DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING

Major in Accounting | Minor in Accounting | Course Descriptions

Chair: Philip Morris (936) 294-1258

Faculty: Elsie Ameen, Carl Brewer, Linda Carrington, Ronny Daigle, Diane Green, Jeff Harwell, Ennis Hawkins, Alice Ketchand, Taylor Klett, Ross Quarles, Martha Sale, Anna Shaheen, Jeff Strawser

Vision

To be a leading professional accounting department among Texas universities providing a relevant curriculum delivered by professional faculty dedicated to teaching, research, and service.

Mission

 Our mission is to prepare our students to enter the accounting profession in the public, industry, and not-for-profit sectors through excellent teaching and pedagogy and through the creation of a sound learning environment.  In support of this mission our faculty will produce intellectual contributions that contribute to the professional practice of accounting, to accounting pedagogy, and to discipline based research.  We will also maintain a level of interaction with the accounting profession that ensures the continued relevance of our program and viability of our graduates.

Academic Program(s)

Highlights

The Department of Accounting works closely with outside stakeholders in CPA firms, industry, and government in order to ensure that the accounting curriculum provides students with the necessary skill sets and knowledge to successfully function as professional accountants upon graduation. Evidence of the success of this process is provided in part by the continued recruitment of SHSU accounting graduates by numerous, diverse employers. Accounting majors participate in the annual Meet the Firms career fair held in the Fall semester. This function, directly sponsored by the SHSU Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the national accounting honor organization, is attended by employers that are specifically and many times solely interested in accounting majors and, in some cases, finance majors. This activity began in 1997 and has grown each year since. Accounting majors, minors, MIS majors, and finance majors from all levels attend this event to begin or to continue their participation in recruitment and hiring process.

Generally each week during the Fall and Spring semesters, representatives from large and small CPA firms, representatives from local and global public companies from diverse industries, and representatives from governmental agencies ranging from law enforcement to space exploration come to the SHSU campus to make presentations to and meet accounting majors. These presentations, sponsored by the campus chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, provide real world perspectives and information to the students that attend. All accounting and other majors are welcome at these presentations. In the social activities that usually follow these presentations, students have the opportunity to meet face to face with the representatives from these off campus organizations, most of which recruit students from the Accounting program at SHSU.

Representatives from a wide variety of business and governmental entities make presentations on a weekly basis during the Fall and Spring semesters at the National Association of Black Accountants chapter meetings on campus. Because the membership of this organization is not limited to accounting, finance, or MIS majors, these presentations address a broad range of business and professional topics. Social events held after many of these presentations present the opportunity for students to interact one on one with the representatives from a wide range of business and professional entities.

Career Opportunities

• Public accountant
• Tax accountant
• Cost accountant
• Government accountant
• Budget accountant
• Auditor
• Actuary
• Appraiser
• Budget analyst
• Credit analyst
• Financial examiner
• Tax examiner
• Revenue agent
• Educator

Suggested Minors

No minor is required.  Students are welcome to select a minor following consultation with the Department Chair, but should be aware that a minor will add hours to the length of the degree program.

Student Organizations and Activities

• Beta Alpha Psi
• National Association of Black Accountants
• Student membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• Student membership Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)

Internships

The Department of Accounting has an active internship program and student are encouraged to participate.  Selection requirements are rigorous and involve meeting both minimum standards set by the Department of Accounting and selection by the hiring firm or business following an interview process.  These internships must meet guidelines as established by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy and involve specific, direct accounting training and activity beyond routine clerical and office activities. Students generally participate in internships in the Spring semester of their senior year. The selection process for these internship positions occurs generally during the early Spring semester of the Junior year. In some cases internships are available during Summer terms. Interested students should contact the Accounting Internship Program Director through the Department of Accounting office for departmental selection criteria and application requirements.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available on a competitive basis for accounting majors. Applications from upper-classmen for various scholarships, available through the Department of Accounting office, are accepted between January 2 and February 15. Scholarship recipients are announced in April for the following academic year. The specific scholarships that are available through the Department of Accounting vary from year to year. Accounting majors must complete the application for scholarships available through the Department of Accounting office in order to be considered for all scholarships available in any given year.

Scholarships that are available from year to year may include:

• Dr. Clinton Althaus Endowed Accounting Scholarship
• Dr. Rita Huff Accounting Scholarship
• Elwood Parkhill Memorial Accounting Scholarship
• Hildreth Hosea Smith Memorial Scholarship
• J. Roy Wells Business Scholarship
• Leonard and Marlene Keeling Endowed Scholarship
• W.O. “Bud” Whitlock Endowed Scholarship
• Carol Lee Sangster Accounting Scholarship
• Edwin G. Sandhop Jr. Endowed Scholarship
• H.O. and Laquita Crawford Endowed Scholarship
• Dow Chemical SHSU Alumni Scholarship(s)
• Ernst and Young SHSU Alumni Scholarship

Please see the College of Business Administration section for information on college and university-level scholarships.

Program-Specific Requirements

Minimum GPA Requirement for a BBA in Accounting

An overall minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for students to graduate with a BBA in Accounting.

