COURSE INFORMATION

            SYNONYM: Acnt 1303

            LECTURE: ONL

            LAB: ONL

Instructor Information:

            Office: NRG Room 4244

            Phone: 512.223.4757

           E-mail: rpeoples@austincc.edu

          Web site: www.austincc.edu/rpeopes

          Office Hours: By Appointment

Teaching Assistant:

            Office: NRG Room 4246

            Phone: 512.223.4991

           E-mail: lrobert2@austincc.edu

          Office Hours: By Appointment

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Required: Textbook: Survey of Accounting for Entrepreneurs, Managers, and Retail Management. This is an OER Textbook, there is an additional cost for the OHM online homework management system. You can only purchase OHM on the first day of class via Blackboard.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: 

This course is an introduction to financial accounting concepts and the communication of financial information to external users. It examines the accounting process, transaction analysis, asset and equity accounting, financial statement preparation and analysis, and related topics.

Introduction to Accounting I – Non Business Majors is a 3 credit hour course.  The course consists of 3 lecture hours and 1 lab hour per week (during the 16 week semester).   This course will not transfer to a 4 year institution.

Basic computer skills utilizing word processing, spreadsheet (Excel), and presentation (PowerPoint) software are recommended for all accounting courses. If you have any questions, consult with an accounting advisor.

CPA and transfer credit:

• 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.

• Principles of Accounting I - Financial generally transfers to four-year colleges and universities.   The equivalent at UT is ACC 311, TSU it is ACC 2361, and TAMU ACCT 229.

• The second accounting course required for business majors is ACCT 2302 – Principles of Accounting II - Managerial.  A grade of C or better in ACCT 2301 is a prerequisite for ACCT2302.

ORIENTATION:

Read thoroughly and complete the orientation process.  An orientation quiz must be completed before you can receive grades for course assignments.

SCANS COMPETENCIES:

SCANS is the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. Please go to http://www.academicinnovations.com/report.html   for complete definitions and explanation of SCANS.  This list summarizes the SCANS competencies addressed in this particular course.

1. Student exhibits responsibility:  Exerts a high level of effort and perseverance toward 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; and displays high standards of attendance, punctuality, enthusiasm, vitality and optimism in approaching and completing tasks. 

2. Student acquires information:   Identifies need for data, obtains them from existing sources or creates them, and evaluates their relevance and accuracy. Competently performing the tasks for acquiring data and evaluating information includes posing analytical questions to determine specific information needs, selecting possible information and evaluating its appropriateness, and determining when new information must be created. 

3. Student communicates information:  Selects and analyzes information and communicates the result to others using oral, written, graphic, pictorial, or multi-media methods. Competently performing the tasks of communicating and interpreting information to others includes determining information to be communicated, identifying the best methods to present information (i.e. overheads, handouts, etc.), and if necessary, converting to desired format and conveying information to others through a variety of means including oral presentation and written communication.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY:

The objectives of this course will be met by incorporating a variety of instructional methods. These may include lecture, exams, project, problem-solving, spreadsheet, word and power point activities, and the use of online activities.

COURSE RATIONALE:

The goals and objectives of this course prepare students to (1) complete degree requirements; (2) obtain or improve job skills; (3) qualify for a business or accounting job; (4) become an entrepreneur; (5) fulfill personal goals; and/or (6) understand financial statements and the basic accounting process.

COURSE OBJECTIVE:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to “read” the financial statements of companies and understand information that is being conveyed.

COMMON COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES:

To provide a foundation in the core concepts and procedures underlying the accounting record-keeping function, including preparation and basic analysis of financial statements.

ACC POLICIES

Academic Freedom Statement:  It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions. (See Student Handbook.) You can find the process to file a complaint at this link, as well as The Student Code of Conduct can be found at this link.

Student Discipline: ACC's policy on student discipline can be found in the Student Handbook.

Students with Disabilities Statement:  Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to make their requests three weeks before the start of the semester.  (See Student Handbook.)

Scholastic Dishonesty: Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework. Electronic devices may not be used for exams unless specifically authorized by the instructor.  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 this institution. (See Student Handbook.)

Grade Change Policies: Click on this link to view the policy. (See Student Handbook.)

