Accounting

Introduction

Accounting is an important tool used by managers of economic organizations to plan, control and report financial activity. A thorough knowledge of accounting is, therefore, necessary to understand the operation and financial condition of any business, nonprofit organization or governmental agency.

The Department of Accounting offers a broad program of accounting courses that, coupled with required and elective courses in economics and business administration, provides the graduate with a sound educational foundation for an accounting career or post-graduate studies.

The accounting graduate can expect to find employment in a number of areas including private business, public accounting, not-for-profit organizations or governmental units. An accountant in private business or governmental service will typically work in such areas as cost analysis, taxation, auditing, accounting systems or cash management. Careers in public accounting typically involve work in taxation, auditing or management advisory services.

The accounting curriculum also provides a theoretical foundation for students who plan to take examinations to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Students are encouraged to consider the variety and breadth of career opportunities available to the accounting graduate when they select their accounting elective courses.

For those students planning to take the CPA exam, the state of Washington requires additional education. Please see the website at www.cbe.wwu.edu/acct for details.

Faculty

AUDREY G. TAYLOR (2002) Chair and Professor. BA, Smith College; MBA, University of Tennessee; MIE, PhD, Wayne State University.
HANMEI CHEN (2015) Associate Professor. BS, MS Tsinghua University; PhD, Arizona State University.
BURAK DOLAR (2012) Professor. BA, Istanbul University; MBA, Troy University; PhD, University of Mississippi.
DAWNA DRUM (2016) Associate Professor. BBA, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; MBA, Edgewood College, Madison, WI; PhD, Indiana State University.
YAMIN HAO (2018) Assistant Professor. BS, Tsinghua University; PhD, University of Miami.
SHUO LI (2017) Associate Professor. BSc, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics; MSc, Indiana University; PhD, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
ZANDER (ZENGHUI) LIU (2015) Associate Professor. BS, Jilin University; MS, Jilin University; PhD, Drexel University.
JARED MOORE (2019) Associate Professor. BS, Arizona State University; Master of Taxation, Arizona State University; PhD, Arizona State University.
WILLIAM R. SINGLETON (1975) Professor. BBA, Memphis State University; MBA, University of Portland; PhD, University of Hawaii; CPA, state of Washington.
STEVEN H. SMITH (2001) Associate Professor. BBA, Iowa State University; MS, Oklahoma State University; PhD, Arizona State University.

Departmental Mission

The Department of Accounting provides high-quality, balanced accounting education to majors and other undergraduate and graduate students. Quality teaching is our most important function. We engage students in the development of communication, conceptual and technical skills. To exemplify an enthusiasm for professional activity, faculty maintain their own intellectual curiosity and community awareness. Faculty are active scholars and contribute positively to students’ experience, and to the department, college, university, profession, and community service.

Our objectives support the combined mission of teaching, scholarship, and service.

Teaching

Integrate a broad range of accounting skills with an appreciation of ethical, cultural and environmental issues as they relate to accounting and business law.
Promote oral and written communication, computer, research and group skills.
Prepare students to become productive accounting and business professionals.
Review and modify the curriculum to meet changing societal needs.

Scholarship

Produce, apply, and disseminate knowledge in accountancy and business law and in the pedagogy of these disciplines. Faculty are encouraged to pursue scholarly projects that suit their professional talents and interests consistent with the mission of the College of Business and Economics.

Service

Serve the professional and broader communities.

Declaration Process

See the College of Business and Economics admission section of this catalog for declaration of pre-major and major requirements and procedure.

Other Departmental Information

Communication Requirements

See the College of Business and Economics communication section of this catalog.

Programs

Undergraduate Major

Undergraduate Minor

Accounting Minor

Graduate

Professional Accounting, Non-Thesis, MPAcc

Courses

Accounting

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Business

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Master of Professional Accounting

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400, 500 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.