Accountancy Courses

Description: This course provides an introduction to accounting principles underlying the preparation of financial reports with an emphasis on the relationship between accounting information and production decisions. It examines the relationship between costs, production volume, and profit, as well as the practical benefits of standard costs for planning and control purposes. The role of accounting information in various manufacturing decisions is also highlighted.

Component(s): Lecture

• John Molson School of Business students may not take this course for credit.

• This course would be useful to Engineering students.
• Students who have received credit for ACCO 230, ACCO 240 may not take this course for credit.

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Description: This course provides an introduction to accounting concepts underlying financial statements of organizations. It focuses on the analysis, measurement, and reporting of business transactions to users of financial statements. It also examines the uses and limitations of accounting information for investment and credit decisions.

Component(s): Lecture

• John Molson School of Business students may not take this course for credit.
• Students who have received credit for ACCO 220 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously: ACCO 230.

Description: This course examines the role of accounting information for decision making, and focuses on concepts and techniques used in planning operations, controlling activities, and evaluating managerial performance. New developments are addressed with a focus on contemporary business issues and real-world applicability of management accounting concepts and techniques.

Component(s): Lecture

• John Molson School of Business students may not take this course for credit.

• Students who receive a passing grade may be exempt from COMM 305. Students who have received credit for ACCO 220 may not take this course for credit.

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Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously or concurrently: COMM 305.

Description: Intensive study is made of the theory and practice of external financial reporting by business organizations, focusing on concepts and procedures underlying the measurement of assets and the determination of income.

Component(s): Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following courses must be completed previously: ACCO 310.

Description: This course continues the intensive study of ACCO 310, with particular emphasis on accounting for liabilities, shareholders’ equity, and other related topics such as earnings per share, pension accounting, and accounting for income taxes.

Component(s): Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously: COMM 305.

Description: This course provides an examination of the techniques, systems, and procedures applicable to the managerial use of accounting information for planning, decision-making, and control. Topics include cost accumulation and allocation, product and process costing, flexible budgeting and variance analysis, evaluation of managerial performance, and transfer pricing.

Component(s): Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: COMM 217.

Description: This course provides core knowledge regarding the federal income tax structure and the Canadian goods and services tax system. It examines the taxation of employment, business, property income, capital gains and other sources of income for an individual.

Component(s): Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: COMM 305, COMM 226 or COMM 301.

Description: This course examines the role of computerized accounting information systems (AIS) in organizations. Students learn how to justify, design, and utilize AIS to provide pertinent information to managers for decision making. The course helps to identify appropriate usage of information technology in specific accounting contexts. Topics include e-business, computer fraud, information systems security and controls, systems analysis, and management of information technology.

Component(s): Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: COMM 305; COMM 309.

Description: This course explores the usefulness and limitations of financial statements for investment and credit decisions. It focuses on the interpretation of the information contained in financial statements which reflect the economic characteristics of the firm and its strategic business decisions. Instruments and techniques for financial statement analysis are discussed and applied to case studies and actual companies.

• This course would be useful for students in Finance and Management.

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously: COMM 305.

Description: This course examines the concepts and methods of auditing and how internal and external audits are integrated in a more general corporate governance and risk management framework. The importance of the design and monitoring of effective internal controls is highlighted. The objectives, concepts and methods of auditing are illustrated with examples and short cases. They are also applied to solve simple problems and cases.

Component(s): Lecture

• Students who have received credit for ACCO 450 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: COMM 217 or ACCO 230.

Description: This course familiarizes the student with individual and corporate taxation in the U.S. The use of professional judgment in the application of tax planning recommendations is also addressed in this course.

Component(s): Lecture

• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ACCO 470 number may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously: ACCO 320.

Description: This course examines the theoretical foundations of the contemporary approach to financial reporting, and the political and pragmatic considerations in the development of the conceptual framework underlying current accounting standards. Alternative theories of accounting are discussed and controversial areas are emphasized.

Component(s): Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously: ACCO 320.

Description: This course examines the theory and practice of accounting for intercorporate investments, business combinations, consolidation of financial statements, and foreign currency transactions and operations.

Component(s): Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously: ACCO 320.

Description: This course addresses special topics in accounting including financial reporting for not for profit organizations and government entities. Governance, social responsibility concepts, and accountability frameworks are illustrated by comparing the practices of selected organizations with authoritative standards.

Component(s): Lecture

• Students who have received credit for ACCO 410 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following courses must be completed previously: ACCO 320; ACCO 330. The following course must be completed previously or concurrently: COMM 401.

Description: This course integrates topics in financial and management accounting, finance, and business strategy covered in previous courses. Students are involved in a case environment that requires them to analyze the external and internal environments of a business, perform financial analysis, evaluate alternatives, and recommend a plan of action. Students are introduced to enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms used in companies, asset financing, and aspects of commercial lending to assess financing alternatives.

Component(s): Lecture

• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ACCO 470 number may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously: ACCO 340.

Description: This course provides core knowledge regarding the federal taxation of corporations, partnerships, and trusts. It introduces analytical skills needed to make decisions regarding various business transfers, combinations, incorporation and estate planning issues for corporations and shareholders.

Component(s): Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: COMM 217; COMM 316.

Description: This course examines the principles of fraud prevention, detection and deterrence. Topics covered may include the psychology of the fraudster, cash receipt schemes, cash disbursement schemes, non-cash misappropriations, corruption, fraudulent financial statements, fraud risk assessments, investigation techniques and interviewing witnesses. This course may also examine auditors’ responsibilities towards fraud, the evaluation of internal controls and important pieces of legislation such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Criminal Code of Canada. Finally, the ethical aspects associated with fraud are discussed. Class sessions consist of lectures and real-life fraud case/video discussions from various sources, including the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Component(s): Lecture

• This course would be useful to all BComm students as it focuses on the role of management in the prevention and detection of fraud.
• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ACCO 470 number may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: ACCO 320 and ACCO 360, or ACCO 450.

Description: This course covers important topics and concepts in auditing and assurance services. It builds on audit principles covered in previous courses and introduces specialized and advanced topics that are of particular importance to professional accountants. In covering topics and their application, the course focuses on decision-making processes followed by auditors.

• Students who have received credit for this topic under an ACCO 470 number may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite: Written permission of the Department is required.

Description: This course provides an opportunity for more intensive study in one or more specific topics in accounting. This course is intended to complement accounting courses taken previously or concurrently at the senior level.

Component(s): Lecture

• Specific topics for this course and prerequisites relevant in each case are stated in the Undergraduate Class Schedule.

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously or concurrently: ACCO 400. Enrolment in the Honours in Accountancy is required.

Description: This seminar is the first of two offered to students in the Honours in Accountancy program over the course of two terms. This first seminar introduces students to accounting research, the process of conducting research, and different research methodologies.

Component(s): Lecture; In Person (P)

Prerequisite/Corequisite: The following course must be completed previously: ACCO 496. Enrolment in the Honours in Accountancy is required.

Description: This seminar is the second of two offered to students in the Honours in Accountancy program over the course of two terms. In this seminar, while continuing work on their project, students make one or more preliminary presentations of their research. They complete their project for submission as a paper by the end of the term. In addition, each student makes a presentation of their project.

Component(s): Lecture; In Person (P)