The complete syllabus for the current semester is available in Blackboard. It will be distributed in class, as well.

GRADING POLICIES: Your grade will be based on the following:

Basis for Grading:

COMPONENTS OF YOUR GRADE

Exams: The first 2 exams will be taken in the ACC Testing Centers during a specified period of days. “Make-up” exams should not be necessary, except in extreme circumstances. Please read the Testing Center guidelines before taking the first test: http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/.  Further information is provided below.

Exam 3 will be taken during the last scheduled class meeting.

Quizzes: There will be 7 timed quizzes in class. Missing a quiz should be a rare occurrence. Making up a quiz will be at my discretion.

Assignments: Homework is a critical part of any accounting course.  Important accounting concepts cannot be fully understood until you work the problems.  However, “getting the correct answer” to a problem is not enough to master the concepts. A student must understand the conceptual basis for the mathematical process involved in “getting the correct answer.”

There are 3 types of assignments for this class.

• There are 6 Learn Smart assignments which are available in Connect. They are worth 1 point each, will take about 25-40 minutes and focus on the first couple or three learning objectives in the chapter. The content of these early objectives reflect material to which you have been exposed during other accounting courses. I recommend (not require) that you complete the assignment before the start of class during which the chapter will first be presented.
• The second type is 57 problems from the text, available in Connect, each worth 1 point.

NOTE: I have not assigned specific due dates for individual Connect assignments. Every assignment is “due” on the last day that a test covering the chapter can be taken. There will be no late work accepted in Connect. It is up to the student to pace the completion of the assignments.

• There are 7 codification assignments from the text, whose points and due dates are listed in the Course Schedule.  You must submit these assignments as hard copies to me. I will only grade hard copies. I expect these assignments to be professionally presented and I apply the same writing standards as applicable to the CPA exam. Students are expected “to provide the correct information in writing that is clear, complete and professional.” Therefore, the quality of your writing will be reflected in your grade.If any part of a written assignment is plagiarized, the student will receive a “0” for the assignment. See below for further details on plagiarism.  

Connect:  Connect is the publisher’s on-line interactive system, access to which must be purchased. (The access code comes with a new book.)  The system features electronically graded assignments, the full integrated online textbook and other resources, such as SmartBook and LearnSmart, guided examples and numerous other multimedia resources. You access Connect through my Blackboard course.

Blackboard:  I maintain a Blackboard site for this class.  You will be able to log onto the Blackboard site http://acconline.austincc.edu to gain access to many items, including:

• Course announcements
• Syllabus
• Supplemental material
• Grade book

Extra Credit: The normal workload in this course is such that there are no extra credit projects or assignments available.

CLASSROOM AND STUDENT POLICIES

Attendance/Class participation: Regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, I may withdraw students from the class.

Withdrawal:  It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll should he or she decides to withdraw from the class.  I do, however, reserve the right to withdraw a student should I feel it is necessary when a student misses an exam. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the final withdrawal date.  The student is also strongly encouraged to retain their copy of the withdrawal form for their records.

Students who enroll for the third or subsequent time in a course taken since Fall 2002, may be charged a higher tuition rate for that course.

State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or universities.  With certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count towards this limit.  Details regarding this policy can be found in the ACC college catalog.

Incomplete: An instructor may award a grade of “I” (incomplete) if a student was unable to complete all of the objectives for the passing grade in a course. An “I” cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester.

It is the Accounting department's policy that incomplete grades are given only on rare occasions and generally, only when a student has completed all examinations and assignments to date, with a satisfactory grade of C or better,and has personal circumstances that prevent course completion that occur after the deadline to withdraw.

