Accounting (ACCT) Course Descriptions
Please note: The listings below include a number of courses that are appropriate for only those students pursuing the M.Acc. or M.B.T. degrees. MBA students will want to review the flier below.
The number in parentheses ( ) following each course title refers to the number of units the course is/can be worth.
| 505 | Business Sustainability Reporting and Analysis (3) A critical analysis of practices in business sustainability reporting. Provides guidance for synthesizing information from corporate sustainability disclosures into traditional financial and valuation analyses. |
| 526 | Global Accounting Experience (1.5) Cross-border transactions in the global economy examining accounting, legal, and tax environments, economic and political systems, and cultural differences. Includes international travel to selected region. (Open to only MAcc, MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 527 | Financial Statement Analysis - Audit Perspective (1.5) Analysis of corporate financial reports to evaluate the firms past and present performance as well as to predict likely future performance from an auditors perspective. (Duplicates credit in ACCT-581.) (Open to only MAcc students.) |
| 528 | Fair Value Accounting: GAAP, IFRS and Emerging Issues (1.5) Case study approach to explore fair value issues in accounting; research and analysis of causes of valuation differences. |
| 529 | Tax Data Analytics (3) Tax analytics from managements perspective; sources of accounting data, introduction to database and ERP tools; application of data and analytics to tax issues. |
| 530 | Ethics for Professional Accountants (3) Provides the ethical grounding that accountants need to identify ethical issues and reconcile conflicts among competing stakeholder interests. (Open to only MAcc, MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 531T | Taxation of Cross-Border Transactions Using Data Analytics (3) Introduction to income taxation of cross-border transactions, state/local and multinational tax rules; application of data and analytics tools to multijurisdictional tax issues. (Open to only MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 532 | Financial Accounting for Mergers and Acquisitions (1.5) Practical problems in accounting for business combinations. Consolidated financial statements: fair value, acquisition and equity basis accounting. Prerequisite: GSBA-510. |
| 533 | Mergers and Acquisitions: Tax Planning and Strategy (1.5) Tax planning and strategy in corporate restructuring including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Tax background not required to be successful in this course. Prerequisite: GSBA-510. |
| 537 | Performance Measurement, Evaluation, and Incentives (3) Financial responsibility centers, financial and nonfinancial performance measures, budgets and other targets, evaluation techniques and styles, incentives. Strategy implementation and execution. Corporate governance. Recommended preparation: Introductory managerial accounting course. |
| 540 | AI and Emerging Technologies in Accounting and Auditing (3) Investigate the future of data and analytics and emerging technologies in accounting and business to facilitate innovation and prediction. |
| 541 | Auditing in the Enhanced Data Age (3) Framework of the audit model including use of large data sets with automated audit tools. A lab environment is an integral part of the course. (Open to only MAcc students.) |
| 542 | Fraud Analytics in the Audit (1.5) Understanding/identifying fraud risk from an auditors perspective; development of an analytics skill set to detect financial fraud risk. (Open to only MAcc students.) |
| 546 | Auditing and Assurance Services (3) Concepts and principles governing independent professional services that provide assurance on the reliability and relevance of information, including financial statement information. Topics include demand and supply issues for these services, basic principles of evidence, risk assessment and testing. |
| 547 | Enterprise Information Systems (3) Focuses on accounting enterprise database models and information technology required to support those systems. Includes analysis and design of interfunctional process flows through reengineering to exploit technology capabilities. |
| 548 | IT Audit and Data Applications (3) Exploration of the role systems play in organizations, the technology that supports these systems and issues relating to technology risk, system/application security and system review/audit. |
| 549 | Advanced Enterprise Systems and Technologies (3) Design, control and development of advanced enterprise systems, using reengineering, focusing on accounting and financial systems, using a wide range of emerging existing technologies. (Open to only MAcc students.) |
| 551T | Taxation of Partnerships and S-Corps (3) Federal taxation of flow-through entities, including: partnerships, S corporations, limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and limited liability companies (LLCs). Recommended preparation: ACCT 550T or ACCT 560T or LAW 600. (Open to only MAcc, MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 554T | Research, Theory and Ethics in Taxation (3) Basic theories of tax law, application of research tools, interpretation of statutes, cases and rulings, within the context of the professional responsibilities of tax practice. Duplicates credit in ACCT 550T and ACCT 560T. (Open to only MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 557 | Advanced Financial Statement Auditing Topics (3) Advanced coverage of topics in financial statement auditing including market effects of auditing, auditor litigation and client acceptance, errors and fraud, analytical procedures, and going-concern assessment. Prerequisite: ACCT 525x. |
| 558 | Advanced Accounting Valuation (1.5) Explores complex valuation issues arising in financial reporting and the related professional standards and guidance. Prerequisite: ACCT 528. |
| 559 | Strategy and Operations Through CFO Lens (3) Examination of strategic objectives and operations within specific industries and companies. Chief Financial Officers present how they view the business as a whole and measure performance effectively. |
| 561T | Income Tax of Corporations and Their Shareholders (3) Concepts and principles governing the taxation of corporations and their shareholders; the effect of taxes, corporate formation, capital structure, distributions and liquidations. Recommended preparation: ACCT 550T or ACCT 564T ACCT 560T or LAW 600. (Open to only MAcc, MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 562 | Methods and Motivations of Financial Reporting Fraud (1.5) Discover and analyze signals of major and frequently committed methods of fraudulent financial reporting; explore current reforms in financial reporting, auditing, and corporate governance. Recommended preparation: ACCT 572 or other intermediate accounting course. |
