SYLLABUS FOR Forensic Accounting

Term: Summer, fall 2005-1

Course Number: ACC 475

Instructor: Mr. George Grzesiowski MBA/CPA

Assistant professor, Accounting & Management

Program Director, Business Programs

Office: Room # 516

Office Phone: 219-473-4283

E-mail: ggrzesiowski@ccsj.edu

Home Phone: (219) 362-1696

Home E-mail: grzz@csinet.net

Cell: (219) – 716-5002

Office Hours: To be announced

Course Time: Directed Study: Arranged

Course Description:

This course reviews strategies and tactics essential to the fraud examination process. Students should have a basic knowledge of accounting. The course guides the student into specialized applied settings, indicative of forensic accounting. Coverage includes: financial statement analysis, interpretation and scrutiny of financial records and documentation, trace techniques, reporting irregularities, fraud examination approaches, legal rules and statutory construction pertinent to accounting practices. Common fraud cases are reviewed such as bankruptcy, insurance, employee/employer reporting, covert examinations, trading practices, and money laundering schemes.

Prerequisites: ACC 210/211

Textbooks: Fraud Examination, Albrecht, 2nd edition, Thomson/Southwestern, 2006.

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Open Door Policy

Since your learning is my primary concern, it is imperative that anything preventing you from learning be discussed. Please feel free to make an appointment with me or call me so that I can help you keep on track.

Class Policy on Attendance:

Attendance in class is an important priority. Accounting is a course that continues to build on the knowledge gained. It is not possible to understand and grasp the fundamentals being taught in later chapters unless the earlier chapters have been mastered. Missing classes will impede your progress.

Your class participation grade will be affected by attendance. If you are not here, you are not participating. Class begins at 6:30PM. Lateness is disrespectful and will affect your participation points.

Class Policy for Assignments:

Students are expected to have read the chapter prior to the lecture. Each chapter will be explained and discussed. Concepts will be illustrated by working selected demonstration problems in class. Selected problems will be assigned as homework. Homework problems will be checked in class. I will check your working papers for completion. Late homework will be assessed a 50% late penalty.

Student Responsibilities:

Exams will be essay and take home. Answers must be typed.

All students no matter what their educational background, life/work experiences, have something to offer that will enrich our class. As instructors, we not only encourage participation, but also rely on it. As students, you should demand it, not only of yourselves, but also of your classmates. Our class is only as good as we make it.

Classroom Behavior

The student is expected to treat the instructor and his/her fellow students with respect and courtesy at all times. This means giving full attention. No private conversations, no catching up on homework assignments, no naps. Such items can and will affect your participation grade.

Learning Outcomes/ Competencies:

Students in this course will:

· Have developed the analytical competencies to understand the application of accounting procedures, statements, and systems to the measurement of the financial well-being of organizations.

· Define fraud.

· Identify controls that prevent or detect fraudulent behavior.

· Describe different approaches to fraud investigation.

· Conduct proactive fraud auditing.

· Recognize and understand analytical symptoms of fraud.

· Identify how fraud is detected by analyzing financial statements.

· Know how to coordinate an investigation using a vulnerability chart.

· Perform discovery sampling to obtain documentary evidence.

· Demonstrate the capability to critically and reflectively engage ethical issues in accounting and criminal justice, particularly questions of social responsibility and professional practice.

Assessment:

Questions 25% of grade

True/False & Multiple Choice 25% of grade

Cases 25% of grade

Research Paper 25% of grade

100%

Grading Scale:

A: 92-100 A-: 90-91 B+: 88-89 B: 82-87 B-: 80-81 C+: 78-79

C: 72-77 C-: 70-71 D+: 68-69 D: 62-67 D-: 60-61 F: 59 & below

Assignments:

Discussion Questions: After each chapter provide short answers to the discussion questions.

True/False & Multiple Choice: After each chapter answer the true/false and multiple choice questions.

Extensive Cases: After each chapter answer the assigned extensive cases.

Research Paper: Find and develop a report on a recent fraud case. Provide the background for the company and fraud. Identify the kind of fraud that occurred and who were the perpetrators. Relate your finding to the fraud triangle. How could the fraud have been prevented? How was the case actually resolved?

All work must be typed. APA guidelines must be followed for the research paper.

Center for Academic Excellence:

Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Call the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), to make an appointment at 473-4287. The Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better. Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances. (Academic Planner 2001/2002 p.27)

Citation Guidelines:

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.). All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore. These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. Written request for withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed.

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).

Class Assignments:

Week Topic-Assignment

1 Chapter 1 The Nature of Fraud

Discussion Questions 1-10