TRINITY VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

 

e-COURSE SYLLABUS

 

COURSE#:  ACC2401.0003    Financial Accounting

SESSION / YEAR:  Spring, 2007

 

PROFESSOR INFORMATION

 

Name:  Jerry W. Rogers

Phone Number: (903) 675-6339   ext. 339

Faculty Fax# (903) 675-6263

Email Address:  JRogers@TVCC.Edu      (Not case specific)

 

COURSE INFORMATION:

 

Course# and Title: Acc2401.0003     Financial Accounting

Beginning Date of Session:  Tuesday, January 16, 2007*

Ending Date of Session: Monday, May 8, 2007*

*Official dates according to TVCC Calendar – See documents specific to this course for specific dates for this course.

 

Accounting classes require a lot of work and discipline to stay on task and meet the due dates with assignments and tests (reviews) whether taken in a regular classroom environment or via distance education.  If you do not have the personal discipline, or feel that you cannot learn that discipline in short order, then you should not register for this course.  More people either drop or fail this course because they don’t have the personal discipline to prepare the assignments in a timely manner than those who drop or fail because they cannot do the assignments.

 

This syllabus contains links that will be active from this document as of Tuesday, January 16, 2007.

 

TEXTBOOK(S) AND REQUIRED MATERIALS

 

Title:  FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING

Author:  Needles, Powers, and Crosson

Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Company

Year Published:  2005

Edition:  Seventh

ISBN:  0618-654054

 

CAUTION:  When you contact any of the TVCC bookstores about the textbook, make sure you identify to the bookstore personnel that you are taking the internet course because a different textbook is used for classroom accounting classes. 

 

The above referenced ISBN number is a special number for a package of materials that have been put together specifically for this course and contains these items:  (1) the textbook FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING by Needles, Peters, and Crosson, Seventh Edition; (2) Windows General Ledger Software on the Student CD-ROM; (3) HMAccounting Tutor; and (4) Electronic Working Papers CD-ROM.  (The ISBN Number for the textbook alone is 0-618-39362-5.  The ISBN number for the Electronic Working Papers CD is 061840208X.  The ISBN numbers for the other two items are unknown.)

 

The textbook package for the course may be purchased by mail, fax, phone, or in person through the bookstore located on the Athens, Texas, Campus of Trinity Valley Community College. The individual textbook and the individual Electronic Working Papers CD cannot be purchased through the TVCC Bookstore.  

 

TVCC Bookstores on campuses other than Athens will not have this textbook package in stock.  However, if contact is made with them in advance, they can get the package from the Athens Bookstore and have it for you.

 

The Athens Bookstore may be contacted by mail by writing to the following address:

 

Trinity Valley Community College

Attention:  Bookstore

100 Cardinal Drive

Athens, Texas  75751

 

The bookstore may be contacted by fax by using the following number:

 

903-675-6316

 

The bookstore may be contacted by phone by using the following number:

 

903-675-6223

 

If contact is made with the bookstore by email, fax, or phone, the student must have a credit card number that may be used to purchase the course required materials.  If a credit card is not available, the student may still contact the bookstore to determine the price of the course required materials and then payment may be made by mail.

 

While students are not prohibited from purchasing textbooks or course materials from other sources, care should be taken to secure the exact resources required. If the textbook package is not purchased, the only two items required will be the textbook and the Electronic Workings Papers CD.  The other two items in the textbook package were basically free and were added for supplemental

Failure to acquire the textbook in time for the submission of the first assignments due is not an excuse for the assignments being late.  Make arrangements early for the textbook.  No other items from the textbook publisher such as working papers or study guides are required.  (Note:  Orders for this textbook package from outside sellers, such as Amazon.com, have not proven successful.  They generally have the textbook only, but not the complete package.  Students have been successful in obtaining the materials directly from the publisher. The publisher’s URL is as follows.  When you get to the site, find the publisher’s bookstore and then identify the ISBN numbers you seek.  You may order with a credit card. )

 http://college.hmco.com/accounting/needles/fin_man_acc/2005e/students/ace/index.html.

