Accounting

200 Hudson Street, Harborside 2
(201) 200- 3353
http://www.njcu.edu/department/accounting

Graduate programs and certificates in accounting are designed to prepare students for continued professional advancement. Those earning 150 credits may be eligible for the NJ Certified Public Accounting (CPA) examination.

Ling Yang, CPA, Chairperson
Assistant Professor of Accounting
Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, China, B.A.; Manchester Metropolitan University, U.K., MS; Virginia Commonwealth University, M.S.,  Ph.D.

Nava Cohen
Ecole Normale Superieure, France, B.Sc., M.A.; University Paris-Dauphine, M.Sc.; ESSCC Business School, France, Advanced M.Sc., Ph.D.

Lukas Helikum
Assistant Professor of Accounting
Maastricht University, Holland, B.S., M.S.; Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Ph.D.

Marguerite Griffin
Assistant Professor of Accounting
Iona College, B.B.A., M.B.A.

Michael O’Neill, CPA, CGMA
Assistant Professor of Accounting
Fairleigh Dickinson University, B.S., M.B.A.

Jeanette Ramos-Alexander, CPA, CGMA, CFM, CMA
Professor of Accounting
Pace University, B.B.A.; Fairleigh Dickinson University, M.B.A.

LiJun Ruan
Assistant Professor of Accounting
Tulane University, M.S.; University of Houston, Ph.D.

Afaf Shalaby
Professor of Accounting
Tanta University, Egypt, B.B.A.; Pace University, M.B.A.; Rutgers University, Ph.D.

Mingshan Zhang
Associate Professor of Accounting
Tsinghua University, China, B.A., M.A.; University of Pennsylvania, M.A.; Anderson School of Management at UCLA, Ph.D.

Various discipline-specific concentrations that will prepare students for multiple fields of employment or areas of additional graduate study are noted below. Course requirements for each concentration are explained in detail. The requirements for graduation, in addition to completion of the major area, are listed on "Completing a Graduate Program."

Accounting, M.S.

B.S./M.S. Bridge Program in Accounting, M.S.

Professional Management Accounting, Certificate

Accounting (ACCT)

ACCT 501 Financial Accounting I (3 Credits)

This course provides an overview of the conceptual framework and an in-depth analysis of the accounting standards underlying financial reporting. Topics include cash, receivables, inventories, and long-live assets. Time value of money concepts are introduced for account measurement.

ACCT 502 Accounting for Business Entities (3 Credits)

This course begins with an introduction to accounting for mergers and acquisitions as well as long-term investments. A major part of the course is then devoted to the application of various accounting techniques, including consolidation theory and accounting for minority interests. Coverage is also includes other advanced topics such as accounting for partnerships, corporate bankruptcy and reorganization, foreign currency transactions and translation, and other current financial reporting issues. The course concludes with the study of fund accounting in governmental and non-profit entities.

Prerequisite: ACCT 501 Financial Accounting I

ACCT 504 Federal Taxation of Individuals (3 Credits)

Course will explore Federal Taxation as it applies to the taxation of individuals. Although it is not the purpose of this course to approach the presentation and discussion of taxation from the standpoint of preparation of tax forms, some orientation to forms is necessary. to that end, students will prepare tax forms and schedules for selected problems.

ACCT 505 Introduction to Auditing (3 Credits)

ACCT 508 Financial Accounting II (3 Credits)

This course, a continuation of Intermediate Accounting I, provides an in-depth analysis of investments, liabilities, and stockholders' equity. Topics including investments, bonds, leases, pensions, income tax and earnings per share are thoroughly explored. Official accounting pronouncements are introduced throughout the course.

Pre-Requisite(s): ACCT 501 Financial Accounting I

ACCT 510 Business Ethics (3 Credits)

The objectives of this course are to: familiarize students with some of the ethical problems which they will encounter in today's business environment; encourage students to reflect on their own values; provide students with the analytical tools to enable them to analyze ethical problems in the workplace and to critically evaluate alternative solutions. Topics include: defining business ethics and exploring their role in the contemporary multi-cultural business environment; moral dilemmas in management; corporate social responsibility; conflicts of interest and the role of leadership in creating a strong ethical climate.

