Advanced Accounting
SPS Certificate website: https://sps.northwestern.edu/post-baccalaureate/advanced-accounting/
Online Advanced Accounting Certificate
Students considering the Advanced Accounting Certificate program should have already completed the Fundamentals of Accounting Certificate Program or equivalent course work.
Taken together, the Fundamentals of Accounting Certificate program and the Advanced Accounting Certificate program consists of up to 12 units (equivalent to 30 semester hours). These two certificate programs are designed for post-baccalaureate students who need to complete the accounting course requirements included in the educational requirements for the Illinois CPA Exam. (Students planning to take the CPA Exam in a jurisdiction other than Illinois should refer to the related educational requirements for the related jurisdiction.)
The Advanced Accounting Certificate program is also designed for accounting and other business professionals who require an in-depth knowledge of accounting for career advancement in their fields. The courses in this certificate program provide in-depth, advanced coverage of a wide range of topics, including those relating to accounting information systems, intermediate accounting, individual and corporate income taxes, auditing, not-for-profit and governmental accounting, and data analytics in accounting.
Additional Information
Note that students should have substantial academic experience in basic accounting or equivalent accounting knowledge before beginning the Advanced Accounting Certificate program. Recommended prerequisites are:
- ACCOUNT 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting
- ACCOUNT 202 Introduction to Managerial Accounting
- ACCOUNT 208 Income Tax I
The courses above can be completed in the Fundamentals of Accounting Certificate program, and are in the curriculum for the CPA Accounting Certificate program.
Advanced Accounting Courses
ACCOUNT 210-DL Intermediate Accounting I (1 Unit)
This course introduces students to accounting theory, the conceptual framework, and provides in-depth coverage of the preparation of financial statements for external users. Valuation and reporting issues relating to cash, accounts and notes receivable, inventories, property, plant and equipment, intangible assets and natural resources, and other assets are addressed, as well as the income statement accounts relating to each of the above.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 202-DL.
ACCOUNT 211-DL Intermediate Accounting II (1 Unit)
This course continues the in-depth coverage of the generally accepted accounting principles relating to selected financial statement accounts. Valuation and reporting issues relating to current liabilities, income tax allocations, operating and capital leases, pension plans, investments, and stockholders’ equity are addressed, as well as the income statement accounts relating to each of the above. It also covers the application of present value concepts in accounting.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 210-DL.
ACCOUNT 308-DL Income Tax II (1 Unit)
This course focuses on taxation at the Federal level with emphasis on tax returns prepared by corporations, partnerships, and S corporations, as well as estate and gift tax returns. Topics include corporate formation and capital structure, corporate income tax, other corporate levies, consolidated tax returns, partnerships, and S-corporations, including the preparation of selected tax returns using IRS forms and schedules.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 208-DL.
ACCOUNT 320-DL Forensic Accounting (1 Unit)
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of forensic accounting. Topics include services provided by forensic accountants, areas of law relating to fraud examination and litigation services, and investigative techniques, including the collection and evaluation of evidence. The evaluation of systems designed to prevent fraud, the red flags of fraud, and fraud detection through analysis of financial information is stressed throughout.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 201-DL.
ACCOUNT 330-DL Accounting Information Systems (1 Unit)
This course introduces students to the role of accounting information systems, tools used to perform accounting data analytics, how data and information move within organizations, and organizational risks and control issues. These concepts are applied to explain how information systems connect business structure, processes, and performance, how technology is used for data analysis and visualization, how technology alters control techniques, and how to identify commonly used information architectures.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 202-DL.
ACCOUNT 340-DL Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting (1 Unit)
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of accounting for government and nonprofit organizations. Topics include fund accounting, identification and recording of financial transactions, the budgeting process, and the concepts and principles underlying the financial reports of both governmental and nonprofit organizations.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 202-DL.
ACCOUNT 350-DL Auditing I (1 Unit)
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of auditing theory and practice. Topics include the related professional standards and professional ethics, the legal liability of CPAs, planning an audit, the evaluation of a system of internal controls, including in IT environments, and audit sampling. The course concludes with an explanation of the application of these auditing procedures to the audit of cash and financial instruments.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 210-DL.
ACCOUNT 360-DL Auditing II (1 Unit)
This course introduces students to the design and application of auditing procedures to the audits of receivables, inventories, property, plant and equipment, and other assets, as well as accounts payable, other current and long-term liabilities, and stockholders’ equity, as well as the income statement accounts relating to each of the above. Other topics include auditors’ reports, integrated audits, and other assurance services provided by CPAs.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 350-DL.
ACCOUNT 380-DL AI and Data Analytics in Accounting (1 Unit)
This course enables students to develop a digital, data-driven mindset within the context of accounting. The first part of the course introduces the field of data analytics, describes its benefits and roles in accounting, and explains how to engage with data scientists and AI specialists to define problems, analyze data, and arrive at data-driven insights. The second part focuses on applying those principles to real-life use cases in managerial accounting, financial accounting and reporting, auditing, and taxation.
Prerequisite: ACCOUNT 202-DL, ACCOUNT 208-DL, ACCOUNT 330-DL, and ACCOUNT 350-DL.