 

Note:  There is an underscore between the “fin” and the “man” and also between the “man” and the “acc” in the above URL (fin_man_acc).  They do not show because of the underlining.

 

 

In addition to the referenced textbook, the student MUST also have a late version of Microsoft Office® which contains Microsoft Word® and Microsoft Excel®.  For the assignments requiring a word processor, a student may use a late version of WordPerfect®.    Attachments from the instructor to the students will be in Microsoft Word® so the student must be certain that his/her version of WordPerfect® will open and read Word® documents.  However, the student must have Microsoft Excel® in order to access the templates on the Electronic Working Papers CD.  (It is highly recommended that the student have access to at least one computer other than his/her own that has the described software that may be used in the event the student’s computer should crash.)

 

COURSE PREREQUISITES: 

 

There are no prerequisites for taking Financial Accounting.

     

 

COURSE POLICIES:

 

Specific assignments with due dates will be provided electronically when the class begins.  The assignments will be due on or before the identified due date, and will not be accepted late for credit.  The instructor will acknowledge receiving the assignments within 24 hours, generally sooner.  Any submission not acknowledged within 24 hours of sending should be followed up by emailing the instructor either through the email system for WebCT or through the regular email system of Trinity Valley Community College at jrogers@tvcc.edu.  Feedback on all assignments submitted on or before the due date will be supplied to students within two or three days after the due date.  Those assignments received after the due date will not receive credit, but feedback will be provided if requested.

 

The most important thing in any accounting class is EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT.  A student can not expect to wait until a few hours, or even a day or two, before an assignment is due and then expect to be able to satisfactorily complete the assignment.  Many years of experience teaching accounting have proven to the instructor that it can’t be done!  You may be the exception, but don’t bet on it!!!

 

 

 

Incomplete Grades

 

An “I” (incomplete grade) is given at the discretion of the professor and may be given only when an emergency or illness prevents the student from completing course requirements.  It will not be given because a student fails to complete the requirement for the course during the semester.  The awarding of an “I” and its subsequent replacement of an “I” by a grade shall be determined by the rules and policies of the enrolling institution in the case of Virtual College of Texas students.  Some colleges do not allow an “I”, or its equivalent, to be given, but instead require that a letter grade be awarded.

 

For students enrolled through Trinity Valley Community College, the following policy is in effect.  Should an “I” be granted, the student has until the end of the next long semester (Fall, 2007) to complete the conditions of the incomplete.  Upon completion of the requirements necessary to remove the “I”, the instructor will submit the proper documentation to the Registrar’s office with a request that the grade of “I” be changed to the grade made.  An “I” which is not properly removed within the next long semester following the session enrolled will become an “F” grade. 

 

Student’s Responsibilities

 

This syllabus contains information, policies and procedures for a specific course.  By enrolling, the student agrees to read, understand and abide by the policies, rules, regulations, and ethical standards of Trinity Valley Community College as contained in the current college catalog and/or schedule of classes.

 

 

 

COURSE COMPETENCIES:

 

Upon completion of the course, the student will have demonstrated a mastery of the objectives given in the textbook for each chapter covered.  These objectives are given at the beginning of each chapter of study, and then summarized at the end of the chapter.  These objectives are also part of this syllabus and follow.  Mastery of these objectives shall be demonstrated by successfully completing various assignments covering these objectives.  The assignments include questions to be answered and submitted to the instructor; exercises and problems to be worked and submitted to the instructor; and completion of lengthy reviews over the materials designed to test the student’s mastery of the materials.

 

Chapter 1 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 1, the student will be able to:

1.      Define accounting, identify business goals and activities, and describe the role of accounting in making informed decisions.

2.      Identify the many users of accounting information in society.

3.      Explain the importance of business transactions, money measure, and separate entity to accounting measurement.

4.      Describe the corporate form of business organization.

5.      Define financial position, state the accounting equation, and show how they are affected by simple transactions.

6.      Identify the four financial statements.

7.      State the relationship of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to financial statements and the independent CPA’s report, and identify the organizations that influence GAAP.

