Accounting Department

B Acc 211 Financial Accounting (3)

A thorough introduction to basic financial statements including the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows, and to the principles underlying their construction. Tools of analysis are introduced to help the student evaluate the ability of financial statements to reveal the underlying economic values of the entities they describe. Generally accepted principles of financial accounting are critically examined in light of their ability to reflect the economic values of assets, liabilities, and equities. Not open to freshmen. Intended accounting and business majors should enroll in B Acc 211 in the first semester of their sophomore year. Offered fall semester only.

B Acc 222 Accounting Systems for Managerial Decisions (3)

Emphasizes the uses of accounting data by management. Budgeting, cost concepts and analysis, cost-volume-profit relationships, and funds flow analysis. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 211. Offered spring semester only.

B Acc 311 Financial Accounting Theory I (3)

General theory and concepts of financial accounting and the generally accepted principles as applied to assets, liabilities, and related income items. Exposure to related official financial accounting pronouncements. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 211 or equivalent.

B Acc 312 Financial Accounting Theory II (3)

Continues the in-depth examination (begun in B Acc 311) of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles guiding the preparation of corporate financial statements. The topics addressed include advanced issues in accounting for Stockholder’s Equity, the calculation and disclosure of earnings per share, investments, revenue recognition issues, accounting for income taxes, pensions, leases, and the accounting for and disclosure of accounting changes. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 311.

B Acc 313 Financial Statement Analysis (3)

Intensive course in the analysis of financial statements. Topics include revenue and expense recognition, the validity of various measures of profit, footnote disclosures, merger and pension accounting, and pro forma financial statements. Emphasis is on the relevance of financial statements for bondholders and stakeholders. Key skills include spreadsheet usage and oral and written communication. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 211 and B Acc 222 and open only to students whose concentration is “Financial Analysis”.

B Acc 331 Cost Management Systems (3)

Emphasizes contemporary developments in cost and management accounting. Topics include activity based costing, target costing, life-cycle costing, in addition to the traditional topics of job-order costing, absorption costing, and variable costing. Also focuses on business processes as it relates to supply chain management and quality management. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 222, B Itm 215 or I Csi 101, A Mat 108, or A Itm 220. Offered in spring semester only.

B Acc 381 Financial Information Systems (3)

Analyzing, designing, implementing, and evaluating computer-based and non-computer-based financial information systems. Blending and combining accounting, computers, information, management and organization, and the systems approach to a unified body of knowledge and practice. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 222 and B Itm 215 or equivalent. Offered in fall semester only.

B Acc 411 Financial Accounting Theory III (3)

Examination of generally accepted accounting principles as applied to entities and in respect to financial reporting disclosures. Topics include consolidations, partnership accounting, and accounting for governmental and nonprofit entities. Emphasizes the official financial accounting pronouncements. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 312.

B Acc 422 Statistical Applications in Accounting and Auditing (3)

Introduces decision theory and statistical sampling techniques. Applies these techniques to selected topics in managerial accounting and auditing. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 311 and 331. Offered in Fall semester only.

B Acc 440 Survey of Taxation (3)

This course is a comprehensive introduction to the federal income tax system. It provides a conceptual approach to many tax topics and emphasizes the role that income taxes play in the business decision-making process. The course explores the federal tax law as it relates to individuals and businesses and covers the basic gross income rules, the basic deduction rules, and certain property transaction rules.

B Acc 441 Income Tax Accounting I (3)

Concepts of taxation and of taxable income. Interpretation and application of present tax laws as they pertain to taxpayers. Tax savings and planning. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 211 and Senior standing.

B Acc 442 Income Tax Accounting II (3)

Theory and practice of taxation as applied to partnership, corporate entities, and fiduciaries. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 441.

