University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Bryan School of Business and Economics
Department of Accounting and Finance
ACC 218-01: Financial Accounting
Course Syllabus
Fall 2015, M/W/F 11:00-11:50
Instructor: Bill Harden, Associate Professor of Accounting, CPA, ChFC, Ph.D.
Office: Bryan 384
Phone: 336.256.0188
Email: jwharden@uncg.edu
Office Hours: MW 9:45 – 10:45 a.m., M 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Other times by appointment
Accounting Department Tutoring: 335 Bryan – times TBA
IMPORTANT NOTE: There are high expectations for you in this course. The material is difficult and this is
considered a demanding, time-intensive course. It is not a course you can study for the night before an exam.
I cannot stress enough the importance of (1) attending class each day, (2) actively participating in each class,
(3) reading the text and doing homework on a daily basis, and (4) developing a sound foundation by
understanding the basic concepts in the text. I also encourage you to take advantage of the tutors located in
335 Bryan.
ACC 218 is a required entry course for all accounting and finance majors. Students must complete the
course with a “C” or better.
Prerequisites: MAT 115 or equivalent; and a minimum 2.0 GPA on UNCG course work.
Catalogue Description: ACC 218: “First financial accounting course for students desiring to pursue
upper division accounting courses. Includes coverage of basic financial statement preparation, time value
of money concepts, and techniques for accounting valuation.”
Course Objectives:
ACC 218 is a foundation course for students pursuing degrees in accounting and finance. Upon the completion of the
course students will:
 Appreciate the conceptual framework underlying financial accounting
 Understand the accounting information system and the accounting cycle
 Comprehend basic accounting terminology and financial statement preparation; particularly the balance sheet
and income statement
 Develop an understanding of how business organizations operate and the events which have a financial
impact upon them
 Understand the fundamentals of the time value of money
 Demonstrate, through the completion of a practice set, mastery of the accounting cycle and preparation of
financial statements
 Contribute toward the Bryan School’s commitment to information technology by requiring students to use
the internet, e-mail, word processing software and spreadsheet software where appropriate within the course
Course Resources:
 Text: Horngren’s Financial & Managerial Accounting: The Financial Chapters 4th Edition. An access
code for MyAccountingLab is also required. 365 days of access to MyAccountingLab can be included
with a new textbook purchase or can be purchased online.
 Canvas: http://Canvas.uncg.edu. Will be used for announcements and posting of materials and
information for class.
 MyAccountingLab (MAL): http://pearsonmylabandmastering.com/ We will use MAL for homework
assignments in this class (see “Homework Policies” below for additional information). This is required
for the course. 365 days of access to MyAccountingLab can be included with a new textbook purchase
or can be purchased online. If you are waiting on financial aid you can receive free access for 17 days.
Please go to the MAL website to register. The course id will be announced in the first class and
posted on Canvas the first day of class.
 i>clicker2: ISBN: 1429280476. The i>clicker2 will be used in this class to determine your class
participation grade (see “Class Participation Policies” below for additional information). You are
responsible for purchasing the i>clicker and bringing it to class. A rebate is available for those that have
an old i>clicker and need to purchase the i>clicker2.
 Tutoring: Tutoring is available in 335 Bryan. Please see “Tutoring” below for additional information.
Grades will be determined by:
 Class Participation/Attendance Quizzes (i>clicker): 5% - 50 points
 Homework: 7.5%* - 75 points
 Practice Set: 7.5%* - 75 points
 Mid-term Exams (6 at 10% each): 60% - 600 points
 Final Exam (Cumulative): 20% - 200 points
Grading Scale:
A+ = 970 – 1000 points
B+ = 870 - 899
C+ = 770 - 799
D+ = 670-699
F = 599 points and below
A = 930 - 969
B = 830 -869
C = 730 - 769
D = 630 - 669
A- = 900 – 929
B- = 800 - 829
C- = 700 - 729
D- = 600 - 629
All grades will be posted on Canvas. It is your responsibility to make sure they are recorded correctly
and to calculate your own weighted average. Please contact me immediately if there is an error.
*In addition to having an overall average of a 73% (730 total points) in order to obtain a C, students
must receive a minimum grade of 73% (55 of 75 points possible) on the Practice Set and a minimum
homework average of 73% (55 of 75 points possible) to receive a grade of C in the course. Receiving
below a 73% (55 points of 75 points possible) on either of these two items will result in a maximum grade
of C- even if the overall average is above a 73% (730 points).
