In recognition of the effect that their actions or inactions may have on other people, professionals in many different fields are required to regularly complete continuing education on the subject of ethics as it applies to their particular field of endeavor. This requirement is intended to serve as a regular reminder to lawyers, accountants, doctors, and other individuals who are placed in positions of responsibility that they have an obligation to honor the trust that is placed in them by those whom they serve.
Many of the collegial organizations that support these different professions have created and adopted a Code of Ethics to serve as a guide to the behavior and responses that are expected of their members. In the case of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs has developed and adopted a Code of Professional Conduct to provide guidance and rules to all members—those in public practice, industry, government, and education—in the performance of their professional responsibilities.
This course is based on the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and begins with a discussion on ethics in general, and the importance of ethics throughout our lives in governing both our professional and personal behavior. The principles of the Code of Professional Conduct are discussed along with several of the rules that apply to daily practice by CPAs. Numerous thought-provoking case studies are included throughout the text to encourage the student to plan how to best apply the information presented.