Accounting (ACCT)

Jonathan Shipman
Department Chair
461 Business Building
479-575-6803

Accounting Department Website

The mission of the William T. Dillard Department of Accounting is to cultivate an environment of educational excellence. We do so by pursuing the following endeavors:

  • Providing a learning environment in which students interact with others to identify and solve accounting and business problems.
  • Developing and disseminating knowledge that has the potential for significant impact on accounting, business, and education.
  • Interacting with the accounting profession, the business and academic communities, and the community at large.

The Department of Accounting offers an undergraduate degree program in accounting and graduate programs at both the master’s and doctoral levels. The department’s programs are accredited by the AACSB – The International Association for Management Education, which ensures quality and promotes excellence and continuous improvement in undergraduate and graduate education. In addition, the accounting department offers courses in Business Law.

The objective of the B.S.B.A. accounting curriculum is to provide students with a broad overall education, solid grounding in the common body of knowledge of business administration, and exposure to accounting in sufficient depth to help them achieve entry-level competence for pursuit of a career in industry. The department also offers a five-year integrated program approach to receive the Master of Accountancy degree, which leads to the simultaneous award of the B.S.B.A. and the Master of Accountancy degrees. The integrated program is designed for students who wish to concentrate in accounting and obtain education in an accounting specialization. The objective of the integrated program is to provide students with advanced knowledge of accounting and business topics in order to obtain an accelerated position in accounting or help them launch a career in public accounting. Those students who are not accepted into the integrated program or choose not to enroll in the integrated program will be allowed to graduate with a B.S.B.A. upon successful completion of the B.S.B.A. degree requirements and Accounting Major Requirements.

Students may elect to pursue the B.S.B.A. in Accounting or a Minor in Accounting in an online format. Students must apply to the University of Arkansas, Office of Admissions for consideration to enroll in the B.S.B.A. and indicate their interest in the online program on the admissions application.  Students are required to submit official transcripts (either high school or college transcripts or both), and an application fee.  Students interested in pursuing a minor must notify the Walton College Undergraduate Programs Office.

Accounting Courses

ACCT 20103. Accounting Principles. 3 Hours.

Introduction of the overall purpose, meaning, interpretation, and use of accounting information. The course focuses on understanding financial statements, and the production and use of accounting information in planning, controlling and decision making. Prerequisite: (Non-business majors: (ISYS 11203 with a grade of C or better) or DASC 10003 or ASTM 29003) and MATH 22003 or higher with a grade of C or better), or (Business majors: (ISYS 11203 with a grade of C or better)), BUSI 11101 with a grade of C or better, and (MATH 20503 or MATH 24004 each with a grade of C or better)). (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer)

ACCT 201H3. Honors Accounting Principles. 3 Hours.

Introduction of accounting as an information system with emphasis on processing and presenting information in the form of financial statements for use in decision making. The course emphasizes business processes and double entry accounting. This course is equivalent to ACCT 20103. Prerequisite: (Non-business majors: Honors Standing, (ISYS 11203 with a grade of C or better)), and MATH 22003 or higher with a grade of C or better) or (Business majors: Honors standing, (ISYS 11203 with a grade of C or better)), BUSI 11101 with a grade of C or better, and (MATH 20503 or MATH 24004 with a grade of C or better)). (Typically offered: Spring)

ACCT 20203. Accounting Principles II. 3 Hours.

Overview of accounting as an information system with emphasis on processing and presenting information in the form of financial statements for use in decision making. The course emphasizes business processes and double entry accounting. Prerequisite: ACCT 20103 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer)

ACCT 202H3. Honors Accounting Principles II. 3 Hours.

In this course we study managerial accounting concepts and their use in business decisions. We will examine the development and analysis of cost information for management use in decision-making, income determination, and performance evaluation. Prerequisite: ACCT 20103 with a grade of C or better and honors standing. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer)

ACCT 24003. Accounting Fundamentals for Planning and Control. 3 Hours.

Use of accounting information for planning and control, including interpretation of financial statements and fundamentals of managerial accounting. Topics include financial statement structures and analysis, profitability and cash flow analysis, cost behaviors, production cost analysis, budgeting, standard costs and performance reporting, sources and uses of corporate capital, and other related topics. Walton College majors are not eligible to register for the course. No degree credit for Walton College majors. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

ACCT 3100V. Accounting Internship. 1-3 Hour.

This class is designed to give students an internship opportunity to combine their formal academic preparation with an exposure to the accounting profession. Prerequisite: Department consent and ACCT 37203 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Spring) May be repeated for up to 3 hours of degree credit.

ACCT 310HV. Honors Accounting Internship. 1-3 Hour.

This class is designed to give students an internship opportunity to combine their formal academic preparation with an exposure to the accounting profession. Prerequisite: Honors standing, Department consent and ACCT 37203 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer) May be repeated for up to 3 hours of degree credit.
This course is equivalent to ACCT 3100V.

ACCT 35303. Accounting Technology. 3 Hours.

