Graduate Accounting Courses

ACCT 5086. Problems. 1-3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 0 Hours, Lab: 1-3 Hours).

This course offers students the opportunity to become acquainted with current research being conducted within the student's area of interest; directed reading of a number of sources selected in concert by the student's professor. Prerequisite: Approval of department head.

ACCT 5301. Financial Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course is a part of and a continuation of the Intermediate Accounting sequence. It extends and builds directly on what students have learned in ACCT 3303 and 3304. Topics may include: accounting for pensions; accounting for income taxes in a corporation's financial reporting; changes in accounting principles and correction of errors; preparation of statement of cash flows. This course is intended to qualify for recognition by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy as one semester hour in accounting research and analysis (reflecting the dedication of one semester hour to research and analysis). Accordingly, this course addresses the identification, organization, and integration of diverse sources of information to reach a conclusion or make a decision; and should analyze accounting and taxation issues by reviewing information, using empirical data and analytical methods, recognizing data in patterned activities, forecasting, and integrating data. Students who have successfully completed ACCT 4301 (or equivalent course) cannot receive credit for this course. Students must have a mastery of intermediate financial accounting.

ACCT 5302. Cost/Management Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A study of management control systems, profit performance, standard and direct costing, investment control, and long-range planning. Included is an introduction to accounting for material, labor and manufacturing expenses as related to specific jobs and for process costing, hybrid costing, developing cost systems that will enhance a company's ability to meet its overall objectives in order to remain competitive, methods of cost allocations, and cost, volume and profit analysis as tools for providing management with information required for making decisions. Methods of allocation of joint costs to products and by-products will be covered as well as coverage of the contribution margin approach to analyze products and the concepts of variable costing and absorption costing for products as used in decision making. This course includes research components. Prerequisite: Foundational competency in accounting.

ACCT 5303. Accounting Management. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A study of accounting related to the problems of making business and economic decisions. Course content includes both financial and managerial accounting. Learners will be required to prepare accounting reports and other information as well as interpret and discuss the information. Prerequisite: Foundational competency in accounting.

ACCT 5304. Advanced Financial Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Advanced Financial Accounting is a graduate-level course that examines complex financial reporting issues involving business combinations, consolidations, intercompany transactions, foreign currency matters, partnerships, and specialized entities. Emphasis is placed on the conceptual and authoritative foundations of advanced financial accounting, including recognition, measurement, disclosure, and financial statement presentation in complex reporting environments. Students strengthen their ability to prepare consolidation workpapers, perform intercompany eliminations, assess the financial statement effects of ownership changes and restructuring events, conduct accounting research, and communicate technical accounting conclusions effectively. The course is designed to prepare students for advanced professional responsibilities in financial reporting and analysis. Prerequisite: Foundational competency in intermediate financial accounting courses.

ACCT 5305. Federal Tax Accounting I. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

General concepts of federal income taxation applicable to individuals and business entities. Prerequisite: Foundational competency in accounting.

ACCT 5306. Advanced Tax. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

The course examines fundamental tax concepts encountered when operating different business structures including corporations, partnerships, and S corporations. Issues from entity formation, to operations, distributions, and dissolution are discussed. Furthermore, the impact of transactions on the business and its owners are emphasized throughout the course. A basic introduction to the income taxation of trusts and estates is also included.

ACCT 5307. Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A course specialized in financial accounting related to state and local governments, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. This course is designed to develop students' ability to prepare, use, and interpret both financial accounting information for state and local governments and various types of not-for-profit organizations, both public sector and private sector. Students will examine how the environment for governmental and not-for-profit entities affects appropriate accounting practice and reporting. Emphasis will be placed on how these entities demonstrate accountability and why demonstrating accountability is important. Students will apply fund accounting and budgetary accounting; prepare and analyze financial statements for individual funds and for the state or local government as a whole; and prepare and analyze financial statements for private and public not-for-profit entities. Course includes research component. Prerequisite: Foundational competency in accounting.

ACCT 5309. International Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Examination of international accounting within the context of managing multinational enterprises (MNEs). The course will address different countries’ accounting issues and International Accounting Standards by IFRIS. Prerequisites: COBA 5101 and Intermediate (Financial) Accounting courses or approval by the department head.

ACCT 5310. Accounting Information Systems. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An in-depth study of the application of information systems knowledge to the accounting environment. Emphasis is on developing an understanding the processing of accounting data in a computer environment and the controls necessary to assure accuracy and reliability of the data being processed. Prerequisite: Foundational competency in intermediate financial accounting.

ACCT 5311. Managing Information Systems. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Studies the management and use of information and technology as a resource to create competitive businesses, manage global operations, provide useful products and quality services to customers, whether public or private. Examines information systems management, intellectual property, privacy, organizational and societal impact, legal issues, ethics, security issues, decision making, strategic information systems, and management and organizational support systems.

ACCT 5312. International Tax. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

The course examines fundamental tax concepts encountered when U.S. taxpayers earn income outside the United States and when non-U.S. taxpayers earn income in the United States. Key concepts include determining who is considered a “U.S. taxpayer” and when income is considered U.S.-sourced and non-U.S.-sourced. Coverage also includes rules regarding specific types of income such as rent, interest, compensation for services, and capital gains.

ACCT 5315. Estate and Gift Tax. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the United States estate and gift tax system. Students will (i) learn basic principles and concepts of estate planning, (ii) learn the theoretical basis of the U.S. approach to estate and gift taxation, and (iii) gain detailed knowledge of estate and gift tax issues. Students will also become familiar U.S. estate and gift tax returns. A brief overview of the income taxation of trusts and estates will be provided.

