Accounting and Public Policy Courses

Accounting and Public Policy

The Washington Campus offers graduate Accounting and Public Policy capstone courses, designed for students completing a graduate accounting, tax, or similar degree. Students are offered an intensive, distinctive, personal and professional development experience.  These 3-5 day courses in Washington, D.C., address critical public policy institutions, issues, and trends affecting the profession of accounting.  Participants meet with and gain a greater understanding of the role of regulatory agencies such as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Participants also have meetings and discussions with organizations governing the accounting profession, such as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Center for Audit Quality, as well as more informal but important organizations such as trade associations and think tanks.  The Washington Campus accounting and policy courses also include visits with members and staff from Congress and officials from the Executive Branch in order to understand their institutional roles in governing the profession.  These meetings include discussions of the relevant tax, securities, commodities, and oversight committees in Congress, for example.  Within the Executive Branch, discussions typically include the operations of forensic accounting and compliance within agencies such as the U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenues Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Participants also gain practical insights into the strategic role of government relations, as well as the role of public policy lobbying and advocacy by the overall profession and individual firms, regarding issues that affect them and their clients.  Other topical sessions often include discussions of cybersecurity policy, tax policy, and other topics relevant to the profession and to key clients.

 

Accounting & Public Policy: Course Highlights

 

Accounting and Public Policy Symposium: Sample Course Outline Day 1: Public Affairs, Public Policy, and Regulation Public Affairs and Public Policy in the Accounting Profession Accounting and Public Policy: The Critical Role of Federal and Self-Regulation The Evolving Role of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): New Policy and Technology Challenges Hands-On Workshop: Current Issues in Audit Oversight  Public Affairs and Advocacy on Behalf of the Accounting Industry: The AICPA              Day 2: The Macro Context For Public Policy and Regulation Making Sense of the New World Order: Fiscal & Monetary Policy and Capital Markets The Role of the Federal Reserve System in Financial Regulation Panel Discussion with Tax Policy Experts: Challenges for U.S. Tax Policy The Government Accountability Office (GAO): Current Issues and Opportunities Panel Discussion with Policy Experts: New Challenges for Financial and Economic Reporting Day 3: New Challenges and Opportunities Cybersecurity Policy: New Challenges for Business and Government Forensic Accounting in Practice: The Role of Federal Agencies (FBI, IRS, etc.) How to Think About the Disruptive Technologies of Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies Panel Discussion with The Big 4: Innovation in Professional Services - Accounting, Audit, Tax, and Beyond Bringing It All Together: Discussion and Integration

At the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)   At the Treasury Department with the IRS Criminal Investigations Chief     Visiting the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)