Course
Syllabus
Acct 202-01
Introduction to Financial Accounting
Spring 2008
Acct
202 Home Page
Updated on 1-March-2008
Course Description | EMA Department
Mission and the College's Core Values
Course Competencies | Textbook
and Materials | Course Components
Class Attendance and Mobile Phones| Computer
Fluency
Accommodations for Students With Special Needs | Examinations
Academic Dishonesty | Evaluation
Schedule
Introduction to Financial Accounting is concerned with the system of gathering and communicating financial information to interested external users, primarily investors and creditors. You will be introduced to the financial accounting process: measuring, processing, interpreting, and using accounting information for business decision-making.
EMA Department Mission: Students enrolled in the Department of Economics, Management and Accounting will develop competencies in their specific fields of study. In addition, they will graduate with the essential analytical, problem solving, computer, and communication skills to excel in their chosen career or graduate studies. Upon their graduation, students also will have the necessary interpersonal skills to function as effective team players with people from diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, students will be able to demonstrate competency in conducting research, a commitment to ethical and professional behavior, an understanding of the international marketplace, and an appreciation of the importance of lifelong learning.
Accounting Program Objectives: Students of accounting and public accounting will apply the basics of financial reporting and internal control, understand how managers use accounting information, appreciate how technology impacts the accounting profession, and possess basic skills to pass a professional examination.
The Department supports the College's Core Values, and this course directly addresses several of the Core Values.
· Core Value #1 -- Liberal Arts Foundation: this course, where learning and teaching happens using a liberal arts approach, helps prepare students for careers where critical thinking, unstructured problem solving, and judgment is necessary.
· Core Value #4 -- Technology: in this course students will continue to enhance their technology proficiencies, becoming comfortable and capable with methods of communication and ways to gather information intelligently.
· Core Value #5 -- World of Work: this course provides students with an education "in the various branches of useful knowledge." Requiring students to use the skills and knowledge they acquired in their liberal education, this course's content reflects today’s realities of worldwide market orientation and an economy based deeply on information exchange.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
· explain how accounting information supports business decision making,
· use the language of accounting to describe the financial impact of business transactions,
· describe the role of information technology as a tool to support accounting activities,
· understand the benefits of using teamwork to find solutions to unstructured business questions, and
· refine your business research skills using the Dawes Library online databases and information from The Wall Street Journal and Reuters business news
REQUIRED
· A one-semester subscription to The Wall Street Journal (print and online editions). Please wait to subscribe until we meet on January 22 (first day of class).
·
Financial Accounting, 10/e,,
You shall complete assigned readings from the textbook and various business and accounting periodicals. These readings, which you should view with a "professionally skeptical" eye, serve as the basis for class discussions and application of textbook topics. Out of class assignments such as your homework, short papers, and the financial statement analysis project provide additional opportunities for you to use material discussed in class or to discover information related to class topics. Examinations provide me with more formal means to evaluate your understanding and application of what is learned.
Each new chapter BEGINS with a RAT (Readiness Assessment Test). The purpose of the RAT is to make sure you keep up with assigned reading and to do this reading BEFORE we start the chapter. In this way, we don't need to spend a lot of time in lecture and instead can use the material you've picked up from your own reading. RAT questions come from the "Flash Cards" link on the course textbook Web site.
We will use guided discussions, team activities, homework, and out-of-class assignments as the primary means of applying textbook concepts. I expect active class participation from all students. You will be called on in class. Oral communication skills are a critical factor for the success of accountants -- or any business person for that matter! Those who participate in class tend to be more academically stronger, as they know they must prepare ahead of class, read assigned materials and review those materials already covered, and keep up with homework in order to meet the demands of class participation. Participation includes, but it not limited to: asking questions and responding to questions during class, responding to homework reviews, sharing personal experiences or making comments about class topics, finding relevant articles in newspapers or journals and introducing them to the class, etc. In addition to participating in class, you can pose questions and carry on electronic discussions by way of our class e-mail list.
Attendance is not taken. You will be treated as an adult in this regard, responsible for the outcomes of the choices you make. Please realize that because of the various teaching and learning methods employed in our class it is not possible to recreate the learning that takes place during class time. Absences also impact your class participation grade; if you're not in class, you can't participate!.
While in class, please turn off your mobile phones. If you are awaiting an emergency phone call for medical reasons, please set your mobile's alert mode to "vibrate" and leave the classroom to take the call.
To stay comfortable with and continuously work to improve my routine for
You are expected to have a working knowledge of e-mail and a
Students with learning or other disabilities are encouraged to contact me at the beginning of the semester to discuss their needs for accommodation. Any student needing accommodations due to a documented disability should notify the Academic Resource Center, located in Andrews Hall, at the beginning of the semester for further instructions.
Examinations are designed to encourage you to synthesize the textbook and outside readings, in-class exercises and projects, and material discussed on our class e-mail list. Examination questions focus on concepts, application of financial accounting principles, and analysis of financial information for business decision making. Examinations are not comprehensive.
Academic dishonesty occurs when a student represents someone else's work as his or her own; it includes actions such as, but not limited to:
· Copying another person's paper,
· Copying another person's words or ideas without putting quotation marks around them and citing them as a source,
· Copying entire sentences and paragraphs from a print or electronic source without providing proper documentation and credit,
· Allowing another person to write your paper and make revisions to your work,
· Collaborating with others on examinations or assignments where the work is to be done indivdually,
· Manipulating data,
· Cheating.
Any student who engages in academic dishonesty or plagiarizes from published material (such as a web site, book, or magazine) or from unpublished material (such as another student's writing), is subject to a range of penalties, depending on the extent of the academic dishonesty, from a "zero" on the assignment to an F for the course. Learn more about academic dishonesty, both in the Student Handbook under "Academic Dishonesty" and also on the Campus Writing Center's web site.
I am very persistent and diligent about following up with suspected situations of academic dishonesty. Out-of-class assignments and examinations are carefully reviewed. I will deal with offenders in ways ranging from issuing a "zero" on an assignment to an F for the course. Students frequently forget that the impact of academic dishonesty goes well beyond the assignment or the semester. It results in a long-term loss of my trust and confidence. As well, I would be unable to write a letter of reference for you for campus activities, internships, jobs, or graduate school. Simply stated: avoid any temptation to engage in academic dishonesty!
|
Examinations |
2 examinations @ 100 points each |
325 points |
|
Financial Statement Analysis Project |
75 points |
|
|
RATs |
10 @ 10 points each |
100 points |
|
Class Participation |
Includes in-class and e-mail list participation, and collected assignments |
65 points |
|
Total Points Available |
565 points |
|
Evaluation Scale:
|
94% and above |
A |
74-76% |
C |
Late assignments will have points deducted. The
deduction is 10% of the value of the assignment for each day it is late,
including weekends. Please note that the third examination (last examination)
must be submitted by the date and time indicated on the course
schedule.
Any student (with the exception of first year students) on academic probation
will also be placed on co-curricular probation. At the end of spring semester
first year students can be placed on co-curricular probation effect for the
fall semester. Refer to p. 146-47 of the 2007-08 College Catalogue
for more information about co-curricular probation.
Acct 202 Home Page
Updated on 1-March-2008