| 563T | Federal Estate and Gift Taxes (3) Taxation of decedents' estates and lifetime gifts; valuation of property subject to estate and gift taxes. Prerequisite: ACCT 550T or ACCT 554T. (Open to only MAcc, MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 567T | Taxation of Transactions in Property (3) Taxation of gains and losses from sales, exchanges and other transactions involving property, especially real estate; tax planning. Prerequisite: ACCT 550T or ACCT 554T (Open to only MAcc, MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 568T | International Taxation (3) Taxation of cross-border transactions of U.S. citizens and corporations and of U.S. source income of foreign persons and corporations; planning for organization of international operations under the tax laws. Prerequisite: ACCT 561T. |
| 569T | Advanced Partnership Taxation (3) Advanced tax concepts involving partnerships and limited liability companies, designed to produce a level of expertise in Subchapter K of the Internal Revenue Code. Prerequisite: ACCT 551T. |
| 570T | State and Local Tax Concepts (3) State income taxes; property tax; other state and local taxes; the effect of state and local taxes on multistate operations. Prerequisite: ACCT 550T or ACCT 554T. Recommended preparation: ACCT 561T or minimum one year of work in corporate taxation. (Open to only MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 571T | Taxation of Business Owners and High Net-Worth Individuals (3) Application of tax law in areas of compensation planning, investment planning, tax shelters, and current developments relating to the individual taxpayer. Prerequisite: ACCT 550T or ACCT 554T. |
| 572 | Corporate Accounting and Reporting (3) A study of financial reporting and disclosure issues with an emphasis on the use of corporate financial statements and their accompanying footnotes. Not open to students with credit in equivalent subjects. Prerequisite: GSBA-510 or MBA-level Accounting and Financial Reporting course. |
| 573T | Federal Tax Procedure (3) Tax reporting and collection procedures; administrative and judicial procedures governing tax controversies; the rights and obligations of the taxpayer. Recommended Preparation: ACCT 550T or ACCT 554T or ACCT 560T or LAW 600. (Open to only MAcc, MBT and JD/MBT students.) |
| 574 | Accounting and Corporate Governance in Global Business (3) How corporate governance and financial reporting systems are influenced by business environments internationally. Global perspective of governance and reporting challenges and mechanisms for their remedy. Recommended Preparation: GSBA 510 or other Financial Accounting course. |
| 578T | Advanced Corporate Taxation (3) Analysis of corporate divisions and reorganizations, carryovers, and other advanced topics in corporate taxation. Prerequisite: ACCT 561T. |
| 580T | Tax Accounting Methods (3) Concepts governing timing of recognition of income and deductions for income tax purposes. Covers differences between GAAP and income tax accounting for all taxpayers. Prerequisite: ACCT 550T or ACCT 554T. |
| 581 | Financial Statement Analysis (3) Analysis of corporate financial reports from a decision-maker's perspective. This course is case-and-applications-oriented. Applications include credit analysis, equity valuation, and financial distress. Prerequisite: GSBA-510 or MBA-level Accounting and Financial Reporting course. (Duplicates credit in ACCT-527.) |
| 583 | Income Tax Accounting and Auditing (3) Examination of FAS 109 and roles of auditors, tax professionals and corporate financial personnel in preparing, analyzing and reviewing accrual of income taxes. Recommended Preparation: ACCT 561T or ACCT-585. |
| 584 | Family Wealth Preservation (3) Analysis of transfer of property during lifetime or at death from a tax saving perspective. |
| 585 | Professional Responsibilities in Accounting (3) A case study approach to the integration of accounting and auditing knowledge; research, communication, and interpersonal skills developed through extensive written and presentation requirements. Recommended preparation: ACCT 572. |
| 587 | Forensic Accounting (1.5 or 3) Role of the accountant in litigation matters. Identification and exploration of the analytical and communication tools necessary to be an effective forensic accountant. Prerequisite: ACCT 572. |
| 592 | Field Research in Accounting (.5-4, repeatable subject to approval by the student's degree program director) Individual or team projects studying the business practices of an industry, company, government agency, country, geographic region, etc. Proposal, data collection, analyses, and written report. Recommended preparation: completion of required M.B.A., M.Acc., or M.B.T. course work. Visit the Independent Study page of this site for instructions and the application. Graded CR/NC. |
| 593 | Independent Research in Accounting (.5-4 repeatable subject to approval by the student's degree program director) Individual research beyond normal course offerings. Proposal, research and written report/paper required. Recommended preparation: completion of required M.B.A., M.Acc., or M.B.T. course work. Visit the Independent Study page of this site for instructions and the application. Graded CR/NC. |
| 595 | Internship in Accounting (.5-2 repeatable; units credited toward degree usually limited to 1) Supervised on-the-job business experience in the field of Accounting. (Curricular Practical Training) Recommended preparation: completion of required M.B.A., M.Acc., or M.B.T. course work. Visit the Independent Study page of this site for instructions and the application. Graded CR/NC. |
| 596 | Research Practicum in Accounting (.5-2 repeatable subject to approval by the student's degree program director) Hands-on practical experience working with a Leventhal faculty member on an ongoing research project. Recommended preparation: completion of required M.B.A., M.Acc., or M.B.T. course work. Visit the Independent Study page of this site for instructions and the application. Graded CR/NC. |
| 597 | Consulting Project in Accounting (.5-5 repeatable subject to approval by the student's degree program director) Individual or team projects solving real business problems for an existing business entity, domestic and/or international. Proposal, field research, analyses and oral and written presentations. Recommended preparation: completion of required M.B.A., M.Acc., or M.B.T. course work. Visit the Independent Study page of this site for instructions and the application. Graded CR/NC. |
| 599 | Special Topics (1, 1.5, 2, or 3, max 6) Examination of current literature and research techniques in contemporary accounting areas including tax, auditing and international accounting. |
Not all courses are offered every semester. To view class schedules, please visit the USC Schedule of Classes at www.usc.edu/soc.