Scholastic Dishonesty:  A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution.  Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression.  Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations.  Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents.    Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college.  See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process and other policies at  http://www.austincc.edu/students-rights-and-responsibilities/student-standards-of-conduct.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is taken very seriously in this class. Plagiarism is considered to be the copying of another’s work including another student’s work, internet sources, or other research source. Any phrase, sentence, paragraph, etc. that is take from another’s work must be cited appropriately.  This means any cutting and pasting from any source, without appropriate citation, is considered plagiarism and is unacceptable. All written assignments submitted in this course are run through a comprehensive plagiarism checker. The first instance of plagiarism will result in a grade of zero on that assignment. A second incident may mean a grade of F for the course.

Student Rights and Responsibilities (Academic freedom statement):Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association. These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to others in the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment. This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student. As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures.

Students with Disabilities Statement:  Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities.  Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the Office for Students Accessibility Services (SAS).   Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.  

Students who have received approval for accommodations from SAS for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from SAS before accommodations will be provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student. Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for accommodations.

Additional information about the Student Accessibility Services is available at http://www.austincc.edu/support-and-services/services-for-students/student-accessibility-services-and-assistive-technology

Safety Statement: Austin Community College is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. You are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and agree to follow ACC safety policies. Additional information on these can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/offices/environmental-health-safety-and-insurance.  

Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the Emergency Procedures poster and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. Additional information about emergency procedures and how to sign up for ACC Emergency Alerts to be notified in the event of a serious emergency can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/emergency/.

Please note: you are expected to conduct yourself professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or barred from attending future activities.

Use of ACC email:All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify you of any college related emergencies using this account.  Students should only expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account.  Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with instructors and staff.  Instructions for activating an ACCmail account can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/accmail/activation-and-login-assistance. 

Getting in touch with me:  I receive more emails than I can possibly address during the day and still be prepared for class, go to class and grade student work. So I perform a kind of triage. The most urgent emails are handled first. If I know that I will see you in a few hours, I generally wait to respond to you in person.  I check email twice a day, Monday through Thursday. Emails received on Friday, Saturday and Sundays may not be answered until the following Monday.

It is OK to send me a reminder email if you haven’t heard from me in a business day and you consider your message to be important. I answer my phone whenever I am in the office.

Testing Center Policy: Students using the Academic Testing Center must govern themselves according to the Student Guide for Use of ACC Testing Centers and should read the entire guide before going to take the exam.  To request an exam, one must have:

• ACC Photo ID
• Course Abbreviation ACNT
• Course Number  2303
• Course Synonym 
• Course Section 
• Instructor's Name Denise White

Do NOT bring cell phones to the Testing Center.  Having your cell phone in the testing room, regardless of whether it is on or off, will revoke your testing privileges for the remainder of the semester which may mean withdrawing from the class because I will not proctor individual student’s tests.  ACC Testing Center policies can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/support-and-services/services-for-students/testing-services/instructional-testing.

Student and Instructional Services: ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students and offers a broad variety of opportunities and services.  Information on these services and support systems is available at http://www.austincc.edu/support-and-services.

Links to many student services and other information can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/current-students/.

 ACC Learning Labs provide free tutoring services to all ACC students currently enrolled. The tutor schedule for each Learning Lab may be found at http://www.austincc.edu/support-and-services/tutoring-and-academic-help/tutoring-services-and-schedules.   At the present time, there are very few accounting tutors available through ACC and those tutors are limited to assisting with ACCT 2301 topics.

For help setting up your ACCeID, ACC Gmail, or ACC Blackboard, see a Learning Lab Technician at any ACC Learning Lab.

 Other Student Responsibilities:

• This course represents a significant element in your professional development, and you are expected to demonstrate professionally high standards of responsibility, integrity, preparation and participation.  Intermediate Accounting represents the core content of financial reporting. A student cannot expect to do well on the FARS section of the CPA exam without mastery this course’s content. As a result, this course’s content requires a significant amount of time and effort.
• Depending on the pace of the class discussion, I may not be able to cover all chapter topics and problems. It is up to the student to bring their questions to class, as all chapter material will be covered in the tests. 

 COURSE SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENT DATES: 

 Please note: This schedule is subject to change due to the pace of the class.