B Acc 461Z Auditing (3) 

Fundamental analysis of auditing and its contribution to financial reporting, with primary emphasis upon the independent public accountant's attest function. Application of audit tools; e.g., systems flowcharting, statistical sampling, and EDP, integrated with the coverage of audit working papers. Study of specific industry risks. Analyzes problems of legal liability. Emphasis on business communications with research papers and group presentations. Prerequisite(s): B Acc 311 and 381

B Acc 495Q Independent Study in Accounting (3)

Individual study plan in a selected area as approved by the instructor and the department chair in conference with the student. Written and oral progress reports required. Prerequisite(s): Open only to qualified senior accounting students in the School of Business. May not be repeated for credit. An application must be filed through the Office of Career Services. S/U graded. Not useable in the degree program or major.

Acc 512 Theory of Financial Accounting I (3)
General theory and concepts of financial accounting and the generally accepted principles as applied to assets and related income items. Exposure to related official financial accounting pronouncements.  Prerequisite: 3 credits of Financial Accounting. 

Acc 513 Theory of Financial Accounting II (3)
General theory and concepts of financial accounting and the generally accepted principles as applied to liabilities and related income items. Emphasizes official financial accounting pronouncements.  Prerequisite: Acc 512 or equivalent. 

Acc 514 Theory of Financial Accounting III (3)
General theory and concepts of financial accounting and the generally accepted principles as applied to entities and in respect to financial reporting disclosures. Emphasizes official accounting pronouncements. Prerequisite: Acc 513 or equivalent. 

Acc 518 Accounting for Managers
Focuses on the financial statements of business organizations, the information they contain, and how this information is useful to management. Emphasis is placed on the meaning and the value of accounting information to a manager, not on the recording and processing of that information. The course also focuses on the use of accounting information by managers, concerning economic resources. Managers must understand cost concepts and how they relate to a variety of environmental and operational variables. Such understanding leads to the ability to analyze profitability and interpret the information supplied by various performance measurement systems. 

Acc 522 Statistical Methods for Forensic Accounting and Assurance (3) 
Exploratory descriptive data analysis using the language S-Plus.  Basic graphics commands in S-Plus including trellis graphics.  Descriptive data exploration and statistical modeling.  Data processing for Datamining. Classification: Induction of Decision trees, Association Rules in Large Databases. Multivariate Methods: Clustering and other multivariate statistical methods. Anomaly detection.  Prerequisites: Itm 220 or Mat 108 or equivalent.

Acc 531 Introduction to Cost Analysis (3)
Analysis of cost behavior, cost-profit volume analysis, budgeting, standard cost, cost control, and process cost accounting. Not open to students with credit in Acc 331 or equivalent. Prerequisite: Acc 512 or equivalent.

Acc 541 Income Tax Accounting I (3)
Concepts of taxation and of taxable income. Interpretation and application of present tax laws as they pertain to taxpayers. Tax savings and planning. 

Acc 542 Income Taxation of Corporations,Partnerships and Estates, and Trusts (3)
Various dimensions of corporate taxation, and the theory and practice of taxation as applied to partnerships and fiduciaries. Prerequisite: 3 credits of tax accounting. 

Acc 561 Auditing (3)
The independent auditor's attest function. Topical coverage includes audit objectives and planning, evidence gathering, internal control (achieving and evaluating) and audit procedures, all set against the backdrop of generally accepted accounting principles and auditing standards. Problems of independence, ethics, and legal liability are introduced. The application of various audit tools is integrated throughout the course. Prerequisite: Acc 512 or equivalent . 

Acc 611 Contemporary Developments in Accounting Thought (3)
Contemporary accounting theory. Structures accounting thought and interrelates the pronouncements of the AICPA and American Accounting Association with authoritative writings in the journals.  Prerequisite: Acc 312 or equivalent. 

Acc 615 Financial Statement Analysis (3) 
Analysis and interpretation of financial statements, including profitability and ratio analysis, statistical analyses of financial statements, cash flow analysis, accounting-based equity valuation, accounting issues related to firm valuation, earnings quality, earnings management, mergers and acquisitions, intangibles, and international accounting.