ACCT 551 Professional Auditing (3 Credits)

This course begins with a review the important technical tools and techniques needed to become an auditor. These techniques include the identification of audit objectives, the many types of audit evidence required, the internal control evaluation and control risk assessment. The utilization of statistical sampling tools, and the application specific audit procedures are reviewed. Audit programs are designed for several of the major audit cycles. The course will specifically address the issue of management fraud and other timely topics. Audit reports and standards, analytical procedures, auditing electronic information systems, other services performed by the auditor, as well as ethical and legal liability issues are explored.

Prerequisite: ACCT 501 Financial Accounting I

ACCT 552 Strategic Profitability Analysis: Accounting for Managers (3 Credits)

This course explores managerial accounting methods that are used in today's complex manufacturing and service organizations. Focus is on the various aspects of a management accounting system that can be utilized to support primary management tasks or organizing, planning, and controlling through more accurate cost information. Technical topics include advanced issues in the cost-volume-profit analysis and its integration with pricing models, linear programming and regression analysis, pricing models which incorporate activity-based costing, total quality control and related cost measurement, just-in-time purchasing and production, computer integrated manufacturing, and various aspects of performance measurement, budgeting and planning.

Pre-Requisite(s): ACCT 501 Financial Accounting I

ACCT 553 Federal Taxation of Business Entities (3 Credits)

This course provides an in-depth review and discussion of current federal tax law with respect to corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts. A research project concerning a particular aspect of the law is required. The impact of current changes in the tax law that pertain to business entities and the impact on their business strategy are integrated throughout the course.

Prerequisite: ACCT 504 Taxation of Individuals or equivalent

ACCT 559 Analysis of Financial Statements (3 Credits)

This course brings together skills learned in accounting and finance courses. These skills are applied in a financial statement context where new analytical skills are developed. Important investment theories are reviewed. Operating, investing and financing activities of a firm are analyzed. The student will learn to identify liquidity problems of a firm. Financial forecasting techniques are introduced and skills are developed to assess company performance. Analytical models are presented for predicting financial distress. Methods are developed to measure the adequacy of profitability. The emphasis of the course is to develop evaluative, analytical, and critical thinking skills rather than computational skills.

Prerequisite: ACCT 508 Financial Accounting II or equivalent

ACCT 591 Introduction to Fraud Examination (3 Credits)

The student will be introduced to the elements that constitute fraud as well as who commits fraud. This course will cover the various types of fraud, the techniques used to detect fraud and the various anti-fraud initiatives that an organization uses to prevent and/or limit fraudulent acts.

Pre-Requisite(s): ACCT 252 Management Accounting or equivalent.

ACCT 754 Contemporary Accounting Issues (3 Credits)

This course provides the theoretical foundations of major accounting issues, the conceptual framework, recent pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), the rationale for revenue and expense recognition and issues of controversy. The statements of the FASB provide the structure for the course. Emphasis is placed on the most recent standards such as accounting for income taxes and post-retirement benefits. Selected specialized industry standards are also examined. Established standards are analyzed from a theoretical standpoint including leases, earnings per share, exchanges of property, and accounting changes. Alternative theories are also explored including references to current research. The course is not a foundation course but one that is intended to build on previous knowledge acquired by the student.

ACCT 755 Master's Thesis (3 Credits)

This course is the capstone of the program. It involves a master's thesis in an accounting topic that is of interest to the student. Under the direction of the instructor, the student conducts extensive library research connecting some of the many concepts presented to the student over the course of the program. This course is required in the final semester.

ACCT 756 Master's Thesis Continuation (3 Credits)

Required enrollment if a student cannot complete the thesis in one semester.