David Christensen

Professor of Accounting | Southern Utah University

Cedar City, UT, UNITED STATES

Specializing in earned value project management, the history of accounting principles, and the profitability analysis of accounting

Biography

Dr. David Christensen is a professor of accounting at Southern Utah University. He has published over 60 refereed journal articles and made numerous presentations at academic and professional conferences.

Dr. Christensen worked as a cost analyst for the United States Air Force at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Ohio. After retiring as a major, he began his second career at SUU as a professor of accounting in 1998.

Dr. Christensen earned a bachelor of science in biology from the University of Utah, a master of accounting from Utah State University and a Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Nebraska.

Industry Expertise (4)

Accounting

Education/Learning

Writing and Editing

Management Consulting

Areas of Expertise (11)

Accounting

Accounting Ethics

Accounting; Ethics Scandals and Moral Exemplars

Accounting; Profitabilty Analysis

Accounting; Theory of Constraints

Cost Accounting

Cost Analysis

Earned Value Project Management

History of Accounting Principles

Managerial Accounting

Theories and Methods of Accounting

Education (3)

University of Nebraska: Ph.D., Business Administration (Accounting)

Utah State University: M.A., Accounting

University of Utah: B.S., Biology

Accomplishments (5)

Best Session Paper (professional)

International Business and Economics Research Conference, 2009

Certificate of Merit (professional)

Institute of Management Accounting, 2009

Exemplary Use of Technology Faculty Award (professional)

Utah System of Higher Education, 2007

Driessnach Award for Distinguished Service (professional)

Project Management Institute, 2004

Outstanding Scholar (professional)

Southern Utah University, 2003

Affiliations (2)

Institute of Management Accounting
Certified Management Accountant

Links (2)

Languages (1)

Thai

Media Appearances (1)

Accounting Program Receives National Rank with U.S. News

SUU News online

2015-02-11

Taking online classes can be taxing, but for Southern Utah University students graduating with their master’s of accountancy (MAcc) they know getting their degree online is adding up with the program's recent recognition from U.S. News as a Best Online Graduate Business Degree. Currently celebrating its 10th birthday, the graduate accounting program is adding up numbers that can’t be seen at any other online graduate program in the state, according to David Christensen, accounting department chair.

Articles (2)

Allocating Service Department Costs with Excel

Strategic Finance

David Christensen & Paul Schneider

2017-05-01

A note on using Microsoft Excel's iterative calculation option in the reciprocal method of service department cost allocation by breaking down the three methods for allocating service department costs: direct, sequential, and reciprocal.

Web of Deception

IMA Educational Case Journal

David Christensen

2014-05-01

Escalating commitment to a failing project, the case of the A12 Stealth Bomber

Courses (11)

ACCT 2010 Financial Accounting Principles

This course provides a thorough study of basic accounting principles. The accounting cycle is introduced using an appropriate mix of conceptual and procedural problems. A real-world problem using computer applications is also covered. This is a basic course, which aids in building a foundation for financial analysis and decision-making.

ACCT 2020 Managerial Accounting

A study of the accumulation and flow of managerial accounting information and its impact on decisions within a business entity. Emphasizes cost behavior, cost-volume profit analysis, and management’s use of quantitative tools for planning and control.

ACCT 3300 Cost Accounting

Analysis of costs in a business organization. Includes cost development in both service and manufacturing situations. Areas discussed include: job order costing, process costing, standard costing and variance analysis.

ACCT 4890 Internship

Internship

ACCT 6000 Foundations of Accounting

This course provides an accelerated overview of both the theories and methods of accounting in support of the common body of knowledge core required for all MBA students not having previous business coursework.

ACCT 6100 Advanced Management Accounting

This course reviews the development and use of management accounting information systems in planning and control activities. Using case studies of actual companies, its focus is on new management accounting practices adopted by the innovative companies around the world.

ACCT 6320 Advanced Cost Accounting

Topics include balanced scorecard, cost allocation, profitability analysis, process costing, quality, theory of constraints, capital budgeting, transfer pricing, and performance measurement.

ACCT 6600 Practice and Theory Seminar

Special accounting problems related to accounting practice and theory, with emphasis on conceptual analysis and historical development of generally accepted accounting principles. Readings cover current theory as well as current accounting issues. Problems requiring in-depth research into pronouncements issued by FASB and predecessor standing-setting bodies are used.

ACCT 6650 Accounting Ethics Seminar

This seminar is designed to help students develop the strength of their own characters by receiving ethics education in moral sensitivity, judgment, and motivation. Ethics philosophies, professional codes of conduct, and strategies for ensuring ethical behavior in the workplace are discussed using case studies of ethics scandals and moral exemplars.

ACCT 6700 Graduate Readings

Graduate readings

ACCT 6890 Accounting Internship

Internship