Minimum GRADES in Accounting Courses

A minimum grade of “C” in accounting courses taken (prefix ACC) is required for a student to graduate with a BBA in Accounting.

Uniform CPA Examination Information

Due to the rigorous requirements of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, completion of the BBA in Accounting will not qualify one to take the CPA examination.  The Department of Accounting offers a Master of Science in Accounting whereby a student may satisfy the educational requirements to sit for the Uniform CPA examination in the state of Texas.  Students who wish to qualify to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination through programs other than one of the five-year master’s programs should check the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy homepage at http://www.tsbpa.state.tx.us/.

Curriculum*

The following degree plan is accurate for any student filing a new or revised degree plan Fall 2007 or later AND any student with a previously submitted degree plan who has not completed nine (9) hours of advanced Accounting electives.

To view the degree plan effective prior to Fall 2007, click here.  For questions, please contact the Department of Accounting at (936) 294-1258.

Major In Accounting¹
Bachelor of Business Administration

¹ Transfer students must take at least 50% of the required business curriculum for the B.B.A. degree in residence at Sam Houston State University.

²Two four-hour laboratory science courses from: Biology (including ESC 147), Chemistry, Geography/Geology (the only geography course that satisfies a laboratory science requirement is GEO 131/111), or Physics.

³ Select from AGR 299*, ART 160, 161, 163, 260, DNC 172, 176, MUS 161, 264, 265, or THR 160, 164, 166, 230, 231. Satisfies the Visual and Performing Arts requirement of Component Area 4 of the Core Curriculum (see the Core Curriculum section of this catalog).

⁴ Select from BSL 236, Foreign Languages 263, 264, GEO 265, 266, HIS 265, 266, or SOC 168. Satisfies the Cultural Studies requirement of Component Area 4 of the Core Curriculum (see pages 52-53 of this catalog).

Minor In Accounting

A minor in Accounting (18 hours) is available to all bachelor degree programs that permit a minor. The minor in Accounting requires ACC 231, 232, 365, and 9 additional advanced hours (300-level or above) hours in Accounting excluding ACC 331 with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in these courses. Furthermore, degree candidates for a minor in accounting must achieve a minimum 2.0 grade point average for all hours attempted in business courses, including residence and transfer hours whether required for the accounting minor or not.

Accounting Course Descriptions

ACC 231 Principles of Financial Accounting. [ACCT 2301] A study of the basic accounting concepts and procedures underlying the organization and reporting of financial information. Topics include the accounting cycle, the preparation of financial statements, the measurement and reporting of business income, and the valuation and presentation of assets and current liabilities. Emphasis is placed on the relevance of the business and economic information generated by the accounting process and how it is used in personal and business decision making. Prerequisite: 18 semester credit hours of college credit. Credit 3. (Note: students who plan to take ACC 365 must earn a minimum grade of C in ACC 231)

ACC 232 Principles of Managerial Accounting. [ACCT 2302] A continuation of financial accounting topics followed by an introduction to managerial accounting. Topics include corporate accounting issues, bonds, statement of cash flows, financial statement analysis, job costing, cost behavior, cost-volume-profit analysis, budgeting, performance evaluation, product pricing and capital budgeting. Emphasis is placed on the usage of accounting information in managerial decision making. Prerequisite: ACC 231. Credit 3. (Note: students who plan to take ACC 365 must earn a minimum grade of C in ACC 232)

ACC 233 Basic Tax Concepts and Procedures. This survey course is designed to introduce non-accounting students to the basic concepts and procedures of taxation of individuals and businesses. Students will learn to prepare individual income tax returns as well as necessary forms for starting and operating a small business. Tax planning actions to minimize tax costs will be covered. Prerequisites: None. Not open to Accounting majors. Credit 3.

ACC 331 Managerial Accounting. Further development of financial accounting concepts, interpretation, and the study of management uses of accounting data. This course includes a study of basic accounting concepts, interpretation of accounting reports, cost control and analysis, and methods of measuring performance. Not open to Accounting majors or minors. Prerequisite: ACC 232. Credit 3.

ACC 335 International Accounting. An introduction to the accounting aspects of international business. Topics covered from an international perspective include the interaction between accounting and its environment, differing national accounting practices, international harmonization of accounting and reporting, foreign currency translation and exchange rate issues, problems of inflation, transfer pricing and taxation, managerial accounting and analysis of foreign financial statements. Prerequisite: ACC 232. Credit 3.

ACC 365 Intermediate Accounting I. A thorough study of the accounting principles underlying the preparation of financial statements. This course is concerned primarily with the recording process, formats of the financial statements, and the measurement and reporting of current and noncurrent assets and related revenues and expenses. The environment of accounting, basic accounting theory, and time value of money concepts are emphasized. Prerequisite: ACC 231 and 232 with a minimum grade of C in each. Credit 3.

ACC 366 Intermediate Accounting II. A continuation of ACC 365, this course extends the study of the preparation of financial statements to the measurement and reporting of current and long term liabilities, stockholders’ equity and investments. Additional topics include cash flow statements, accounting for pensions, leases, and income taxes. Prerequisite: ACC 365 with a minimum grade of C. Credit 3.

