ACCOUNTING

Department website: http://business.nmsu.edu/~is/
(575) 646-4901
ltunnell@nmsu.edu

P. L. Tunnell, department head, Ph.D. (Oklahoma State), C.P.A.-taxation; M. J. Billiot, D.B.A. (Mississippi State), C.P.A.-managerial and financial accounting; R. Calk, Ph.D. (Oklahoma State), C.P.A.-managerial accounting; K. McNelis, Ph.D.(Texas-Arlington), C.P.A.-managerial and financial accounting; K. Melendrez, Ph.D. (University of Arizona), financial accounting; S. K. Mills, Ph.D. (Texas Tech), C.P.A.-managerial accounting; E. A. Scribner, Ph.D. (Oklahoma State), C.P.A.-financial accounting and accounting systems; C. Seipel, Ph.D. (Oklahoma State), C.P.A.-financial accounting and auditing; W. Smith, Ph.D. (New Mexico State), C.P.A. — financial accounting and taxation.

Master of Accountancy

The last decade has witnessed a tremendous expansion in the knowledge base required for accounting professionals. The business environment has become increasingly complex, as evidenced by the growth in the body of accounting and auditing standards, tax, SEC, and other regulatory requirements. The accountant must also be well versed in communications and analytical skills, computer-based information systems, professional ethics, and global issues.

Neither the traditional four-year accounting program nor the M.B.A. provide the educational breadth and depth necessary to fully prepare students for the demands now imposed by many accounting careers. The major objective of the Master of Accountancy program is to provide for these increased educational needs and to prepare students more adequately for careers as professional accountants in financial institutions, government, nonprofit organizations, and public practice. The program is designed to provide a technical and theoretical foundation in accountancy at the advanced level and yet allow the student to take courses to accommodate individual needs.

The Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.) program is recommended for those students wishing to fulfill the 150-hour education requirement which most states, including New Mexico, have legislated as a requirement for taking the Uniform CPA Examination.

Graduate assistantships are available for a limited number of qualified students. Interested persons are urged to apply well within the deadlines set by the Graduate School. Inquiries should be addressed to the Master of Accountancy Director.

Admission requirements of the Graduate School must be met before the applicant may be admitted to the Master of Accountancy program. Admission to the Master of Accountancy program is dependent on the undergraduate record and results on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). An acceptable score on the GMAT must be submitted at least one month prior to the student's first enrollment. Other indicators of probable success in graduate work (such as interviews, evaluation of work experience, and letters of reference from former professors) may also be used.

Candidates for the Master of Accountancy degree who have an undergraduate degree in accounting must successfully complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits. Qualifying NMSU undergraduate accounting students can apply to have two graduate courses count for their undergraduate program as well as their graduate program. Candidates with an undergraduate degree in a field other than accounting must complete additional prerequisite work dependent upon previous courses taken. In any case, all candidates must present or fulfill the following requirements:

Foundation Courses

These courses are required of every student unless they can be waived. As a general policy, the courses upon which waivers are claimed must have been taken within seven years of enrollment in the program with a grade of B or better. A final decision regarding a waiver is based on an evaluation of each student's total educational and professional background. The following is a list of these courses (for a description of these courses, see the New Mexico State University Undergraduate Catalog):

ACCT 251, Management Accounting
ACCT 252, Financial Accounting
BCIS 338, Business Information Systems I
BLAW 316, Legal Environment of Business
ECON 251G, Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 252G, Principles of Microeconomics
FIN 341, Financial Analysis and Markets
MGT 309, Human Behavior in Organizations
BUSA 365, Design and Delivery of Goods and Service or a combination of MKTG 303 and one of the following: MGT 344, MGT 470 or BCIS 485

Accounting and Related Prerequisites (21 credits)

In addition to the foundation requirements, each student must present or complete the equivalent of an undergraduate major in accounting. This requires, at a minimum, 21 credits of accounting above the elementary level.

No coursework applied toward the M.Acc. degree, including the foundation requirements and the undergraduate accounting prerequisites, may be taken on an S/U basis.

Core and Elective Courses (30 Credits)

Core Courses: Each student must complete 15 credits in accounting courses numbered above 503. The specific courses to be completed by each candidate will be determined in the advisement process.

Elective Courses: All students must complete a total of 15 additional credits in elective courses. Electives will be determined individually for each student and will include no more than 3 credits in accounting. Normally, they will include work in at least two fields other than accounting. At least 3 of the elective credits must be in courses reserved exclusively for graduate students. Neither ACCT 503 nor any course fulfilling the foundation requirement may be included.

The Graduate School requires that students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all courses taken as a graduate student, as well as a 3.0 grade-point average in all graduate courses taken as a graduate student at NMSU. The Department of Accounting and Information Systems requires, in addition, that every candidate for the M.Acc. degree must maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average in all accounting courses used to satisfy the core and elective course requirement.

Comprehensive Examination

Satisfactory performance on a comprehensive examination is required for the degree.

Thesis: No thesis is required; however, under special approval, a candidate may elect to write a thesis under ACCT 599. Up to 6 credits may be earned for the thesis.

Admission to Master of Accountancy

Class Registration in any Accounting 500 level course requires

prior full admission to the M.Acc. program, or
prior consent of head of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems.

ACCOUNTING

ACCT 451. Auditing Theory and Practices 3 cr.: Auditing standards, audit evidence, auditors reports and opinions, and professional responsibilities. Prerequisites: ACCT 302 and BCIS 338, or consent of instructor.

