The accounting faculty teaches one MBA core course: Financial Accounting, a full-semester course that students take in their first semester. In addition, the accounting division offers a wide variety of elective courses in financial accounting and valuation, managerial accounting, and taxation for students in the MBA and EMBA programs. We also contribute to several highly rated Executive Education programs.
Course Listing
MBA/EMBA Core Courses
MBA/EMBA Elective Courses
Exec Ed Courses
PhD Courses
MBA/EMBA Core Courses
The core course, Accounting I: Financial Accounting covers the basic concepts and tools of accounting. Financial Accounting emphasizes the development and use of financial statements (e.g., annual or quarterly reports).
Accounting I - Financial Accounting (B6001)
Designed to develop an understanding of accounting principles for users of accounting information. The course looks at how users of financial information interpret accounting reports when making business decisions. The emphasis is on profitability concepts and performance evaluation. Coverage is not restricted to the existing U.S. model but includes a broad discussion of measurement issues and alternative country practices.
Financial Accounting Electives
Accounting for Value (B8022)
Corporate Transactions and Financial Modelling (B8018)
Earnings Quality and Fundamental Analysis (B8008)
Economics of Strategic Behavior (B7216-001)
Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation (B8009)
Financial Planning and Analysis (B8007)
Fundamental Analysis of Investment and Management Decisions: A Practical Guide (B8010)
Value Investing in Credit Markets (B8012)
Value Investing with Legends (B8378-001)
This class combines Value Investing in Term A with the Value Investing with Legends lecture series in Term B. Term A is intended to teach students the fundamentals of the value approach to investment management developed by Graham and Dodd. This will be done through a combination of formal lectures, cases and in-class valuation discussions. The substantive areas covered will include (1) the fundamental assumptions and approaches to value investing, (2) techniques for assessing fundamental value – balance sheet and earnings power approaches, (3) structuring value-based portfolios to control risk and (4) designing strategies for searching efficiently for value investing opportunities. The second half of the semester (Term B) is intended to expose students to the practical implementation of Graham and Dodd investing principles. Through presentations by leading value investors, students will learn how individuals develop an investment process to suit their personality and personal biases. Investors will discuss: 1. search strategy, 2. valuation approach, 3. research techniques, and 4. risk management in the context of their own investments.
Executive Education Courses
The accounting group is proud to contribute to the success of Columbia Executive Education, which offers top-rated nondegree programs for executives at all levels.
Our faculty members lead this popular Executive Education course:
Finance and Accounting for the Nonfinancial Executive
PhD Courses
The accounting division offers two PhD-level seminar courses. Both courses have a methodological focus as opposed to a topical focus: rather than offering a managerial accounting seminar and a financial accounting seminar, we offer an empirical seminar and a theory seminar, which cover both financial and managerial accounting research.
The Theory Seminar provides an introduction to research into accounting phenomena using analytical methods. The course covers research papers and follows the evolution of research ideas across different papers. The topics covered include contracting within the firm, accounting-based valuation and disclosure.
The Empirical Seminar introduces students to empirical research in both financial and managerial accounting. Students are exposed to a wide range of empirical research methodologies, including large sample archival research, small sample nonparametric methods, and field-based research. The topics covered include stock market valuation of financial information, positive accounting theory, equity valuation, contracting, corporate governance, and auditing.
In addition to the two seminars, our PhD students take required PhD-level courses in statistics, economics, and econometrics and elective courses in allied disciplines such as finance and economics.
The Masters of Science in Accounting and Fundamental Analysis
The Masters of Science in Accounting and Fundamental Analysis is a three semester master’s degree program offered by the Accounting Division of Columbia Business School. The Program provides academically distinguished and industry-oriented students the opportunity to obtain a rigorous, graduate level training in Accounting, Fundamental Analysis, Statistics, Finance, and Economics . Students take a carefully constructed curriculum of Doctoral and MBA courses offered at Columbia Business School. The program has some overlap with our PhD program, but is intended for students who prefer a shorter and more industry-oriented experience than the School’s Doctoral Program.
The goal of the program is to provide students with the quantitative and theoretical tools for a successful career in Investment advisory, equity and credit analysis, and consulting.
Candidates should have academic preparation equivalent to that of entering PhD students, and should be fully prepared to participate in PhD classes and to complete a substantial research project. Applicants who may also be considering MBA or PhD programs are encouraged to carefully review the academic differentials between the offerings to better understand the preparation for post-MS opportunities.