ACC 369 Cost Accounting. A study of cost accounting principles and techniques of assembling data for product costing and for managerial use in planning and control and decision making. Cost terminology, cost behavior, job order and process costing, budgeting, cost-volume-profit analysis, standard costs, and activity based costing are topics covered. Prerequisite: ACC 232. Credit 3.

ACC 381 Principles of Accounting Systems Designs. A study of principles of accounting systems design integrated into both manual and computerized systems. Also includes emphasis on the accounting cycle, internal control structures, computerized transaction processing systems, relational databases, and integrated enterprise resource planning systems in accounting. Prerequisites: ACC 232. Credit 3.

ACC 383 Income Tax Accounting. A study of basic tax concepts and income taxation of individuals. Emphasis is placed on the determination of income and statutory deductions in order to arrive at the net taxable income. Consideration is given to tax planning as well as decision-making and tax return problems. Prerequisite: ACC 231 and 232 with a minimum grade of C in each. Credit 3.

ACC 430 Studies In Accounting. Individual study as arranged with members of the faculty. These courses may be repeated and ACC 430 may be taken for Academic Distinction Program Credit. Prerequisite: Consent of Department Chair. Credit 1, 2, or 3.

ACC 432 Financial Statement Analysis. A study of theoretical issues and various applications relevant to the analysis of financial statements using finance and accounting principles. Readings and case studies are utilized to provide a contemporary perspective. Prerequisite: ACC 232, FIN 367. Credit 3.

ACC 435 Advanced Accounting I. A study of various special reporting topics in financial accounting, this course surveys financial statement presentation and disclosure requirements for special areas of income recognition and accounting changes, dilutive securities, earnings per share calculations, reporting for business segments and interim periods, and accounting and reporting standards for partnerships and governmental and not-for-profit entities. Prerequisite: ACC 366. Credit 3.

ACC 436 Advanced Accounting II. A study of the financial accounting standards and procedures used in accounting and reporting for business combinations and intercorporate investments, consolidated financial statements, and multinational enterprises, including foreign currency transactions and financial instruments and translation of foreign entity statements. Prerequisite: ACC 366. Credit 3.

ACC 461 Fraud Examination. An examination of fraud within organizations with an emphasis on its detection and prevention. This course examines the nature and causes of financial and occupational fraud, ways to prevent and deter fraudulent conduct, and procedures for uncovering and investigating fraud. Prerequisite: Senior standing and permission of the instructor. Credit 3.

ACC 462 Oil and Gas Accounting. An introduction to oil and gas accounting. Emphasizes accounting for costs incurred in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas using successful efforts, full cost, and tax accounting methods. Also introduces students to joint interest accounting, gas pipeline accounting, the required disclosures for oil and gas activities, and analysis of oil and gas companies’ financial statements. Prerequisite: ACC 365. Credit 3.

ACC 468 Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting. A study of accounting and financial reporting for governments and not-for-profit entities. Topics include the government and not-for-profit environment, fund accounting, issues of budgeting and control, recognizing revenues and expenditures in governmental funds, accounting for capital projects and debt service, long-lived assets, long-term obligations, business-type activities, fiduciary and permanent funds, notfor- profit organizations (including health-care providers and colleges and universities), and auditing government and not-for-profit organizations. Prerequisite: ACC 365. Credit 3.

ACC 481 Auditing Principles. An introduction to auditing concepts and procedures. Emphasizes generally accepted auditing standards; professional responsibilities; the nature, acquisition, evaluation, and documentation of audit evidence; internal control; and the auditor’s reports. Prerequisite: ACC 381 and ACC 366. Credit 3.

ACC 484 Advanced Income Tax. The Internal Revenue Code and the various income tax acts are studied. Students learn how to form, operate, and liquidate C Corporations, S Corporations, and Partnerships, including LLPs and LLCs. Federal Tax returns are prepared for C Corporations, S Corporations, and Partnerships. Tax research is emphasized and integrated into each area studied, using various tax services. Prerequisite: ACC 383. Credit 3.

ACC 486 Professional Ethics and Responsibilities. This course provides prospective accounting professionals with the ability to apply philosophic moral theory to particular issues pertaining to the accounting profession. The course includes the examination of ethical standards, ethical reasoning, integrity, objectivity, independence, and other core values. Emphasis is placed on dealing with controversial issues and examining the legal and professional responsibilities of public accountants. Topics also included are examination of the state and AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and reporting matters, such as SEC, IRS, and similar bodies. Prerequisite: Senior standing and 24 hours of accounting. Credit 3.

ACC 499 Internship in Accounting. This course provides students with an internship experience allowing the application of accounting and auditing skills in an actual work setting. Students will work full-time in public or industry accounting paid positions for a minimum of 150 hours. Students generally will work full-time for one-half of the semester and attend accelerated accounting courses during the remaining half. Prerequisites: Junior standing, ACC 366, ACC 381, Permission of the Department Chair of Accounting and selection by an employing firm. For Spring semester internships, should be taken concurrently with ACC 436 and ACC 481. Credit 3 hours.