STAND-ALONE COLLEGE ACCOUNTING ETHICS COURSE AND INSIGHT FOR ACCOUNTING ETHICS MODULES

Mei-Lung Chen
Ring D. Chen
Northeastern Illinois University
Thomas Chenoweth
Public Practice, Fort Myers, FL
ABSTRACT
This study examines the commonplace question asked by accounting educators who teach
a stand alone accounting ethics course: What categories and topics should be included in the
accounting ethics course? The results indicate that some categories and topics should receive
more emphasis whereas other categories and topics should receive less emphasis or may be
excluded from an accounting ethics course. Categories receiving the highest attention are causes
of ethical lapses of boards of directors and management, corporate culture, AICPA Code of
Professional Conduct, personal ethics, ethical decision-making process, corporate governance,
and causes of accounting firm audit failure. Topics receiving the highest attention are whistle-
blowing; corporate culture; integrity, independence, objectivity; personal ethics, global ethics,
multi-cultural ethics; corporate governance; financial statement manipulation, management stock
options, accounting firm compensation of accounting professionals; professional skepticism,
professional competence, financial statement restatements, accountant and accounting firm
billable hours, and engagement letters.