Dr. Paul Copley, Director, School of Accounting
Dr. Nancy Nichols, Director, M.S. in Accounting
For information, call (540) 568-3081
Web site: http://www.jmu.edu/accounting/MSA.shtml
Professors
C. Baril, P. Copley, A. Gabbin, N. Nichols, D. Riordan, M.
Riordan
Associate Professor
D. Fordham
Assistant Professors
L. Betancourt, E.
Cole, R. Richardson
Admission Criteria and Degree
Requirements
Admission is open to individuals with a baccalaureate degree
in accounting, business or any nonbusiness discipline. Admission criteria and
degree requirements for both programs are the same for all students.
Either the Graduate Management Admissions Test or successful
completion of all four parts of the CPA exam is required for admission to the
M.S. program. Prerequisites are based on the background and previous training
of the student.
More information on general admission requirements is
available from the College of Graduate and Professional Programs Web site at http://www.jmu.edu/cgop/.
Prerequisites
All students must be proficient with a spreadsheet program and
have the following courses (or their equivalent) prior to starting M.S. course
work.
Accounting
Courses
Accounting Information
Systems
Auditing
Cost Accounting
Federal Income Tax Accounting
Intermediate Accounting I
Intermediate Accounting
II
Business Courses
Principles
of Management
Organizational
Behavior
Statistics
Managerial
Finance
Micro
Economics
Macro
Economics
Business
Law
The completion of five courses offered by JMU over the Internet
will fulfill the Business Course prerequisite. Each course is the equivalent of
three credit hours.
MBA 501. Management and Organization
Behavior
MBA 502. Statistics and Management Science
MBA 504. Managerial Finance
MBA 505. Foundations of Economics
MBA 506. Legal Environment of
Business
Each course is offered three times a year and is 100%
self-paced.
Mission
The mission of the School of Accounting at James Madison
University is to cultivate an environment of educational excellence. We do so
by providing a learning environment in which students are encouraged to develop
both technical and interpersonal skills necessary for successful professional
accounting careers; encouraging and supporting meaningful intellectual
contributions by our faculty; and participating actively in the academic and
professional communities.
The Graduate Accounting program leads to the Master of
Science in Accounting (M.S.) degree. The primary goal of the M.S. program is to
prepare business and nonbusiness majors for entry into the public accounting
profession, or to serve as the “fifth” year in preparing students for the 150
hours of postsecondary education required for AICPA membership and required (or
scheduled to be required) to become a certified public accountant in most
jurisdictions.
M.S. in Accounting Program
James Madison University offers an on-campus program tailored
for individuals who prefer a traditional full-time program of study. The
on-campus program is also available on a part-time basis.
Master of Science in Accounting
Degree
The course work for the M.S. program consists of a common
core and electives with a thesis option. Thirty credit hours must be taken at
the 600 level.
|
Minimum Core Requirements 1
|
Credit
|
|
ACTG 675. Accounting Theory
2
|
3
|
|
Any 600-level Economics
course (approved by Director)
|
3
|
|
Any 600-level Finance
course (approved by Director)
|
3
|
|
Accounting electives
(600 level)
|
15
|
|
Electives (600 level) 3
|
6
|
|
|
|
Course Offerings
Accounting
ACTG 627. Federal Taxation and Business Decisions. 3 credits.
Considers federal tax consequences across business
entities, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations electing
“S” status and corporations. Prerequisite: Master of Science student or
permission of instructor.
ACTG 640. Accounting Information
Technology. 3 credits.
In-depth coverage of modern technology used in the
accumulation, reporting and analysis of accounting data. This course covers
modern computing hardware, telecommunications, networking and intermediate
systems design concepts. Also provides an introduction to information security.
Prerequisite: Master of Science student or permission of instructor.
ACTG 671/MBA 653. Business Law. 3 credits.
A study of the principles of the law of contracts,
agency, sales, commercial paper and business organizations. This course
emphasizes the effect of such laws on business operations.
ACTG 675. Accounting Theory. 3 credits.
Study of selected areas in accounting theory,
practice, and methodology, requiring integration and synthesis of student’s
accounting knowledge. Because this is the capstone course, a grade of “B” or
better is required for this course for successful completion of the MSA
program. Prerequisite: Master of Science student or permission of
instructor.
ACTG 676. Seminar in Cost
Accounting. 3 credits.
This course teaches students to apply analytic
reasoning and formal models to selected cost problems. Prerequisite: Master
of Science student or permission of instructor.
ACTG 677. Advanced Assurance
Theory and Practice. 3 credits.
Study of auditing and assurance topics from both a
professional and research perspective. Students will have opportunities to
develop various ideas and skills necessary to become leaders in the auditing
and assurance services arena. Contemporary professional standards will be
reviewed as well as the theories behind these standards. Prerequisite:
Master of Science student or permission of instructor.
ACTG 678. Fund Accounting. 3 credits.
Study of the current theory and practice of
budgeting, accounting, reporting and auditing of governmental and
not-for-profit organizations. Prerequisite: Master of Science student or
permission of instructor.
ACTG 680. Directed Readings. 3 credits.
Opportunity for directed readings in areas of
special interest. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and Master of
Science program director.
ACTG 681. Directed Research. 3 credits.
Opportunity for directed research in areas of
special interest. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and Master of
Science program director.
ACTG 691. Advanced Accounting
Systems. 3 credits.
An applications-oriented course covering the
analysis of integrated accounting information systems with special emphasis on
identifying and evaluating system features and characteristics appropriate for
various business settings. The course culminates in a special project requiring
application of systems knowledge to solve a complex accounting case problem. Prerequisite:
Master of Science student or permission of instructor.
ACTG 693. Applied Theory and
Corporate Reporting. 3 credits.
Study and evaluation of selected areas of financial
accounting theory and practice. This course emphasizes financial reporting and
disclosure. Prerequisite: Master of Science student or permission of
instructor.
ACTG 694. Business Practicum for
Accountants. 3 credits.
Through the Graduate Accounting Internship Program,
students engage in a supervised work experience in public accounting, industry,
not-for-profit organizations or government. During this time students gain
insight into the real world of business through their work in a variety of
accounting functional areas prior to graduation. Prerequisite: Permission of
internship director.
ACTG 695. Seminar in Accounting. 3 credits.
Study of selected areas in accounting theory,
practice and methodology. Prerequisite: Master of Science student or
permission of instructor.
ACTG 698. Comprehensive
Continuance. 1 credit.
Continued preparation in anticipation of the
comprehensive examination. Course may be repeated as needed.
ACTG 699. Thesis Continuance. 2 credits.
Continued study, research and writing in the area of
thesis concentration. Course may be repeated as needed.
ACTG 700. Thesis. 6 credits.
This course is graded on a
satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis. Prerequisite: Permission of Master
of Science program director.