ACCT 452. Accounting Systems 3 cr.: Covers accounting information systems as processors of data for financial reporting and control of economic organizations. Prerequisite: ACCT 252

ACCT 454. Accounting Theory 3 cr.: Contemporary theoretical basis of accounting. Historical background and current issues. Prerequisite: ACCT 302 or consent of instructor.

ACCT 455. Federal Taxation II 3 cr.: Federal income tax laws applicable to partnerships, corporations, fiduciaries, tax research, tax planning. Prerequisite: ACCT 403 or consent of instructor.

ACCT 456. Accounting for Nonprofit Organizations 3 cr.: Control and reporting problems unique to governmental units and other nonprofit organizations. Fund accounting principles, procedures, and reports. Prerequisite: ACCT 301 or consent of instructor.

ACCT 457. Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships 3 cr.: Consolidated financial statements, accounting for partnership formation and liquidation. Prerequisite: ACCT 302 or consent of instructor.

ACCT 458. Accounting for Decision Making and Control 3 cr.: Accounting concepts and quantitative methods for developing, analyzing, and interpreting information for management s use in decision making. Prerequisites: ACCT 353.

ACCT 459. Ethics and Professionalism in Accounting 3 cr.: Introduction to ethical reasoning, integrity, objectivity, independence, and professional accounting issues. Students will apply the concepts and theories to accounting-specific cases. Prerequisite: grade of C or better in ACCT 451 or concurrent enrollment or consent of instructor. Same as ACCT 559.

ACCT 460. Fraud Examination and Prevention 3 cr.: Covers business fraud as it is occurring in American society. Emphasis is on occupational fraud and financial statement fraud. Examines various types of fraud, its symptoms and effective investigation techniques. Effective fraud prevention measures are discussed throughout the course. Emphasizes case studies and the application of principles to actual fraud cases. Prerequisites: a C or better in ACCT 451 or concurrent enrollment.

ACCT 490. Selected Topics 1-3 cr.: Current topics in accounting. Prerequisites vary according to the seminar offered. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits under different subtitles.

ACCT 498. Independent Study 1-3 cr.: Individual studies directed by consenting faculty with the prior approval of the department head. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing and consent of instructor. A maximum of 3 credits may be earned.

ACCT 503. Accounting for Managers 3 cr.: Concepts and principles of financial and managerial accounting. Presents techniques used to measure business transactions, prepare financial statements, techniques for management decision-making, planning, and control. Prerequisites: ACCT 251 and ACCT 252. Not open to MAcc students.

ACCT 525. Advanced Cost-Managerial Accounting (s) 3 cr.: Advanced cost-managerial concepts with a quantitative emphasis. Integrates cost-managerial concepts, quantitative tools, organization theory, behavioral concepts and computer methodology. Prerequisite: ACCT 353.

ACCT 550. Special Topics 3 cr.: Seminars in current topics in various areas of accounting including financial, managerial, auditing, taxation, systems, and fund accounting. Prerequisites vary according to topic being offered.

ACCT 551. Advanced Auditing Theory and Practice (s) 3 cr.: Understanding and evaluating internal control in an EDP environment. Statistical sampling applications and current issues in auditing. Prerequisites: ACCT 451 and ACCT 452.

ACCT 554. Advanced Accounting Theory (f) 3 cr.: Contemporary theoretical basis of accounting. An in-depth study of generally accepted accounting principles and current issues in accounting. Prerequisite: ACCT 302 or consent of instructor.

ACCT 555. Federal Tax Research (f) 3 cr.: Tax research methodology including case materials, critical judicial decisions, journal articles, and research services. Emphasis on tax planning. Prerequisite: ACCT 403 or consent of instructor.

ACCT 559. Ethics and Professionalism in Accounting 3 cr.: Introduction to ethical reasoning, integrity, objectivity, independence , and professional accounting issues Students will apply the concepts and theories to accounting-specific cases. Prerequisites: C or better in ACCT 451 or concurrent enrollment. Same as ACCT 459.

ACCT 564. Applied Accounting Concepts (suI) 3 cr.: Interpretation and application of accounting principles to financial reporting issues of business and nonbusiness organizations. Prerequisite: undergraduate degree in accounting or equivalent.

ACCT 565. Estate Planning and Taxation (suII) 3 cr.: Effects of income, gift, and estate taxation on accumulation and preservation of an estate. Prerequisite: ACCT 455 or consent of instructor.

ACCT 570. Taxation of Partnerships 3 cr.: Taxation of partnership contributions and distributions, transfer of partnership interests, and allocations of partnership income. Also includes taxation of S corporations. Prerequisites: graduate students only; ACCT 403 or consent of instructor.

ACCT 598. Independent Study 1-3 cr.: Individual studies directed by consenting faculty with prior approval of the department head. A maximum of 3 credits may be earned. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

ACCT 599. Master's Thesis 0-88 cr.: Thesis.

ACCT 630. Seminar in Financial Accounting Research 3 cr.: A survey of significant research in financial accounting, culminating with current financial accounting research questions and methods.

ACCT 655. Seminar in Interdisciplinary Accounting Research 3 cr.: A study of research techniques employed in auditing, managerial accounting, not-for-profit accounting, and taxation.

ACCT 700. Doctoral Dissertation 0-88 cr.: Prerequisite: advancement to candidacy.