This course provides an overview of accounting information systems and illustrates the importance of technology to accountants. Students are exposed to a variety of information technologies including manual, file-oriented, and database systems. The relative advantages and disadvantages of each type of system are highlighted and discussed. Prerequisite: ACCT 20103 with a grade of B or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

ACCT 35403. Accounting Analytics. 3 Hours.

This course provides students with an overview of the data analytics process in accounting: asking appropriate accounting questions, finding and mastering appropriate accounting data to address those questions, performing test analysis and communicating the results of the data through data visualizations. Extensive hands-on, experiential learning using short Excel and Tableau labs is a key part of the course. Basic knowledge of excel is recommended. Prerequisite: (Non-business majors: (ACCT 20103 with a grade of B or better) and (INEG 23104 or STAT 30133 with a grade of C or better)) or (Business majors: (ACCT 20103 with a grade of B or better) and (BUSI 10303 with a grade of C or better)). (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

ACCT 37203. Intermediate Accounting I. 3 Hours.

This course is designed to study the theoretical basis for financial accounting concepts and principles related to financial reporting. This course emphasizes researching technical accounting pronouncements for application to external financial reporting issues. Prerequisite: ACCT 20103 with a grade of B or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

ACCT 37503. Intermediate Accounting II. 3 Hours.

This is the second financial accounting course designed to continue study of financial accounting concepts and principles. This course emphasizes research of technical accounting pronouncements for application to external financial reporting issues. Prerequisite: ACCT 37203 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

ACCT 38403. Fundamentals of Taxation I. 3 Hours.

Introduction to federal income taxation with a focus on individuals, including basic tax concepts, income tax principles applicable to individual taxpayers, primary tax law authorities, tax research techniques, and tax planning strategies. Prerequisite: ACCT 20103 with a grade of B or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

ACCT 400H3. Honors Accounting Colloquium. 3 Hours.

Explores events, concepts and/or new developments in the field of accounting. Prerequisite: Honors standing, Senior standing and ACCT 37203 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall)

ACCT 4100V. Special Topics in Accounting. 1-3 Hour.

Explore current events, concepts and new developments relevant to Accounting not available in other courses. Prerequisite: Department consent. (Typically offered: Irregular) May be repeated for up to 6 hours of degree credit.

ACCT 412H3. Professional Ethics and Corporate Governance. 3 Hours.

An examination of various aspects of accounting and business ethics including ethical theories; ethical reasoning; ethical values - including integrity, objectivity, auditor independence, and other values relevant for accountants; and ethics codes. The course provides students with a framework of ethical reasoning, professional values and attitudes for exercising professional skepticism and other behavior that is in the best interest of the public and accounting profession. Aspects of corporate governance related to establishing an ethical corporate culture will also be addressed. Prerequisite: Senior standing, Honors standing, and ACCT 37203 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Spring)

ACCT 42003. Fundamentals of Taxation II. 3 Hours.

Study of federal income taxation with a focus on entities other than individuals (C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts) as well as an introduction to federal transfer taxes, state and local taxes, and multinational tax issues, including applicable tax principles and continued development of tax research techniques, and tax planning strategies. Prerequisite: ACCT 37203 and ACCT 38403 each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

ACCT 46703. Product, Project and Service Costing. 3 Hours.

Cost systems with emphasis on information generation for cost management of products, projects and services. The course includes spreadsheet and other computer program analysis. Prerequisite: ACCT 20203 and ACCT 37203 each with grades of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall)

ACCT 47003. Governmental/Nonprofit Accounting. 3 Hours.

Governmental and non-profit accounting, financial statement and internal controls compliance, and auditing for government and other non-profit organizations. Industry specific issues in accounting for health care organizations and colleges and universities; and federal governmental accounting. Prerequisite: ACCT 20103 and ACCT 20203 each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)

ACCT 49603. Audit and Assurance Services. 3 Hours.

Professional standards and procedures as applied to external and internal assurance engagements. Including coverage of the economic role of assurance providers, engagement planning, risk assessment, evidence gathering, and reporting. Prerequisite: ACCT 37203 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)

Business Law Courses

BLAW 20003. The Legal Environment of Business (ACTS Equivalency = BLAW 2003). 3 Hours.

Introduction to the legal and ethical environment in which business operates. Topics covered in this survey course include: introduction to the legal system and the judicial resolution of disputes, constitutional law, administrative law, criminal law, torts, contracts, property law, advertising and marketing law, bankruptcy and credit transactions, business organizations, antitrust, employment law and ethics. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer)

BLAW 200H3. Honors The Legal Environment of Business. 3 Hours.

Introduction to the legal and ethical environment in which business operates. Topics covered in this survey course include: introduction to the legal system and the judicial resolution of disputes, constitutional law, administrative law, criminal law, torts, contracts, property law, advertising and marketing law, bankruptcy and credit transactions, business organizations, antitrust, employment law and ethics. (Typically offered: Fall, Spring and Summer)

BLAW 30303. Commercial Law. 3 Hours.

A study of the laws applicable to commercial transactions. Topics covered include the common law of contracts, Articles Two (Sales) and Three (Commercial Paper) of the Uniform Commercial Code, secured transactions, suretyship, and bankruptcy. (Typically offered: Spring)