ACCT 5323. Ethics for Professional Accountants. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Explores ways for an accountant to integrate ethical behavior into professional life. Includes a study of ethical behavior and decision making. Also examines various professional codes of conduct within the accounting profession will be examined with emphasis on accountants’ integrity, independence and objectivity, and legal liability. Prerequisite: ACCT 5304.

ACCT 5324. Auditing and Professional Responsibility. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A study of financial auditing standards and procedures. Theory and practice are combined to enable the student to better understand how audits are conducted and to prepare students for the CPA examination. Students who have successfully completed ACCT 4324 cannot receive credit for this course. Credit for both ACCT 4324 and ACCT 5324 will not be permitted by the College of Business Administration (the topics covered in these two courses are equivalent from a Texas State Board of Public Accounting standpoint). Leveling coursework may be required prior to enrollment into this course. Prerequisite: Mastery of intermediate financial accounting or department head approval.

ACCT 5325. Fraud Examination. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course will cover the current impact of fraud in the workplace, types of fraud schemes, how to prevent fraud in the workplace, how fraud is detected and investigated, and legal aspects of fraud. Each student will research an assigned current fraud topic, prepare a term paper and give an oral presentation of the results. Prerequisite: ACCT 5326.

ACCT 5326. Advanced Auditing. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Advanced Auditing is a graduate-level course that examines advanced auditing and assurance issues with emphasis on professional standards, auditor responsibilities, internal control, audit evidence, audit risk, ethical conduct, and professional judgment. The course covers financial statement, operational, compliance, and internal auditing in complex environments, including risk-based planning, fraud considerations, substantive and control testing, audit reporting, and emerging regulatory and professional issues. Students strengthen their ability to analyze audit problems, evaluate evidence, design audit procedures, conduct research, and communicate audit judgments effectively. The course assumes foundational knowledge of auditing and prepares students for advanced audit practice and leadership responsibilities.

ACCT 5330. Advanced Managerial Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Advanced course in managerial accounting: planning, analysis, and control. Develops the role of accountants as financial managers and members of firms’ strategic management teams. Topics include developing cost estimates for managers’ decision-making, measuring and reporting performance, capital budgeting, and management control systems in complex organizations. This course is intended to qualify for one semester credit hour of accounting communications or business communications with the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.

ACCT 5335. Financial Statement Analysis. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

This course equips students to analyze and value real companies using financial statements. Students track business activities into accounting statements, assess profit, and estimate risk. Firm valuation is estimated using multiple approaches such as DCF, residual income and market multiples. Emphasis is placed on written communication of analysis and spreadsheet modeling. Prerequisite: Foundational competency in both accounting and finance.

ACCT 5357. Accounting Theory. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A systematic study of generally accepted accounting principles and rules that govern the practical application of accounting methods, with emphasis on significant problems facing the accounting profession and various solutions proposed by accounting scholars and others. Prerequisite: ACCT 5323 and ACCT 5330.

ACCT 5384. Accounting Internship. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 0 Hours, Lab: 20 Hours).

Directed real-world learning experience under the supervision of a practicing professional accountant. The internship assignment must be approved by an accounting internship advisor prior to enrollment. The internship must be related to the student’s field of study and requires at least 320 hours of supervised work in total, including at least 160 during the semester term. Student maintains a diary of work experience gained and, at semester-end, prepares a written paper reflecting on the work experience. Student also provides to accounting internship advisor the employer’s evaluation of performance and maintains records of all the listed documentation. No credit will be given for previous experience or activities. Prerequisite: Must have completed at least 15 graduate credit hours with at least a 3.0 GPA for all attempted course work toward the master’s degree.

ACCT 5385. Accounting Seminar. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

Selected accounting topics of current importance to business management. May be repeated once for credit when topics vary.

ACCT 5390. Selected Topics in Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

An examination of different financial, managerial, governmental, and not-for-profit topics in Accounting. The course may be repeated for credit as the topic changes. Prerequisite: Mastery of intermediate financial accounting or department head approval.

ACCT 5398. Data Analytics in Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

The combination of computerization and automation of many accounting tasks as well as the explosion of available data is changing the accounting profession. As such, accountants are increasingly required to have an analytics mindset to perform their jobs. The course explores accounting concepts through the application of data analytics. Students need to not only develop the skills to ask the right questions, but to learn how to use tools they may encounter using various data analytics software to examine and analyze data, and then effectively interpret those results. This course is the Accounting capstone course, and students must enroll during the last semester of this program. As such, this capstone course will incorporate a research element utilizing all of the material not only learned in this course, but the Masters of Accounting program as a whole.

ACCT 6307. Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting. 3 Credit Hours (Lecture: 3 Hours, Lab: 0 Hours).

A course specialized in financial accounting related to state and local governments, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. This course is designed to develop students' ability to prepare, use, and interpret both financial accounting information for state and local governments and various types of not-for-profit organizations, both public sector and private sector. Students will examine how the environment for governmental and not-for-profit entities affects appropriate accounting practice and reporting. Emphasis will be placed on how these entities demonstrate accountability and why demonstrating accountability is important. Students will apply fund accounting and budgetary accounting; prepare and analyze financial statements for individual funds and for the state or local government as a whole; and prepare and analyze financial statements for private and public not-for-profit entities. Course includes research component. Prerequisite: COBA 6101 or equivalent or department head approval.