Florida State University Graduate Bulletin 2007-2009

Department of Accounting

College of Business

Chair: Martin G. Fennema; Andersen Professor: Hillison; Andersen Professor: Paterson; Deloitte Professor: Morton; Ernst and Young Professor: Fennema; KPMG Fellow: Billings; Professors: Hillison, R.C. Icerman; Associate Professors: Bathke, Billings, Bowen, Dusenbury, Fennema, Gerard, Heflin, J.D. Icerman, Morton, Paterson, Stevens; Assistant Professors: Baik, Hobson, Lulseged, Perkins; Associates in Accounting: Pierno, Sudano; Assistant in Accounting: Greenberg

The Department of Accounting offers two graduate degree programs: the master of accounting (MAcc) and the doctor of philosophy in business (PhD) with a concentration in accounting. Many master of accounting alumni hold important positions in major accounting firms, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations. Doctoral graduates are faculty members at some of the nation's leading universities.

The accounting faculty is recognized nationally for excellence in teaching and research. Faculty members have expertise in a wide variety of areas including financial accounting and reporting, managerial accounting, governmental accounting, accounting systems, assurance services, and taxation.

The department maintains close relationships with alumni and the accounting profession. These relationships provide students the opportunity to interact with professionals and to become more familiar with the accounting environment in business. The external support of alumni and friends of the accounting program provides for many enhancements of the learning environment, which result in the Florida State University maintaining one of the leading accounting programs in the country.

Students and faculty in accounting have access to state-of-the-art facilities and materials for learning and research. Up-to-date computer technology, excellent library materials, and a wide range of research databases are available. Ongoing research in the department covers a wide range of activities, including empirical analyses of financial reporting issues, the examination of behavioral issues in accounting and auditing, analytical analyses of accounting problems, and the study of current issues in accounting systems, governmental reporting, assurance services, and taxation.

Master of Accounting

The master of accounting (MAcc) program provides students with exposure to advanced theories and topics in the field of accounting. It provides an opportunity both to pursue specialized interests and to acquire a broader knowledge of the accounting discipline in general. Completion of the program prepares students for professional accounting careers and fulfills all requirements to sit for the Certified Public Accountants Examination in the State of Florida. Demand for MAcc graduates has been strong in the past and is expected to continue to be strong in the foreseeable future.

Students in the MAcc program choose a major from four offerings: assurance services, accounting information systems, corporate accounting, or taxation. Each major requires between five and eight graduate courses in accounting, as well as courses in other business areas, for a total of thirty-three (33) semester hours. Each major area includes courses specifically designed for that area. The MAcc program is structured as a full-time, day-time program; however, students may attend on a part-time basis under certain circumstances. Full-time students who have met all prerequisites complete the program in one calendar year. New students may enter the program at the beginning of any term.

A number of fellowships and teaching/research assistantships are awarded by the Department of Accounting to applicants with strong academic credentials.

Applications to the MAcc program are considered for anyone with an undergraduate degree in accounting. Other undergraduate majors are also considered for admission, but are advised to consult the Master of Accounting Program for Non-business Majors. Admission decisions are made by an admissions committee after considering all relevant information. Applicants are required to submit transcripts of prior course work, an acceptable score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. While there are no absolute minimum criteria for admission, successful applicants usually have a GMAT score of 500 or better and a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better in upper-division accounting courses.

Requirements

Specific course requirements in the master of accounting program are under continuous review. For current course requirements, contact: Graduate Office, Room 215 RBB, College of Business, P.O. Box 3061110, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-1110 (gradprog@cob.fsu.edu.

Master of Accounting Program for Non-business Majors

The Department of Accounting also offers a MAcc program for non-business undergraduate majors. Full-time students should be able to complete the program in about two years. The first part of the program consists of undergraduate foundation courses. The second part of the program consists of the MAcc course work described above. Although these courses can be completed as a special student or a second degree-seeking student, students in this program can be admitted to the MAcc program upon meeting the requirements, typically a 3.0 GPA and 500 GMAT score. Students in the program must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA.

Required Undergraduate Foundation Courses

Doctor of Philosophy in Business

Major in Accounting

The doctor of philosophy in business with a major in accounting prepares candidates primarily for teaching and research careers at major academic institutions. The curriculum is tailored to the educational objectives of each candidate, enabling specialization within the field of accounting as well as the selection of a support area of study. The doctoral primary area in accounting assumes course work equivalent to the University's master of accounting program. However, it is possible for exceptional students to be admitted directly into the doctoral program without prior graduate work.

