Courses Taught

ACCTG 405 – Prin of Tax I (3)
Elements of tax policy and tax-planning concepts for personal and business decision making; with emphasis on taxation of individuals. ACCTG 405 Principles of Taxation (3) Introduction to Taxation, is the first course that undergraduate accounting majors take that is devoted entirely to taxation. Although the course is intended for accounting majors, the content is relevant to finance majors seeking elective courses. The objective of the course is to provide students with a basic understanding of the concepts, terminology, and decision-making skills specific to the discipline of taxation that are germane to the professional development of those preparing for a career in accounting. Although the course surveys the many forms of taxation that are found in industrialized societies, and the comparisons thereof, the main focus is on the federal income taxation of individuals. However, coverage is provided regarding the manner in which the taxation of individuals relates to corporate and partnership entities. ACCTG 405 is related to other accounting courses through its coverage of income concepts, and micro-economic principles. The former compares differences in the measurement of financial accounting income with the manner in which income is determined according to the tax laws. The latter emphasizes business decision-making principles that are important in the managerial portion of the accounting program. The course covers topics that illustrate fundamental tax strategies and how such enable taxpayers to achieve business and personal economic objectives. The assessment process in ACCTG 405 incorporates examinations, homework assignments, and individual and group projects. The exams are combinations of objective questions and open-ended problems. Exams are often given in the evening. Course learning aids include a text book, on-line tax research services, spreadsheet software, and a packet of handouts prepared by instructors to keep the classes updated on the many changes in the tax laws that occur each year.

ACCTG 827 – STATE&LOCAL TAXATION (1.5)
ACCTG 827 provides Taxation students knowledge about state and local tax. The course focuses on state taxation of entities and individuals, including constitutional restrictions. In particular, students will acquire the knowledge necessary to recommend solutions that are in conformity with both corporate and personal tax laws. Additionally, the course provides for an in-depth understanding of sales and use tax in order to both promote compliance as well as limit tax exposure to the extent permitted by law.

ACCTG 404 – Managerial Acctg (3)
Accounting techniques as planning, control, and motivating devices in business and other organizations; accounting data for decision making and performance evaluation. ACCTG 404 Managerial Accounting (3) This course emphasizes the use of accounting information for internal purposes as opposed to the external disclosure focus of the financial accounting course. The cost covers the vocabulary and mechanics of cost accounting and the design of management accounting systems for planning and controlling operations, and for motivating personnel. The course integrates accounting with ideas from data analysis, decision analysis, finance, microeconomics, and operations management. The themes stressed throughout the course will be the notion that information is costly; the circumstances that necessitate cost allocation, the idea that different costs and different allocation schemes apply for different purposes; and fundamentals of incentive and compensation plans. Among the topics covered are cost behavior, cost-volume analysis, relevant costs, and the use of cost information for decision making. The course will rely on lectures and discussion of case studies.

ACCTG 806 – Taxes and Bus Plan (3)
Effects of tax regimes on decision-making, tax planning and market outcomes. Also, ethics, tax research, and policy.

ACCTG 812 – TAXATION (3)
Introduction to U.S. federal income tax, covering the basics of taxation of individuals, corporations, flow-through entities and property transactions. ACCTG 812 is part of a series of four accounting courses designed to provide students with the core accounting knowledge needed for an accounting career in industry. This course introduces students to the U.S. federal income tax system. It discusses the pervasive nature of taxation in the U.S. economy and teaches students how to recognize major tax issues, with an emphasis on understanding how they impact economic decision-making. Course content focuses on: (1) developing familiarity with the tax research process and the basic principles of tax planning, (2) the taxation of individuals, and (3) the taxation of business entities including corporations and partnerships.

ACCTG 496 – Indep Studies (Variable)
Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

ACCTG 481 – Financial Statement Analysis: Accounting Based Evaluation and Decision Making (3)
An accounting based evaluation and decision making approach to analyzing financial statements by studying business and firm valuation.

B A 250 – Small Business Management (3)
Analysis of problems of the small firm, particularly for the student who wishes to venture into business.

B A 321 – Contemporary Skills for Business Professionals (3)
Emphasizes the development of individual, group, critical thinking, and presentation skills, through the application of modern method and business technology.

B A 421 – Project Management (3)
Introduction to Project Management covering all phases of a project including proposal development, planning, execution, and closing.

FIN 301H – Corporation Finance (3)
Nature of finance function; risk and return concepts; working capital; dividend policies; mergers; security markets; acquisition and management of corporate capital; analysis of operations, forecasting capital requirements; raising capital; and planning p

FIN 301 – Corporation Finance (3)
Nature of finance function; risk and return concepts; working capital; dividend policies; mergers; security markets; acquisition and management of corporate capital; analysis of operations, forecasting capital requirements; raising capital; and planning p

B A 495A – Internship in Business (Variable)
Guided professional practicum in business administration involving an internship with a business organization; practice of business skills in field setting.

ACCTG 211 – Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making (4)
Introduction to the role of accounting numbers in the process of managing a business and in investor decision making.

B A 495C – Undergraduate Research in Business (variable)
Guided student research in business administration; application of analytical or research techniques to business problems.

B A 322 – Individual and Interpersonal Effectiveness for the Business Professional (3)
Effectiveness of the business professional in team settings, especially the capacity to execute both technologically and cooperatively through group exercises.

FINSV 420 – Estate Planning for the Financial Services Professional (3)
Studies the processes relating to the use, conservation, and transfer of an individual's wealth; emphasizing investments, insurance and taxation.

MKTG 327 – Retailing (3)
Management of marketing institutions in distribution channels from producers to consumers. Emphasis on retail institutions: location, personnel, merchandising, control, promotion.

FIN 305W – Financial Management of the Business Enterprise (3)
Development of advanced practices of financial management and their application to decision making in a business firm.

MGMT 301 – Basic Management Concepts (3)
Study of fundamental principles and processes applicable to the understanding of management. May not be used to satisfy Smeal College baccalaureate degree requirements. Not available to students who have taken B A 304.

Selected Publications

Research Impact and Media Mentions

Editorship