George Mason University
Graduate Course Approval/Inventory Form
Please complete this form and attach a copy of the syllabus for new courses. Forward it as an email attachment
to the Secretary of the Graduate Council. A printed copy of the form with signatures should be brought to the
Graduate Council Meeting. Complete the Coordinator Form on page 2, if changes in this course will affect
other units.
Please indicate:
___x__ NEW
____ MODIFY
____ DELETE
(Course hasn’t been offered since the late ‘90s.)
Local Unit:
School of Management
Graduate Council Approval Date:
Course Abbreviation: MBA and ACCT
Course Number: 743
Full Course Title: Corporate Financial Reporting
Abbreviated Course Title (24 characters max.): Corporate Fin Rptg
Credit hours:
3
Program of Record:
Repeatable for Credit?
___ D=Yes, not within same term
___ T=Yes, within the same term
_x__ N=Cannot be repeated for credit
Up to hours
Up to hours
Activity Code (please indicate):
_x__ Lecture (LEC) ___ Lab (LAB)
___ Recitation (RCT)
___ Studio (STU)
___ Internship (INT) ___ Independent Study (IND)
____ Seminar (SEM)
Catalog Credit Format
: :
Maximum Enrollment: 40
Prerequisites or corequisistes:
Course Level: GF(500-600) ____
GA(700+) ____
For NEW courses, first term to be offered:
Summer 2006
Catalog Description (35 words or less) Please use catalog format and attach a copy of the syllabus for new
courses.:
Contemporary issues in corporate financial reporting. Topics covered include agency theory, conceptual
framework, economic consequences of accounting standards, earnings management, efficient markets
hypothesis, international accounting standards, positive accounting theory, and others.
For MODIFIED or DELETED courses as appropriate:
Last term offered:
Previous Course Abbreviation:
Previous number:
Description of modification:
APPROVAL SIGNATURES:
Submitted by:
________________________________ email: ________________
Department/Program:
College Committee:
________________________________ Date: __________________
________________________________ Date: _________________
Graduate Council Representative: ________________________________ Date: __________________
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
Course Coordination Form
Approval from other units:
Please list those units outside of your own who may be affected by this new, modified, or deleted course. Each of these units must
approve this change prior to its being submitted to the Graduate Council for approval.
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Units Signature:
Date:
Graduate Council approval: ______________________________________________ Date: ____________
Graduate Council representative: __________________________________________ Date: ____________
Provost Office representative: ________________________________________
Date: __________
Master Syllabus
ACCT/MBA 743: Corporate Financial Reporting
Course Description:
This course addresses contemporary issues in corporate financial reporting. The focus will be on the role of
financial reporting in providing decision-useful information to participants of the capital market and theoretical
and empirical assessments of its performance. Examples of topics covered include agency theory, conceptual
framework, economic consequences of accounting standards, earnings management, efficient markets
hypothesis, harmonization of international accounting principles, and positive accounting theory.
Learning Objectives:
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To develop critical and analytical perspectives on theories, paradigms, and controversial issues in
contemporary financial reporting literature.
To discuss the potential economic consequences of accounting standards
To understand the accounting policymaking process and the significance of the FASB’s Conceptual
Framework project.
To explain how accounting information affects security prices.
To introduce students to academic and professional literature
To use the popular press and the Internet to research contemporary financial reporting issues.
Approach to Learning:
The course will be conducted in seminar format. Reading, lecture, discussion, and investigation comprise the
primary tools of the course. Students, who will be graded on both the quality and quantity of their presentation
and participation, will present all the assigned readings. The class will be divided into groups with no group
having more than three students. Each group will act as a discussion leader and present a reading assigned for a
particular week.
Course Website: (See individual instructor syllabi for specific section addresses)
Representative Text and Materials:
Accounting Theory: Conceptual Issues in a Political and Economic Environment, Wolk, Dodd and Tearney, 6th
Edition, Southwestern, 2004 and other readings.
Student Responsibilities:
Students are expected to download and read the lecture notes and other materials posted at the course website.
Further, students are expected to contribute to the class discussion of points and analysis of issues during every
meeting.
Methods of Student Evaluation:
Students’ performance will be assessed on four factors: short cases, term paper, class participation, and a
comprehensive final examination. The term paper will provide an opportunity to explore a current issue in
financial accounting in substantial depth. Topics can involve existing reporting standards or practice, proposed
standards or exposure drafts, or other financial reporting issues.
Course Topics
1. Introduction to Accounting Theory and the Decision Usefulness Approach to Financial Reporting
2. Accounting Regulation and Economic Consequences of Accounting Standards
3. The Conceptual Framework
4. Accounting Information and Capital Markets
5. The Information Perspective on Decision Usefulness
6. The Measurement Perspective on Decision Usefulness, Intangibles and Fair-Value-Oriented Standards
7. Positive Accounting Theory and Accounting Choice
8. Earnings Management
9. Executive Compensation
10. Issues in International Financial Reporting
Other topics may be added at the instructor’s discretion.
Honor Code:
Students are expected to follow the Honor Code as present in the University’s publications.
DRC Statement:
If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see the instructor and
contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 993-2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged
through DRC.