include CSCI 130, or a CSCI class approved by the accounting department chair, MATH 122 (or 119 or 123), MATH 124, ECON 111 and either ECON 320 or ECON 332 (this has a prerequisite of MATH 119 or 123).

Special Requirements:

A passing score on the Achievement Test for Accounting Graduates.

Suggestions:

Students are recommended to take CSCI 130 prior to the upper level accounting courses. Students wanting to minor in economics should take MATH 119 or 123.

Required courses:

113, 114, 325, and 2 additional accounting courses from the following: 326, 331, 340 and 332. ACCT 324 (2 cr) plus JT ACCT - Basic Income Tax (2 cr) may be substituted for ACCT 332.

Courses

(ACCT)

Concepts, principles and procedures used by profit-oriented firms to account for and report business transactions and events. Preparation and analysis of financial information including the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. Fall and spring.

Concepts, principles, and quantitative tools used for managerial decision-making. Preparation and analysis of internal reports such as operating budgets, capital budgets, and cost variances. Prerequisite: 113. Fall and spring.

Study at the introductory level of a special topic not ordinarily offered during the semesters. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Study at the introductory level of a special topic not ordinarily offered during the semesters. Designed to fulfill core disciplinary requirement. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Study of a special topic not ordinarily offered during the semesters. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

277 January Term Core Topics. (0-4)  [Top]

Study of a special topic not ordinarily offered during the semesters. Designed to fulfill core disciplinary requirement. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

The conceptual framework of financial accounting and reporting, including such areas as objectives, elements, qualitative characteristics, recognition, measurement, and the historical development of accounting concepts. Examination of FASB Concepts Statements and other authoritative pronouncements. This course is designed to help the student develop and understand a model of what good financial reporting should be. Should be taken concurrently with ACCT 325. Prerequisite: 114. Fall and spring.

Principles and procedures underlying the preparation of financial statements. Valuation of assets and related revenue and expense recognition. Time-value-of-money concepts and their application to financial statements. ARBs, APB Opinions and FASB Statements. Prerequisites: 113, 114. Fall and spring.

Principles for valuation of liabilities and stockholders' equity, pensions, leases, earnings per share, statement of cash flows, current issues in financial accounting. Securities and Exchange Commission. Examination of APB Opinions and FASB Statements. Prerequisite: 325. Fall and spring.

Principles of accounting for the general and specialized funds of governmental units and for other non-profit organizations. For accounting majors. Prerequisite: 325. Offered once a year.

Recording, communicating, and interpreting basic cost information for controlling routine operations and long-range planning. Job order and process costing, standard costs and variances, variable costing, flexible budgets, capital budgeting, cost analysis for special purposes, and performance measurement. Prerequisite: 114. Spring.

Federal income taxation of individuals, partnerships, and corporations. Preparation of various returns and forms. CD-ROM research on special tax problems. Prerequisite: 114. Fall and spring.

Law and the judicial process in commerce. Legal regulation of business and its relationships to society. Principles and issues in contract law, sales, product liability, professional ethics, and other topics of contemporary interest to business people. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing. Fall. Cross-listed as MGMT 361.

Business combinations and consolidated statements. Foreign currency translation and transactions. Financial reporting by foreign corporations. Prerequisite: 326 or instructor's permission. Fall and spring.

Information systems analysis, design, implementation and control. Survey of hardware, software and management of accounting and decision support systems. Special emphasis on business microcomputing. Prerequisites: 114 and CSCI 130 or MGMT 241. Fall and spring.

Theory and practice of financial statement auditing. Focus on the nature of auditing, audit environment, standards, reporting, planning, sampling techniques, strategy, ethics, and legal liability. Prerequisites: 326, senior standing, MATH 124. Fall.

Supervised reading or research at the upper-division level. Permission of department chair and completion and/or concurrent registration of 12 credits within the department required. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. Not available to first-year students.

Full-time learning experience during the January Term done under the direction of a faculty moderator, often in conjunction with an off-campus supervisor. Requires permission of instructor. Not available to first-year students.

Study at the upper-division level of a special topic not ordinarily offered during the semesters. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Study at the upper-division level of a special topic not ordinarily offered during the semesters. Designed to fulfill core disciplinary requirement. Consult department for applicability towards major requirements. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Practical off-campus experience with a solid academic component for seniors directed by officers of employing firms or institutions.