Essential Information
Coursework in financial accounting may be a component of academic programs leading to a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accounting or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting. Financial accounting classes may also be part of the core requirements of business administration degree programs that do not focus on accounting. Some of the topics explored in accounting courses include:
- Constructing financial statements
- Dilutive securities
- Internal auditing
- Professional ethics
- Pension costs
- Error analysis
List of Financial Accounting Courses
Introductory Financial Accounting Course
Students review basic accounting concepts and apply them to the review and interpretation of corporate financial documents. Course materials introduce the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) used in American financial reporting, including those pertaining to liabilities and assets. Discussions provide opportunities to study accounting principles and their applications. By the end of the course, students should be able to identify the sources of financial data in a corporate statement and interpret the information to form a judgment of the company's financial stability.
Intermediate Financial Accounting Course
Students improve their understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and learn how corporate financial documents are constructed. They acquire the ability to recognize revenue sources and accounting methods, based on the data included in financial disclosure statements. Course materials include Stockholder's Equity accounting processes, earnings per share disclosures and accounting methods for pension obligations.
Advanced Financial Accounting Course
Materials in this course focus on generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and their use in calculating corporate taxes. Students review tax implications of corporate mergers and leveraged buyouts. They also discuss tax requirements when companies prepare for initial public offerings (IPOs) and the disadvantages and advantages of structuring these transactions. Additional topics include partnerships, consolidations, and accounting processes used by non-profit groups and governmental agencies.
Financial Statement Analysis Course
Course assignments teach class participants to analyze businesses using financial statements and forecast a company's future performance. Students acquire experience in using cash flows, revenues and earning reports to create estimates of a company's future stability and investment potential. Other topics include market to book ratios, calculating intrinsic values and use of forecasting in lending decisions.
Financial Information Systems Course
Students become familiar with computerized and non-computerized methods used in managing financial information. They design and evaluate these systems, developing their data analysis abilities. Course materials examine information organization, data management and computerized accounting processes.
