Overview:

Using the Internet, students will independently research one specific accounting-related position.

Examples of suitable positions could be:

• Corporate Controller;
• Audit Operations;
• Corporate Finance;
• Chartered Accountant;
• Certified Management Accountant; and
• Forensic Accountant.

The paper should outline the following points of interest regarding the accounting position:

• job title,
• industry (ie. manufacturing, banking, service, etc.),
• duties and responsibilities, and
• educational requirements.

This research paper should be approximately 500 words in length, typed, and double-spaced. 

Suggested Online Resources:

• The Internet - Research Links
• Chiquita Job Opportunities - North America
• IBM Employment Opportunities - Search Engine
• Chrysler Employment Opportunities - Search Engine
• Microsoft Employment Opportunities - Search Engine

Suggested Text References:

• pages 14, 115, and 576 (Accounting Students),
• pages 46 (Private Accounting Practice),
• pages 76 (Forensic Accountant),
• pages 155 (Sole Proprietor),
• pages 207 (Accounting Software Developer,
• pages 249 (Head of Information Systems,
• pages 301 (Auditing),
• pages 371 and 422 (Banking & Investment)

The student will prepare an investigative report on a recent corporate scandal that involved improper accounting practices. Recent scandals include: For a more detailed sumary of recent corporate scandals, please visit the CBC's corporate scandal page.

Sections of this investigative report would include:

• Corporate Overview (100 words, 5 marks)
• The Scandal (100 words, 5 marks)
• Accounting Impropriety (500 words, 5 marks)
• Evading Detection (100 words, 5 marks)
• Effects (200 words, 5 marks)
• Recommendations (200 words, 5 marks)

For more details of the expectations for this report, download the complete Accounting Scandals Rubric.

Note: This exercise involves more work than the accounting career report, but some students have indicated that it seems a lot more interesting. This project is be marked out of 50, and would likely require at LEAST 1200 words to complete.