8.      Define ethics and describe the ethical responsibilities of accountants.

 

Chapter 2 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 2, the student will be able to:

1.      Explain, in simple terms, the generally accepted ways of solving the measurement issues of recognition, valuation, and classification.

2.      Describe the chart of accounts and recognize commonly used accounts.

3.      Define double-entry system and state the rules for double entry.

4.      Apply the steps for transaction analysis and processing to simple transactions.

5.      Prepare a trial balance and describe its value and limitations.

Supplemental Objective

6.      Record transactions in the general journal and post transactions from the general journal to the ledger.

 

Chapter 3 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 3, the student will be able to:

1.      Define net income and its two major components, revenues and expenses.

2.      Explain how the income measurement issues of accounting period, continuity, and matching are resolved.

3.      Define accrual accounting and explain three broad ways of accomplishing it.

4.      State four principal situations that require adjusting entries and prepare typical adjusting entries.

5.      Prepare financial statements from an adjusted trial balance.

 

Chapter 4 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 4, the student will be able to:

1.      Identify the principles of designing accounting information systems.

2.      State all the steps in the accounting cycle.

3.      Describe the use and structure of spreadsheet software and general ledger systems in computerized accounting systems.

4.      Explain how accountants and businesses use the Internet.

5.      Explain the purposes of closing entries and prepare required closing entries.

6.      Prepare the post-closing trial balance.

 

Chapter 5 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 5, the student will be able to:

1.      State the objectives of financial reporting.

2.      State the qualitative characteristics of accounting information and describe their interrelationships.

3.      Define and describe the conventions of comparability and consistency, materiality, conservatism, full disclosure, and cost-benefit.

4.      Explain management’s responsibility for ethical financial reporting and define fraudulent financial reporting.

5.      Identify and describe the basic components of a classified balance sheet.

6.      Prepare multistep and single-step classified income statements.

7.      Evaluate liquidity and profitability using classified financial statements.

 

Chapter 6 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 6, the student will be able to:

1.      Identify the management issues related to merchandising businesses.

2.      Define and distinguish the terms of sale for merchandising transactions.

3.      Prepare an income statement and record merchandising transactions under the perpetual inventory system.

4.      Prepare an income statement and record merchandising transactions under the periodic inventory system.

5.      Define internal control and its basic components, give examples of control activities, and describe the limitations of internal control.

6.      Apply internal control activities to common merchandising transactions.

 

Supplemental Objective

7.      Apply sales and purchases discounts to merchandising transactions.

 

Chapter 7 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 7, the student will be able to:

1.         Identify and explain the management issues related to short-term financial assets.

2. Explain cash, cash equivalents, and the importance of electronic funds transfer.

3. Identify types of short-term investments and explain the financial reporting implications.

4. Define accounts receivable and apply the allowance method of accounting for uncollectible accounts.

5. Define promissory note, and compute and record promissory notes receivable.

 

Supplemental Objective

6. Prepare a bank reconciliation.

 

 

 

Chapter 8 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 8, the student will be able to:

1.      Identify and explain the management issues associated with accounting for inventories.

2.      Define inventory cost and relate it to goods flow and cost flow.

3.      Calculate the pricing of inventory, using the cost basis under the periodic inventory system.

4.      Apply the perpetual inventory system to the pricing of inventories at cost.

5.      State the effects of inventory methods and misstatements of inventory on income determination, income taxes, and cash flows.

6.      Apply the lower-of-cost-or-market (LCM) rule to inventory valuation.

 

Chapter 9 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 9, the student will be able to:

1.      Identify the management issues related to recognition, valuation, classification, and disclosure of current liabilities.

2.      Identify, compute, and record definitely determinable and estimated current liabilities.

3.      Distinguish contingent liabilities from commitments.

 

Supplemental Objective

4.      Compute and record the liabilities associated with payroll accounting.

 

Chapter 10 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 10, the student will be able to:

1.      Identify the types of long-terms assets and explain the management issues related to accounting for them.

2.      Distinguish between capital and revenue expenditures, and account for the cost of property, plant, and equipment.

