Accountancy

The George W. Daverio School of Accountancy prepares students to become competent and responsible accounting professionals and business leaders. Accounting is essential for planning, decision-making, control and performance evaluation in all types of organizations, including business, government and non-profit entities. Accounting also supports the need for accountability and transparency in every organization, regardless of size, complexity or location. Government and regulatory organizations (e.g. the Internal Revenue Service and the Securities & Exchange Commission) rely heavily on accountants to support compliance with various laws and regulations. A need for accounting exists whether an organization is small or large, global or domestic, for-profit or not-for-profit, listed or not listed on a stock exchange. Thus, an accounting major offers a wide range of opportunities for future success as a professional.

Students who major in accounting at The University of Akron are generally recruited for professional careers in financial reporting, cost management and control, financial management, financial analysis, internal auditing, external auditing, taxation, information systems audit and control, financial forensics and consultancy. Organizations that recruit accounting majors include public accounting firms, major corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises, government agencies and non-profit organizations. There are exceptional opportunities for professional advancement regardless of career path and the type of institution a graduate may choose.

Professional certification is vital for accounting professionals. We recommend the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential for all of our graduates. Ohio law requires 150 semester credit hours of college-level education as a requirement for the CPA certification. We strongly encourage our students to pursue the Accelerated BS/MS Accounting or the Accelerated BS/Master of Taxation program as a path to obtain the 150 credits needed for the CPA certification.

CPA certification is needed for successful careers in public accounting; it is also highly valuable for careers in corporations, government agencies and other organizations. In addition to the CPA, other certifications that students may pursue include Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Accounting, BS

Accountancy (ACCT)

ACCT 200 Accounting Principles for Non-business Majors (3 Units)

Prerequisite: Minimum of 24 credit hours. Introduction to accounting principles including accounting for revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities, equity, accounting standards and financial statements. This course is designed for non-business majors. It does not count toward the required courses for business or accounting majors; College of Business students cannot earn credit for ACCT 200 Accounting Principles for Non-Business Majors. (Formerly 6200:200)

ACCT 201 Accounting Principles I (3 Units)

Prerequisite: 24 hours of college credit. Introduction to accounting principles including accounting for revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities, equity, accounting standards and financial statements. (Formerly 6200:201)

ACCT 202 Accounting Principles II (3 Units)

Prerequisite: ACCT 201. Information needs of management. Analysis of cash flow and financial statements. Study of product costing systems; standard costs; planning, budgeting, and control systems; overhead cost allocation; cost-volume-profit analysis; relevant costing; and capital budgeting. (Formerly 6200:202)

ACCT 250 Spreadsheet Modeling & Decision Analysis (3 Units)

Prerequisite: Completion of 24 credit hours at The University of Akron. In-depth study of spreadsheet applications and databases to support decision-making and problem-solving in business and accounting. (Formerly 6200:250)

ACCT 290 Specialized Study (1-3 Units)

Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in ACCT 201. Opportunity to study a specialized area in accounting at the sophomore or junior level (may be repeated with change of subject). (Formerly 6200:290)

ACCT 301 Cost Management and Control (3 Units)

Prerequisites: [ECON 200 or ECON 244] and grades of not less than "C" in ACCT 201, ACCT 202, and ACCT 250. Product cost accumulation, cost management strategies, performance evaluation, and application of cost in business decisions. (Formerly 6200:301)

ACCT 305 Cooperative Education in Accounting (0 Units)

Prerequisites: ACCT 201, ACCT 202, ACCT 250. Approved work experience in accounting and taxation. Performance evaluation and written report required. (Formerly 6200:305)

ACCT 316 Financial Applications Development (3 Units)

Prerequisite: ACCT 201, ISM 315. Analysis, design and development of financial and control applications. Integration of intelligent agents into financial information systems for risk assessment, control, and assurance of businesses processes. (Formerly 6200:316)

ACCT 320 Accounting Systems and Internal Control (3 Units)

Prerequisites: A grade of not less than "C" in ACCT 201 and ACCT 250. Covers analysis design, implementation, governance and evaluation of accounting systems; business process modeling and accounting transaction cycles; and internal control. (Formerly 6200:320)

ACCT 321 Financial Reporting and Analysis I (3 Units)

Prerequisite: A grade of not less than a "C" for accounting majors in ACCT 201 or permission. Financial reporting and analysis of cash, receivables, inventories, property, plant and equipment, intangibles and liabilities. Covers U.S. GAAP, IFRS, SEC reporting, and corporate financial reporting policy. Emphasizes professional accounting research. (Formerly 6200:321)

ACCT 322 Financial Reporting and Analysis II (3 Units)