The University offers several supplementary fellowship awards to doctoral students that are in addition to the standard financial assistance provided by the College of Business. All applicants and continuing students are considered automatically for these awards. Additionally, current doctoral students have been successful in winning nationally competitive fellowships from international accounting firms, the McKnight Foundation, the American Accounting Association, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Requirements

Graduate-Level Foundation Courses

The courses below are in addition to the general prerequisites of ECP 5706, MAN 5716, and statistics described elsewhere in this Graduate Bulletin, as well as to the calculus I and II requirement:

ACG 5135 Financial Accounting Theory

ACG 5356 Advanced Management Accounting

FIN 5445 Problems in Financial Management

The above requirements may be satisfied by equivalent course work taken elsewhere.

Primary Area Course Work

The following doctoral seminars and courses are required in the primary area in accounting:

ACG 6696 Seminar in Financial Accounting and Auditing Research (3)

ACG 6835 Seminar in Behavioral Accounting Research (3)

ACG 6885 Introduction to Accounting Research

ACG 6896 Seminar in Capital Market-Based Accounting Research (3)

ACG 6916 Supervised Research (3)

ACG 6939 Seminar in Accounting (3)

FIN 6808 Foundations of Financial Theory (3)

Additional topics may be pursued through directed individual studies with members of the accounting faculty. In addition to these regularly scheduled seminars, the accounting research colloquium meets weekly to share the results of recent research conducted by University faculty, doctoral students, and invited scholars from other universities.

Support Area Courses

For the support area, three or four courses and/or seminars are selected by the candidate in consultation with the primary area adviser. The support area may be chosen from an area either within or outside the College of Business. The nature of research in accounting is increasingly interdisciplinary, drawing on tools and concepts from economics, mathematics, statistics, finance, psychology, and other disciplines. These fields represent common areas in which recent doctoral students have chosen to take their support area course work.

For application forms and additional information related to graduate accounting programs, contact The Graduate Office, Room 215 RBB, College of Business, P.O. Box 3061110, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-1110, or via email at gradprog@cob.fsu.edu.

Definition of Prefixes

ACG—Accounting: General

GEB—General Business

TAX—Taxation

Graduate Courses

Note: The 5000 level courses are reserved exclusively for graduate students. No courses carrying both undergraduate and graduate credit are offered. Courses that may be repeated for credit are designated by "r" immediately following the course number.

ACG 5026. Financial Reporting and Managerial Control (3). This course provides a basic understanding of accounting systems and financial statements as a foundation for analysis. The course also addresses cost systems and controls as they pertain to organizational control.

ACG 5135. Financial Accounting Theory and Standard Setting (3). Prerequisite: ACG 4201. Introduction to the development of financial accounting theory, the relationship of accounting theory and research to standard setting, and discussion of the current standard setting environment.

ACG 5308. Accounting Concepts for Managerial Control (3). Prerequisite: ACG 5005. The controllership function in relation to the responsibilities of management; special emphasis on the measurement and control of unit costs and special decisions of management. Cannot be taken for credit for the master of accounting degree.

ACG 5356. Advanced Management Accounting (3). Prerequisite: ACG 3351. A study of current advanced topics in management accounting.

ACG 5405. Advanced Accounting Information Systems (3). Prerequisite: ACG 4401. Design and operation of accounting systems; relevance of data processing and statistical methods to the system of financial information and control.

ACG 5458. Emerging Technologies in Accounting and Auditing (3). This course is designed for master of accounting students with either an assurance services major or an accounting information systems major. The course furnishes students with knowledge and skills to account for and to audit firms that are using emerging technologies. It provides students with tools to identify and assess the risks of insecure electronic commerce systems and to formulate security-conscious solutions.

ACG 5466. Enterprise Systems and Accounting (3). This course is designed for master of accounting students who are specializing in accounting information systems, assurance services or corporate accounting. The course furnishes students with the knowledge and skills to implement, use and audit enterprise-wide information systems. Students are expected to enter the course with an understanding of databases, as the database is the most crucial component of an enterprise-wide information system.

ACG 5505. Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting and Auditing (3). Prerequisite: ACG 4201. An introduction to financial reporting and auditing requirements for government and not-for-profit entities.

ACG 5635. Auditing Theory and Application II (3). Prerequisite: ACG 4632. Theory of auditing and development of audit programs; procedures for obtaining audit evidence; auditor responsibility under Securities and Exchange Commission requirements.