• Intermediate Accounting with Connect, 8th edition, Spiceland, Sepe, Nelson, Thomas, McGraw-Hill Education. ISBN 9781259966811. This text will be used for Intermediate Accounting II (2304), also.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  This course involves the critical analysis of generally accepted accounting principles, concepts, and theory underlying the preparation of financial statements. Emphasis is placed on current theory and practice. It is an intense study of accounting standards and principles used by accounting professionals for disclosing accounting information related to enterprise assets. It examines professional accounting pronouncements for measuring, recording, and reporting of asset values.

PREREQUISITE: Before enrolling in ACNT 2303, you must have completed ACCT 2302 (or its equivalent), and ACNT 1371with a “C” or better.  Students who have not completed the prerequisite courses or who cannot document completion will be withdrawn from the class. 

Basic computer skills utilizing internet, word processing, spreadsheet (Excel), and presentation (Power Point) software are recommended for all accounting courses. Generally, all assignments are to be prepared on the computer and presented in a format that would be acceptable in a business environment. Access to computers is available at the college. 

CPA CANDIDATES: Austin Community College has received the designation of Qualifying Educational Credit for CPA Examination by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (Board).  This course qualifies as one of the 24 required upper-level business courses. However, for this course to be counted, the student MUST have completed a bachelor's degree PRIOR to taking this course. If this course is completed before a bachelor's degree is awarded, the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy will not accept it.  Please review the information on our web site http://www.austincc.edu/accting/cpainfo.php. It is the responsibility of the student to understand and comply with the requirements of the Board.

To become a CPA in Texas, you must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree that includes 150 hours of college credit, 36 hours of accounting, an approved 3 hour accounting ethics course and 24 hours of business. Passage of the uniform CPA exam and appropriate supervision by a CPA are also required.

Beginning on April 1, 2017, the CPA exam is changing.  The single most important change is the change in emphasis, from remembering and understanding rules and practices to the high-order cognitive skills of critical thinking and analytical abilities. Overall, the exam will have fewer multiple-choice questions and more task-based simulations, lengthening the timed test to a total of 16 hours. This course will reflects this change in emphasis. 

SCANS COMPETENCIES: SCANS is the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills.

Please go to http://www.austincc.edu/mkt/scans.phpfor complete definitions and explanation of SCANS.  This list summarizes the SCANS competencies addressed in this particular course.

1. Reasoning:  Discovers a rule or principle underlying the relationship between two or more objects and applies it in solving a problem.  For example, uses logic to draw conclusions from available information, extracts rules or principles from a set of objects or written text; applies rules and principles to a new situation, or determines which conclusions are correct when given a set of facts and a set of conclusions.
2. Participates as a member of a team: Works cooperatively with others and contributes to group with ideas, suggestions, and effort. i
3. Responsibility:  Exerts a high level of effort and perseverance towards goal attainment.  Works hard to become excellent at doing tasks by setting high standards, paying attention to details, working well and displaying a high level of concentration even when assigned an unpleasant task.  Displays high standards of attendance, punctuality, enthusiasm, vitality, and optimism in approaching and completing tasks.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:Upon successful completion of this course, students are expected to gain a sound understanding of generally accepted accounting principles governing the recognition and measurement of assets and liabilities in financial statements used by parties external to the business enterprise.

COURSE OUTCOMES: 

• Demonstrate understanding of concepts underlying the accounting for major asset groups and liabilities
• Analyze accounting problems and apply appropriate accounting procedures for major asset groups and liabilities
• Use Codification to answer basic research questions
• Communicate accounting information clearly, concisely and accurately
• Identify significant differences between U.S. and international accounting standards for major asset groups and liabilities

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY:

The objectives of this 3 hour lecture course will be met by incorporating a variety of instructional methods.  These may include lecture, exams and quizzes, group activities, student presentations, class problem-solving, written analysis, and online activities and research.