Acc 630 Advanced Cost Management (3) 
The design of modern cost systems and the use of accounting data for managerial planning, control, strategic decision-making, and costing. Topics covered include activity-based costing/management, kaizen, target costing, quality costing, benchmarking, life cycle costing, the balanced scorecard and new performance measures, business strategy and competitive positioning, the value chain and competitor analysis, and throughput accounting.

Acc 631 Principles of Tax Research (3)
A study of the principles of research emphasizing practical research projects and case studies. Topics include: basic research techniques, primary and secondary tax reference materials, computer research, code structure, Treasury Department and judicial interpretation, IRS organization and procedures, accounting periods and methods, determination letters, and technical advice memoranda. Prerequisite: Three credits of tax accounting. 

Acc 633 Corporate Taxation (3)
Various dimensions of corporate taxation, including but not limited to the following: formation, distribution, redemption, liquidation, reorganization, and subchapter "S" corporations. Emphasizes reading and interpreting Internal Revenue Code and Revenue Regulations. Prerequisite: Three credits of tax accounting. 

Acc 642 Taxation of Partnerships (3)
Federal income taxation of partnerships: formation, operation, and liquidation; partnerships versus corporation and limited partnerships. Topics include transfer of partnership interests, partner's tax basis, accounting methods/periods, at-risk limitation, partnership distributions, and allocations of deductions and credits. Prerequisite: 3 credits of tax accounting. 

Acc 643 Deferred Compensation and Profit Sharing (3)
Tax considerations of compensation planning for executives and employees of corporations are studied along with recent legislation. Topics covered are pension and profit-sharing plans, termination, liability of fiduciaries, reporting requirements, stock option plans, restricted stock, employee stock ownership plans, deferred compensation arrangements, and salary continuation plans. Prerequisite: Acc 633 or concurrent enrollment. 

Acc 644 Taxation of Estates and Trusts (3)
A study of the income taxation of estates and trusts, including grantor trusts, with emphasis on the integration of estate, gift, and income taxes. Problems involved in estate planning and post-mortem questions arising in estate administration are also considered. Prerequisite: 3 credits of tax accounting. 

Acc 645 Corporate Taxation II: Reorganization (3)
Covers the scope, nature, and purpose of reorganizations in alternative forms. Topics include parties to reorganization, triangular, reverse triangular and divisive reorganizations, failure to qualify for tax free treatment, carryover of tax attributes (operating losses and earnings and profits, accounting methods) and their limitations, taxable mergers, and other special topics.  Prerequisites: Acc 631 and 633. 

Acc 646 State and Interstate Taxation (3)
Review of New York taxation, corporate franchise, personal income, and sales and use tax. Major aspects of personal income taxes sales and compliance use taxes are studied. Domestic and foreign corporations; doing business, maintaining an office, nexus, allocation formula; entire net income; alternative tax base; S-corporations. Prerequisite: Acc 633. 

Acc 647 Taxation of Non-Profit Entities (3)
Covers the various categories or organizations which are exempt (or treated for certain purposes as exempt) from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code 501(c). Exemption for religious, charitable, scientific, educational, labor unions, business leagues, social clubs, and other organizations.  Procedures governing the modification or relocation of an organization's exempt status. Prerequisite: Acc 633. 

Acc 648 Corporate Taxation III: Consolidations (3)
Provides a thorough understanding of the advantages and potential pitfalls of filing consolidated returns.  Subjects include reverse acquisitions, consolidated return change of ownership, separate return limitation years (SRLY), deferred intercompany transactions, excess loss accounts, annual investment adjustments, allocation of the consolidated tax liability, and administrative provisions. Prerequisites: Acc 631 and 633. 

Acc 649 International Taxation (3)
Provides a basic understanding of the various facets of international taxation at the individual and corporate levels. The role of treaties is emphasized. Recent tax acts are examined. Topics also include controlled foreign corporations, foreign tax credit rules, and benefits of possession corporations.  Prerequisite: Acc 633. 