3.      Define depreciation and compute depreciation under the straight-line, production, and declining-balance methods.

4.      Account for the disposal of depreciable assets.

5.      Identify the issues related to accounting for natural resources and compute depletion.

6.      Identify the issues related to accounting for intangible assets, including research and development costs and goodwill.

 

Supplemental Objective

7.     Apply depreciation methods to problems of partial years, revised rates, groups of similar items, special types of capital expenditures, and cost recovery.

 

Chapter 11 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 11, the student will be able to:

1.  Identify the management issues related to issuing long-term debt.

2. Identify and contrast the major characteristics of bonds.

3. Record the issuance of bonds at face value and at a discount or premium.

4. Use present values to determine the value of bonds.

5. Amortize bond discounts and bond premiums using the straight-line and effective interest methods.

6. Record bonds issued between interest dates and year-end adjustments.

Supplemental Objectives

7.  Account for the retirement of bonds and the conversion of bonds into stock.

8. Explain the basic features of mortgages payable, long-term leases, and pensions and other postretirement benefits as long-term liabilities.

 

Chapter 12 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 12, the student will be able to:

 1. Identify and explain the management issues related to contributed capital.

2. Identify the components of stockholders’ equity.

3. Account for cash dividends.

4. Identify the characteristics of preferred stock, including the effect on distribution of dividends.

5. Account for the issuance of stock for cash and other assets.

6. Account for treasury stock.

 

Chapter 13 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter 13, the student will be able to:

1.  Prepare a corporate income statement and identify the issues related to evaluating the quality of earnings.

2. Show the relationships among income taxes expense, deferred income taxes, and net of taxes.

 

3. Describe the disclosure on the income statement of discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and accounting changes.

4. Compute earnings per share.

5. Prepare a statement of stockholders’ equity.

6. Account for stock dividends and stock splits.

7. Calculate book value per share.

 

Chapter 14 Learning Objectives

At the completion of study of Chapter14, the student will be able to:

1.  State the principal purposes and uses of the statement of cash flows, and identify its components.

2. Analyze the statement of cash flows.

3. Use the indirect method to determine cash flows from operating activities.

4. Determine cash flows from investing activities.

5. Determine cash flows from financing activities.

 

 

 

HOW TO DROP THIS COURSE:

 

To drop this course, the drop process must be begun in the proper department of the enrolling institution and follow the instructions supplied by the personnel there.

 

 

HOW TO ACCESS YOUR COURSE:

 

This course shall be available on-line on Tuesday, January 16, 2007.  It may be accessed by going to:  http://courses.tvcc.edu.   A screen will open which asks the student to log in and asks for the student’s WebCT  I. D. and Password.  The WebCT I. D. is the student’s last name followed by the first initial of the first name as enrolled, and this followed by the last four digits of the student’s  social security number. All of these are small case letters and there are no spaces in it. If I were a student in this class, my I. D. would be rogersj4321 (bold for highlight purposes only). After entering the I. D., then go to Password.  The student’s Password is the last four digits of the student’s social security number.  My Password would be 4321. This will get to a screen that identifies the various distance learning courses that are being taken through Trinity Valley Community College.  Click on the one for accounting, and this will take you to the Homepage for this course.  

 

Please note this:  Access to the course will be on Tuesday, January 16, 2007.  This course will not officially begin until Monday, January 22, 2007, even though Trinity Valley Community College officially begins earlier.  This is because the various colleges that participate in the Virtual College of Texas have different start and ending dates, and all colleges should be started by Monday, January 22, 2007. What this means is that each student will have a week to explore the course before it actually begins and I begin looking to you for production. There will be assignments due this first week, but not from the textbook. 

 

One thing you should definitely explore this first week is the process for communicating with the instructor.  The instructor will be available this week and will respond to all emails.  Another thing that should be explored this first week is the publisher’s web site to learn how to get to the on-line tests and to the other supplemental materials available from the publisher.  The publisher’s web site may be accessed by going to: 

 

http://college.hmco.com/accounting/needles/fin_man_acc/2005e/students/ace/index.html.

 

(Note the underlines between fin and man and between man and acc.)           