ACG 5685. Forensic Accounting (3). Prerequisite: ACG 4632 or equivalent. This course provides in-depth exposure to the forensic accounting process and related audit topics, including identification of fraud risk factors and development of skills in detecting fraud.

ACG 5695. Challenges in Professional Accounting (3). Pre- or corequisite: ACG 5635. Case studies emphasizing elements of public practice, standards of professional conduct, fraud issues, systematic controls, auditing principles and standards, and communication of findings.

ACG 5905r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: Consent of associate dean for academic programs. Each course is repeatable up to three times.

ACG 5906r. Special Studies in Management (1–3). Prerequisite: Consent of associate dean for academic programs. Each course is repeatable up to three times.

ACG 5915r. Supervised Research (1–3). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: Consent of associate dean for academic programs. For master's candidates only. A maximum of three (3) hours may apply toward the master's degree. May be repeated to a maximum of five (5) semester hours.

ACG 5935r. Special Topics in Accounting (1–3). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Content varies to provide opportunity to study current issues in accounting and topics not offered in other courses. May be repeated to a maximum of two (2) times as topics vary.

ACG 5945r. Supervised Teaching (1–3). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: Consent of associate dean for academic programs. A maximum of three (3) hours may apply toward the master's degree. May be repeated to a maximum of five (5) semester hours.

ACG 5971r. Thesis (3–6). (S/U grade only.) A minimum of six (6) semester hours of credit is required.

TAX 5015. Federal Income Tax Accounting II (3). Prerequisite: TAX 4001. Concepts and methods of determining income of corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts for tax purposes; interpretation of Internal Revenue Code, related regulations, and tax advisory services.

TAX 5065. Research in Federal Taxation (3). Prerequisite: TAX 4001. A critical examination of the legal aspects of taxation and the development of federal tax law as a basis for planning business decisions.

TAX 5105. Seminar in Corporate Income Taxation (3). Prerequisite: TAX 4001. Develops comprehensive knowledge of corporate income taxation concepts, problems, and authorities.

TAX 5205. Seminar in Partnership Taxation (3). Prerequisite: TAX 4001. Concepts and principles of partnership taxation; the use of partnerships for tax planning.

TAX 5405. Seminar in Federal Taxation of Estates and Gifts (3). Prerequisite: TAX 4001. Develops a comprehensive mastery of concepts, problems, and authorities related to federal estate and gift taxation.

TAX 5875r. Special Topics in Taxation (1–3). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Content varies to provide an opportunity to study technical topics in taxation not offered in other courses. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

ACG 8966. Master's Comprehensive Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)

ACG 8976. Master's Thesis Defense (0). (P/F grade only.)

Doctoral

The doctoral curriculum includes courses selected from the following in addition to those offered at the 5000 level. In exceptional cases master's candidates may elect 6000 level courses with permission of the instructor and the associate programs.

ACG 6696. Seminar in Financial and Auditing Research (3). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. An introduction to the academic literature in financial accounting and auditing research.

ACG 6835. Seminar in Behavioral Accounting Research (3). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A survey of the extant behavioral and human information processing literature as it relates to accounting and auditing.

ACG 6885. Introduction to Accounting Research (3). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A survey of subject areas studied and research methods applied in accounting.

ACG 6896. Seminar in Capital Market-Based Accounting Research (3). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. A review and analysis of extant accounting research in the capital markets area.

ACG 6916r. Supervised Research (1–5). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: Consent of associate dean for graduate programs. May be repeated to a maximum of five (5) semester hours.

ACG 6939r. Seminar in Accounting (3). Research methodologies useful in developing and evaluating accounting theories and principles; historical evaluation of accounting; development of skill in designing accounting research studies. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.

ACG 6946r. Supervised Teaching (1–3). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: Consent of associate dean for academic programs. May be repeated to a maximum of five (5) semester hours.

ACG 6980r. Dissertation (1–12). (S/U grade only.) A minimum of twenty-four (24) semester hours is required.

ACG 8964. Doctoral Preliminary Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)

ACG 8985. Dissertation Defense Examination (0). (P/F grade only.)

GEB 6904r. Readings For Examination (1–12). (S/U grade only.) This course is designed for PhD students who have completed all of their required course work and are preparing to sit for their preliminary examinations in the current semester. May be repeated to a maximum of twenty-four (24) semester hours.