James W. Davis, Dean
200-H Conner Hall
(662) 915-5756

Dale L. Flesher, Associate Dean
200-E Conner Hall
(662) 915-7623

Professors Davis, Elam, D.L. Flesher, T.K. Flesher, and Taylor
Associate Professors Bryan, Burkett, Cassidy, Nichols, Stocks, Wilder, and Zarzeski
Assistant Professors Metrejean, Morf, and Walker

Graduate Programs
The following information concerns programs for the Master of Accountancy, Master of Taxation, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Accountancy. All graduate students are expected to perform teaching and/or research in partial fulfillment of degree requirements. Student performance is reviewed regularly; students must demonstrate satisfactory progress in order to continue an affiliation with the School of Accountancy.

MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY

The objective of the Master of Accountancy program is to provide students with greater breadth and depth in accounting education than the bachelor's or master of business administration degrees provide. The purpose of this program is to provide students not only with the knowledge and background necessary for entry into the profession but also to enable them to continue to grow and develop within the profession.

Admission
Admission to this program is based on the applicant's undergraduate record and the score made on the Graduate Management Admission Test. Test scores must be presented prior to admission. International students must earn a minimum score of 600 on the paper-based TOEFL, or 250 on the computer-based TOEFL.

Prerequisites
Students must present credit in the following undergraduate courses (or their equivalents): Accountancy 303, 304, 309, 401, 402, 405; Economics 201, 202, 301, 302; General Business 211 and Accountancy 411; Management 371; Marketing 351; Mathematics 267; and knowledge of computer programming. A minimum of a C is required in Accountancy 401, 402, and 405.

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MASTER OF TAXATION

The objective of the Master of Taxation is to provide students with a greater breadth and depth in accounting education and a specialization in the tax area. The purpose of this program is to provide education to allow entry into a professional tax career upon graduation and prepare for continuing growth and development.

Admission
Admission to this program is based on the applicant's undergraduate record and the score made on the Graduate Management Admission Test. Test scores must be presented prior to admission. International students must earn a minimum score of 600 on the paper-based TOEFL, or 250 on the computer-based TOEFL.

Prerequisites
Students must present credit in the following undergraduate courses (or their equivalents): Accountancy 303, 304, 309, and a minimum grade of C in 401, 402, 405; Economics 201, 202, 301, 302; General Business 211 and Accountancy 411; Management 371; Marketing 351; Mathematics 267; and knowledge of computer programming. A minimum of a C is required in Accountancy 401, 402, 405.

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Ph.D. IN ACCOUNTANCY

For the degree programs in accountancy, each student must meet all the admission requirements of the Graduate School and present an acceptable score on the Graduate Management Admission Test, including a minimum of 60th percentile on the verbal portion. International students must earn a minimum score of 600 on the paper-based TOEFL or 250 on the computer-based TOEFL. Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

Prerequisites
The prospective candidate must meet the requirements for a master's degree in accountancy or business. In addition, the prospective candidate must have demonstrated competence in the following undergraduate areas:

• Financial and Managerial Accounting
• Auditing
• Taxation
  

The Program In Accountancy
The Ph.D. program in accountancy requires at least 30 hours of approved course work at the 600 level beyond the master's degree and a dissertation. Two minor fields are required and at least one of these minors must be taken in the School of Business Administration. One modern foreign language or an approved alternative is required. Proficiency in quantitative methods also is required. The following constitutes the quantitative proficiency requirement:

MATH 261 and 262 (or the equivalent) with a minimum of "B" in each;
Knowledge of Research Tools and Computer Statistical Programs (such as in
MGMT 690 and MGMT 691); and

• either:
  ECON 604 (Statistical Methods for Business and Economics)
  or
  ECON 609 (Methods of Mathematical Analysis)
  or
  ECON 612 (Operations Research).
  

A minimum of a 3.0 grade-point average must be obtained on the graduate courses that constitute this quantitative proficiency requirement.

The comprehensive examination in the major and each minor may not be taken until after the student has satisfied the foreign language and quantitative methods requirements and has completed all course work, or is in the last semester of course work, for a particular major or minor field. Upon completion of the written comprehensive examinations, the student will take an oral examination covering both course work and the doctoral dissertation proposal.

The course program of each Ph.D. student must be officially approved by the student's doctoral committee and the director of accountancy graduate programs and be on file no later than the end of the first semester of course work.

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Course Descriptions

Accountancy - ACCY

501. INTERNAL/OPERATIONAL AUDITING. Emphasis on proper internal controls and on compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Prerequisite: ACCY 303 or approval of instructor.

502. OIL AND GAS ACCOUNTING. Accounting for exploration, development, production, and reserve recognition for firms in the petroleum industry; related topics in income taxes also are covered. Prerequisites: ACCY 201, 202, and 301. (3).

504. STANDARD COSTS. Trends in costing based on standards in manufacturing industries; setting standards; measuring actual costs against standards; disposition of variances. Prerequisite: ACCY 309. (3).

505. TAXATION FOR NONACCOUNTANTS. Fundamentals of federal taxation, including the background knowledge necessary to recognize the tax consequences of business and investment decisions. Prerequisite: ACCY 202. Not applicable toward a degree in accountancy. (3).