Acc 659 Contemporary Developments in Taxation (1-3)
Various current topics in taxation. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of nine credits.  Prerequisite: Acc 631 or consent of instructor. 

Acc 661 Auditing of Advanced Accounting Systems (3)
Auditing of modern complex accounting information systems. General & application controls and the design & development of generalized audit software. Auditing of operating systems and database management systems. Privacy & security of data in accounting systems. Audit of on-line systems, management systems. Prerequisite: Acc 681 and Acc 512 or equivalent.  

Acc 680 Research Seminar in Accounting (3)
Intensive reading and research on an approved topic of special interest in the student's field of concentration; a comprehensive report and an oral presentation required.

Acc 681 Accounting Information Systems (3)
Transaction cycles and structured analysis & design of accounting information systems. Object-oriented analysis & design of accounting systems with emphasis on internal controls. The course will involve designing & programming of an accounting system using CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering) tools. Prerequisites: Acc 512 or equivalent.

Acc 682 Analysis & Design of Accounting Databases (3)
Basics of relational database theory in the accounting context. Semantic modeling of accounting data including the REA model. Use of CASE tools for the analysis, design & documentation of accounting databases. Languages for retrieval of information from accounting databases. Controls in accounting databases. Prerequisites: Acc 681 and Acc 512 or equivalent. Intended to be taken concurrently with Acc 681.

Acc 683 Advanced Topics in Accounting Information Systems (3)
Topics relating to emerging technologies that affect accounting and auditing practice, including topics such as expert systems in accounting & auditing, groupware systems for auditing, retrieval of audit data. Prerequisites: Acc 681 and Acc 682.

Acc 694 Seminar in Tax and Financial Planning (3)
Designed to plan effectively for the tax and financial issues confronting individuals, corporate executives, owners, and others relative to understanding and evaluating tax shelters. Covers security transactions, closely held businesses, lifetime and estate planning, and the advantages and risks associated with tax shelters. Prerequisites: Acc 633 and 642. Completion of Acc 644 recommended. 

Acc 695 Independent Study in Accounting (1-3)
The student and instructor jointly develop a plan of independent study on an advanced topic in accounting. The student is usually required to prepare a report or paper. May be repeated for a total of 3 credits. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor and department chairperson.

Uday Chandra
“The Association Between LIFO Reserve and Equity Risk: An Empirical Assessment” (with Byung Ro and Bradley Childs). Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance (Summer 2002). 
Enron-Era Disclosure of Off-Balance-Sheet Entities, Uday Chandra, Michael L. Ettredge and Mary S. Stone. Accounting Horizons, Vol. 20, No. 3, 2006. pp.231-252. 

Saurav Dutta
How the Nanotechnology Revolution Will Affect Cost Management, Saurav Dutta, Raef Lawson and David Marcinko, The Journal of Corporate Accounting and Finance (Vol. 17, Issue 3, 2006) 
The Coming Nanotech Revolution: Accounting Challenges, Saurav Dutta and Raef Lawson, Cost Management (2006)

Ingrid Fisher
Structuring Accounting Standards for Digital Representation, Storage and Retrieval. Ingrid E. Fisher. The Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting. Vol. I, No.1. Received the award for “Best Paper” submitted to the Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting in 2003. 23-40. 
New York State Agencies: A Case Study for Analyzing the Process of Legacy System Migration-Part I. Ingrid E. Fisher and Marianne Bradford. Journal of Information Systems. Vol. 19, No. 2. Fall 2005. 173-189. 
New York State Agencies: A Case Study for Analyzing the Process of Legacy System Migration-Part II. Ingrid E. Fisher and Marianne Bradford. Journal of Information Systems. Vol. 20. No. 1. Spring 2006. 141-162. 
The Semantics of Change as Revealed through an Examination of Financial Accounting Standards Amendments. I. Fisher and M. Garnsey. 2006 Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting. Vol. 3 No. 1. 41-59.