Rule of Three: Per state law, effective spring 2006 any student taking a class for the third time or more may be charged an additional $60 per credit hour unless exempted. Click on this link for more information.

COURSE EVALUATION/GRADING SYSTEM:

Basis for Grading:

COURSE POLICIES:

Attendance: Your attendance is expected at all classes.  Since the exams are a reflection of the material covered in class and the assigned homework and lab problems, it is to your advantage to attend.   There is no official class attendance for an online course

Withdrawal: April 27^th is the last day to withdraw from this class and receive a grade of “W”.  If you wish to withdraw, it is your responsibility to do so.  DO NOT ASSUME THAT I WILL WITHDRAW YOU. I have no obligation to do so.

Incomplete: Incomplete grades are given only on rare occasions at the instructor’s discretion.  Generally, to receive an Incomplete, a student must have completed all examinations and assignments to date, with a satisfactory grade of C or better, and have personal circumstances that prevent course completion that occur after the deadline to withdraw.

Course Communication: Please contact Ms. La Tasha Roberts if you have technical problems with Cengage or need tutoring at lrobert2@austincc.edu or at 512.223.4991.  She is available from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm.  Any other questions, please contact me at rpeoples@austincc.edu or at 512.223.4757.  Communicate consistently with us if there are any questions or concerns about the course.  If you discover a grading problem, send an email directly us and we will get back to you in a timely manner. 

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

• Course announcements
• Syllabus
• Link to CengageNow (where the interactive homework assignments are located)
• Grade book
• All communication

Your user name for Blackboard is your ACC eID. This is your 7-digit ACC student ID, preceded by the first initial of your official first name. During the activation of your ACC eID, you will select your password. If you do not know your ACC eID, you may retrieve it via the Blackboard home page.

Exams: The exams will be all multiple-choice questions.  DO NOT MISS EXAMS.  If you must miss an exam, please contact me by emailing your request to lrobert2@austincc.edu to make arrangements.  The exams will be administered at:

• ACC Testing Centers
• An approved Proctored Testing Centers. To get an approved Proctored Center, please fill out this form.
• ProctorU Testing Services
• Respondus Monitor

Assignments: Assignments are  a critical part of any accounting course.  Important accounting concepts cannot be fully understood until you work the problems. Since it is worth 8% of the final grade, completing homework assignments are very important. Homework assignments must be completed using OHM, an on-line interactive homework system. The OHM software will grade your homework and provide immediate feedback to you.  You will get 3 attempts or submissions for each assignment. All chpater assignments  are due on Sunday by 11:55 PM on the due date indicated in the syllabus.

Discussion Board: If you have any questions that you believe other students can answer, please post to the discussion board.  I will respond to all questions on the discussion board.  I will review the discussion board twice a week; please do not discuss grading issues on the discussion board.

Orientation Quiz: To prepare for this quiz, be sure to complete all steps in this orientation section of Blackboard and go over all areas of this Blackboard course.  Make sure that you understand the policies regarding the due dates for all elements of course grading and that you know when to use the Blackboard Discussion Board. The quiz will be available until Monday, January, 26th @11:59pm.

Virtual Classroom: We have recorded virtual classroom sessions that you may review. We will hold a weekly virtual classroom on Wednesdays, the time will be announced in Blackboard. The first virtual classroom on Orientation and introduction to the class is mandatory.  All recordings will be posted to Blackboard in the “Virtua Classroom Sessions.” The purpose of the virtual classroom is for the students to get help from the instructor and the teaching assistant for material covered in that week. We also use the virtual classroom for tutoring if you need help throughout the week; just send an email to lrobert2@austincc.edu for a specific time.

Tutoring: Accounting tutors are available in the Learning Labs at most of the campuses. They have proven to be a valuable resource for students. Click the link for information about tutoring availability in the Learning Labs. 

MASTER SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENT LIST

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

Course Objectives:

There will are 2 assessments given in a test format to assess the overall mastery of the following 7 core concepts:

1. Prepare a multiple-step income statement, classified balance sheet and statement of earnings.
2. Analyze and record the effects of common business transactions.
3. Prepare adjusting entries.
4. Describe the role of closing entries.
5. Apply elements of the conceptual framework to accounting issues.
6. Explain the components of the statement of cash flows.
7. Understand the relationship between financial statements.