509. INCOME TAXES II. Federal and state income taxes on corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts; a brief study of estate and gift taxes. Prerequisites: a minimum grade of C in ACCY 405; full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or a senior within 15 hours of the bachelor's degree or others with consent of the instructor. (3).

514. MANAGERIAL AND BUDGETARY CONTROL. Work of the controller, with special emphasis on the construction, control, and interpretation of accounts. Budgets of various kinds; recent CPA problems dealing with budgeting. Prerequisite: ACCY 202. (3).

515, 516. ACCOUNTANCY PROBLEMS I, II. Problems and issues encountered in accounting practices. (3, 3).

519. INTRODUCTION TO TAX LAW. Survey of taxation of individuals and corporations. (Same as LAW 519). (3-6).

521. INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING. Topics include comparative international accounting systems, efforts to harmonize accounting standards internationally, problems of foreign currency translation, and accounting and performance evaluation problems of multinational corporations. Prerequisite: ACCY 304. Corequisite: ACCY 402. (3).

525. PROFESSIONAL REPORT WRITING. Intensive practice in professional report writing for accountants. Principles emphasized include analysis of audience, organization of ideas, clarity and conciseness of presentation, and correct grammar. Formats include memos, research reports, business letters, and other types of written communications used by accountants in practice.

530. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AUDITING. Nature, control, and audit of computer-based accounting information systems. (3).

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601. SEMINAR IN ACCOUNTING THEORY. Modern accounting theory; background and applications, with emphasis on the authoritative pronouncements that influence the application of accounting theory. Prerequisite: ACCY 304. (3).

602. SEMINAR IN CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTING THEORY. Financial accounting theory; theory of income and asset valuation, with emphasis on current and historical accounting thought. Prerequisite: ACCY 601. (3).

603. SEMINAR IN CONTEMPORARY TAXATION. This course will cover the theory of taxation and current topics in taxation. The objective is to provide insight into the structure of the tax system as well as to inform students of recent major changes in the tax law and procedure. (3).

605. COST/MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING. Management profit planning and budgeting control; advanced cost accounting concepts and techniques, uses of quantitative tools applied to managerial accounting, and the relationship of information systems to cost/managerial accounting. (3).

606. MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING. Uses and analysis of financial statements; cost accumulation and control; short- and long-range financial planning. Emphasis is placed on the integration of concepts through the use of comprehensive case problems. (Does not apply toward a degree in accountancy). Prerequisite: ACCY 201 and 202. (3).

607. SEMINAR. Guided individual research in accounting, including research methodology. Prerequisite: ACCY 601. (3).

609. SYSTEMS SEMINAR. A study of information systems concepts and applications. Case studies will provide the student an opportunity to relate systems concepts to the actual problems encountered in the analysis, design, implementation, and use of computer-based information systems. Prerequisite: ACCY 304 and knowledge of computer programming. (3).

610. AUDITING SEMINAR. Philosophy, history, and development of auditing; various auditing topics selected for discussion and for written research reports. Prerequisite: ACCY 401. (3).

611. CORPORATIONS. Formation, management and powers of private corporations; powers and duties of directors and stockholders and their liability for ultra vires transactions and for the debts of the corporations. (Same as LAW 601). Prerequisite: full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or others with consent of instructor. (3-4).

612. TAX RESEARCH SEMINAR. Guided individual research in taxes; development of a separate integrated tax plan for each type of business entity. Prerequisite: minimum grade of C in ACCY 405. (3).

620. INDIVIDUAL STUDY. Reading and research in a topic in the field of accountancy. Prerequisite: consent of instructor or director of graduate studies. (May be repeated once for credit). (3).

623. TAX PROBLEMS. Advanced tax problems considered in seminar. (Same as LAW 623). Prerequisite: full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or others with consent of instructor. (1-3).

625. INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL TAXATION. Taxation of multinational organizations and individuals, with particular attention to cross-border transactions. (3).

626. ESTATE AND GIFT TAXATION. (Same as LAW 626). Prerequisite: full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or others with consent of instructor. (3).

629. BUSINESS PLANNING. (Same as LAW 629). Prerequisite: full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or others with consent of instructor. (1-3).

633. INCOME TAXATION OF CORPORATIONS AND SHAREHOLDERS. Federal income taxation of corporate distributions in the form of dividends and redemptions, reorganizations, liquidations, and the formation of the corporate enterprise. (Same as LAW 633). Prerequisite: full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or others with consent of instructor. (3).

634. TAXATION OF PARTNERS AND PARTNERSHIPS. The income taxation of estates, partnership and Subchapter S Corporations, of the Internal Revenue Code. (Same as LAW 634). Prerequisite: full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or others with consent of instructor. (1-3).

650. SECURITIES REGULATIONS. (Same as LAW 650). Prerequisite: full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or others with consent of instructor. (3).

660. DEFERRED COMPENSATION. (Same as LAW 660). Prerequisite: full standing admission in the graduate program in accountancy or others with consent of instructor. (3).

690. PROFESSIONALISM, POLICY AND RESEARCH. A capstone, integrative course for Master of Accountancy students. Emphasizes the environment of the accounting profession, professionalism, interaction between business policy and management process, the accountant as a manager, current developments and emerging issues, and applied research methodology. Many of the topics are covered on a case basis. (3).

697. THESIS. (1-12).

797. DISSERTATION. (1-18).

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