 

COURSE OUTLINE

 

Historically, the first course in accounting has been taught as if all students taking the course were taking it to become accountants, thus the emphasis was on producing financial data.  More recently, the emphasis has shifted from teaching students to be producers of financial data to being users of financial data.  To be an effective user, one must know the sources of the data on the financial statements. It is in line with this more recent emphasis that this course is taught.  The course will cover the basics of financial report preparation.  The course will also place emphasis on using financial information in decision making.

 

The most important element in the successful completion of any accounting course is EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT. Learning accounting is much like building a house: a good foundation must first be laid, and then the rest of the house is built on this foundation.  In building the house, certain things must be done before other things.  After the good foundation is laid, the studs must be raised before the ceiling joists can be put in place.  The ceiling joists must be in place before the rafters can be put in place.  The rafters must be in place before the roof decking can be put in place.  And so it goes.  The order of completion is important; one thing builds on another.  And so it is with accounting.  A good foundation in the basic concepts of accounting is important.  After that good foundation, the course builds on it.  Concepts are presented in a predetermined order.  It is learning the concepts at each step, and then building on them at the next step, that gets the job done in accounting.  The work in accounting can not be postponed until shortly before an assignment is due and then expect to be completed satisfactorily. 

 

This course, Financial Accounting (Acc2401), shall consist of chapters 1 through 14 from the textbook.  These fourteen chapters shall be broken down into three separate study areas:  Unit I shall consist of chapters 1 - 4; Unit II shall consist of chapters 5 - 10; Unit III shall consist of chapters 11 – 14. 

 

Specific assignments for the various chapters of study will be provided the first day of class, along with due dates for each.  Some assignments will be due weekly and some will be due at the time the unit reviews are due. The assignments that are due on a weekly basis have been selected to direct the student’s attention to specific materials in the textbook. The assignments that are due at the time of the unit reviews generally will require more time to complete and will cover the materials in greater depth than the weekly assignments. 

 

The following four paragraphs should be referred to regularly as the student studies each of the chapters of the course.  These paragraphs contain an approach that the instructor has found to be effective to other accounting students in the 20 plus years that the instructor has taught accounting at the college level.

 

In doing accounting, one should first read the Chapter Objectives.  These objectives, located at the beginning of each chapter, identify to the student what the student should learn from the chapter. The objectives will be developed in the chapter.  At the end of each chapter, these objectives are summarized.  The student might look at these summaries first to get an idea of what the objectives are, and what learning outcomes are expected from the chapter.

 

After looking at the objectives, and the summaries of the objectives, the student should next look to the Study Guide posted by the instructor.  Within the Study Guide, the instructor has summarized the materials from each of the chapters, explaining some of the materials that often cause trouble for students, and pointing out important materials.

 

With the objectives in mind and knowing what the instructor has had to say about the chapter, the student should then read the chapter to get an idea as to the total content and see how all the various materials presented tie together. This first reading should be to get an overview of the materials from the chapter.  Attention should not be paid to minute details.  At this point, the student just wants to get an over-view of the materials of the chapter.

 

After having read the chapter the first time, the student should go back and read the chapter a second time.  This time, read more slowly, taking time to reflect on the materials presented.  If example problems are presented, the student should work these problems to see how they apply to what has been read. As the chapter is being read this second time, the chapter objectives should be kept in mind.  The chapter objectives are repeated on the page margin where their explanation begins. 

 

After reading the chapter for the second time, the student should review the materials presented in the HMAccounting Tutor.  After reviewing the materials in the HMAccounting Tutor, the student should go to the publisher’s web site and take the ACE test for the chapter.   After this second chapter reading, review of the HMAccounting Tutor, and completing the ACE test, the student should be ready to prepare the various assignments for the chapter.

 

The following outline is given as an overview of the materials that will be covered in the course.  The Roman numerals refer to chapter numbers.