Prerequisite: A grade of not less than a "C" in ACCT 321 or permission. Financial reporting and analysis of owners' equity, investments, revenue recognition, tax allocations, pensions, leases, accounting changes, cash flows, segments, and interim periods. Covers U.S. GAAP, IFRS, SEC reporting, and corporate financial reporting policy. Emphasizes professional accounting research. (Formerly 6200:322)

ACCT 330 Contemporary Federal Taxation (3 Units)

Prerequisite: ACCT 201 with a grade of C or better. Pre/Corequisite: ACCT 321 or admission to the Financial Planning major. Examines current federal tax practices with an emphasis on individual taxes. (Formerly 6200:330)

ACCT 405 Experiential Learning in Accounting (3 Units)

Corequisite: ACCT 305. Approved experiential learning in accounting. Instructor approval required. (Formerly 6200:405)

ACCT 408 International Financial Reporting & Analysis (3 Units)

Prerequisites: A grade of not less than a "C" in ACCT 201 and ACCT 202, and [an international business major (INTB) or ACCT 321]. Covers international accounting standards, analysis of foreign financial statements, international tax issues, accounting for foreign currency, transfer pricing and international auditing standards. (Formerly 6200:408)

ACCT 410 Taxation for Financial Planning (3 Units)

Provides students preparing for careers in financial planning with the necessary knowledge of federal tax law as applied to individuals and businesses. Not to be used as an accounting elective. (Formerly 6200:410)

ACCT 420 Advanced Financial Reporting and Analysis (3 Units)

Prerequisite: ACCT 322. Examination of accounting theory and financial reporting practices for business combinations, partnerships, foreign operations, nonprofit entities and consolidated statements. Covers U.S. GAAP, IFRS, SEC reporting, and corporate financial reporting policy. Emphasizes professional accounting research. (Formerly 6200:420)

ACCT 424 Business Law (3 Units)

Prerequisite: Completion of 64 credits. Understand business law and concepts dealing with the legal environment of business and their applications, including: business ethics, the American legal system, tort law, contracts, secured transactions, bankruptcy, real property, business entities, environmental law, antitrust. (Formerly 6200:424)

ACCT 431 Business Entity Taxation (3 Units)

Prerequisite: ACCT 330. Federal income tax law related to partnerships, corporations, trusts and estates; also includes an overview of federal estate and gift tax law. (Formerly 6200:431)

ACCT 440 Assurance Services and Professional Responsibilities (3 Units)

Prerequisites: ACCT 320, ACCT 322, and ACCT 330. Examines assurance services including external auditing and professional responsibilities. Focuses on standards, professional ethics and independence requirements, and procedures used in conducting assurance services. (Formerly 6200:440)

ACCT 441 Information Systems Audit & Control (3 Units)

Prerequisites: ACCT 440 and ACCT 454 or permission. Learn the fundamental concepts and practices of information systems audit control. Use of contemporary control frameworks, objectives and standards to discuss integrity, control, governance, assurance and effectiveness of financial information systems. (Formerly 6200:441)

ACCT 450 Advanced Applied Analytics & Decision Analysis (3 Units)

Prerequisites: ACCT 201 and ACCT 250, or equivalents. Study advanced topics in data analytics and decision analysis in the context of accounting and business. Topics may include advanced Excel techniques, PowerBI, and other applied analytics software. (Formerly 6200:450)

ACCT 454 Information Systems Security (3 Units)

Prerequisite: ACCT 320 or ISM 310. Focus on information systems risk and security in distributed business environments; develop policies, practices and systems for security of computers and data in business with emphasis on financial information systems. (Formerly 6200:454)

ACCT 460 Advanced Managerial Accounting (3 Units)

Prerequisites: ACCT 301, ACCT 320, and [SCM 330 or SCM 333]. The use of financial and non-financial information in decision making, performance evaluation of business units, strategy and governance, and management control. (Formerly 6200:460)

ACCT 470 Governmental Accounting (3 Units)

Prerequisites: ACCT 321 or equivalent. Theory and procedures involved in application of fund accounting, budgetary control, appropriations and various accounting systems to governmental units, educational, medical and other non-profit institutions. Covers financial reporting for government and not for profit entities and GASB standards. (Formerly 6200:470)

ACCT 475 Experiential Learning in Tax (3 Units)

Prerequisite: ACCT 330 or equivalent with grade of C- or better or permission of the instructor. Students focus on the application of tax law to specific transactions. Students learn to communicate with low-income and nonresident alien clients and work to achieve the best tax outcome when preparing tax returns. Students learn to use tax software and learn to review their own work prior to submitting to the professor for review. (Formerly 6200:475)

ACCT 490 Special Topics in Accounting (1-3 Units)

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Opportunity to study special topics and current issues in accounting. May be repeated with a change of subject. (Formerly 6200:490)