 

 

I.  Uses of Accounting Information and the Financial Statements

            …Accounting as an Information System

            …Decision makers:  The Users of Accounting Information

            …Accounting Measurement

            …The Corporation as a Separate Entity

            …Financial Position and the Accounting Equation

            …Communication Through Financial Statements

            …Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

            …Professional Ethics and the Accounting Profession

            …How to Read an Annual Report

 

II.  Measuring Business Transactions

            ...Measurement Issues

            …Accounts and the Chart of Accounts

            …The Double-Entry System: The Basic Method of Accounting

            …Transaction Analysis

            …The Trial Balance

            …Recording and Posting Transactions

 

III. Measuring Business Income

            …Profitability Measurement: The Role of Business Income

            …Income Measurement Issues

            …Accrual Accounting

            …The Adjustment Process

            …Using the Adjusted Trial Balance to Prepare Financial Statements

            …Cash Flow from Accrual-Based Information

 

IV. Accounting Information Systems

            …Accounting Information Systems: Principles of Design

            …Overview of the Accounting Cycle

            …Computerized Accounting Systems

            …Accountants, Businesses, and the Internet

            …Closing Entries

            …The Post-Closing Trial Balance

            …Reversing Entries

            …The Work Sheet

 

V.  Financial Reporting and Analysis

            …Objectives of Financial Information

            …Qualitative Characteristics of Accounting Information

            …Conventions that Help in the Interpretation of Financial Information

            …Management’s Responsibility for Ethical Reporting

            …Classified Balance Sheet

            …Form of the Income Statement

            …Using Classified Financial Statements

 

VI.  Merchandising Operations and Internal Control

            …Management Issues in Merchandising Businesses

            …Terms of Sale

            …Applying the Perpetual Inventory System

            …Applying the Periodic Inventory System

            …Internal Control: Basic Components and Control Activities

            …Internal Control over Merchandising Transactions

            …Accounting for Discounts

 

VII. Short-Term Financial Assets

            …Management Issues Related to Short-Term Financial Assets

            …Cash and Cash Equivalents

            …Short-Term Investments

            …Accounts Receivable

            …Notes Receivable

            …Preparing a Bank Reconciliation

 

VIII. Inventories

            …Management Issues Associated with Accounting for Inventories

            …Inventory Cost and Goods Flow

            …Methods of Pricing Inventory at Cost under the Periodic Inventory System

            …Pricing Inventory under the Perpetual Inventory System

            …Comparison and Impact of Inventory Decisions and Misstatements

            …Valuing Inventory at the Lower of Cost or Market (LCM)

            …Valuing Inventory by Estimation

 

IX.  Current Liabilities

            …Management Issues Related to Accounting for Current Liabilities

            …Common Categories of Current Liabilities

            …Contingent Liabilities and Commitments

            …Payroll Accounting

           

X.  Long-Term Assets

            …Management Issues Related to Accounting for Long-Term Assets

            …Acquisition Cost of Property, Plant, and Equipment

            …Accounting for Depreciation

            …Disposal of Depreciable Assets

            …Accounting for Natural Resources

            …Accounting in Intangible Assets

            …Special Problems of Depreciating Plant Assets

 

XI.  Long-Term Liabilities

            …Management Issues Related to Long-Term Debt

            …The Nature of Bonds

            …Accounting for Bonds Payable

            …Using Present Value to Value a Bond

            …Amortization of Bond Discounts and Premiums

            …Other Bonds Payable Issues

            …Retirement of Bonds

            …Other Long-Term Liabilities

 

XII.  Contributed Capital

            …Management Issues Related to Contributed Capital

            …Components of Stockholders’ Equity

            …Dividends

            …The Characteristics of Preferred Stock

            …Accounting for Stock Issuance

            …Accounting for Treasury Stock

           

XIII.  The Corporate Income Statement and the Statement of Stockholders’ Equity

            …Performance Measurement:  Quality of Earnings Issues

            …Income Taxes Expense

            Nonoperating Items

            …Earnings Per Share

            …The Statement of Stockholders’ Equity

            …Accounting for Stock Dividends and Stock Splits

            …Book Value

 

XIV.  The Statement of Cash Flow

            …Overview of the Statement of Cash Flows

            …Analyzing the Statement of Cash Flows

            …Preparing the Statement of Cash Flows: Operating Activities