ATTENDANCE POLICIES
 Attendance will be taken through the use of the i>clicker on random class dates. Please see the class
participation policy below. Attendance of each class is extremely important to your success in this course.
 You are expected to come to every class on time, pay attention during class, and stay for the entire period. It
is extremely disruptive to the educational environment of the classroom when students come in late or leave
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early. If you have an emergency and need to leave early please tell the instructor at the beginning of class
and accommodations will be made.
Please be sure to bring a pencil, eraser, and a calculator with you to each class.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get the notes and any materials you missed from another
student in the class. I will not give out notes or any other materials from class to a student who misses a
class. You do not need to notify me if you are going to miss as there is no make-up for missing a class.
PROFESSIONALISM
I expect you to conduct yourself professionally throughout the semester. This means that you arrive to class ontime, stay for the entire class and pay attention during class (no talking, texting, or using the Internet). If you
send me an email, please be polite and professional and please allow me 24 hours to respond. Please do not
repeatedly send me the same email if you do not hear back from me right away.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES:
Unless you have permission from the instructor, electronic devices other than your i>clicker and computer (cell
phones, pagers, PDAs, Blackberries, iPods, MP3 players, recording devices, etc.) must be turned off and stored
away with your personal belongings during class. Any device being seen or heard will be picked up by the
instructor and returned at the end of class. Any electronic device (including i>clickers and computers) in the
“ON” position during an exam will result in a grade of zero and dismissal from the classroom.
Computers in the Classroom: The use of a personal laptop computer is allowed for the taking of notes and
working examples during class lectures. The use of a personal laptop computer is not allowed for exams. The
use of a personal laptop computer for any non-classroom purpose is strictly prohibited and may result in the
student being dismissed from the classroom.
CLASS PARTICIPATION POLICIES (I>Clicker2):
The basis for your class participation grade will be the use of the i>clicker technology for taking in class
i>clicker quizzes and completing the course evaluation. Your grade will be determined by participation in these
i>clicker quizzes. I>clicker quizzes will be graded for accuracy. I will discuss correct responses when
appropriate in class. The i>clicker quizzes will be designed to assist you in gauging your knowledge of the
required material in this class. I will be giving unannounced i-clicker quizzes during this course. Each i-clicker
quiz will count equally toward the participation grade. I will drop the two lowest grades since these cannot be
made up after they are given. The quizzes will usually be given at the beginning of class so students should
arrive on time to class. There will be no prior notice for the i-clicker quizzes and no make-up quizzes.
Due to the real time nature of this technology, there is no way to make-up a missed i>clicker quiz and you must
be prepared for the possibility of an i>clicker quiz at any time during each class session. Therefore, I expect
each of you to bring your i>clicker and log in for every class session with the exception of test days.
Technology Issues, Canvas and I>Clicker: It is your responsibility to have your technology up and running in a
reliable manner. Saying that you are having problems with your technology is not a valid excuse for not
completing assignments. This includes the need for batteries in your i>clicker or calculator.
Five (5) points related to class participation will be based on completing the course evaluation.
HOMEWORK POLICIES
 A listing of the homework assigned for all chapters will be posted in Canvas.
 MyAccountingLab (MAL) can be accessed using the course id and following the website link above (page
2) or the link posted in Canvas.
 I recommend working out the assigned textbook problems on paper first, then uploading your answers to
MAL before the assignment is due.
 Homework assignments can be saved in MAL, allowing you to work on the same assignment at different
times. However, you must submit the assignment to get credit for it. Do NOT submit each question
individually.
 You are allowed 5 attempts at each homework question and you have the availability of the “Help Me Solve
This” function.
 Late homework will not be accepted. There are no exceptions. Completing the assignment before the
due date reduces your chance of missing an assignment because of an illness or emergency.
 Answers to homework assignments will be available in MAL one hour after the assignment is due. Please
check your answers and make sure you understand the material. Note that if you did not do the assignment,
you will not be able to view the solutions.
 If you are having trouble with your homework, please use the tutoring available from the accounting
department or see me before or after class.
 The due dates for all assignments are listed on the syllabus. If, for some reason, an assignment due date is
changed, the change will be announced in class and posted as an announcement in Canvas. You will also be
able to see the updated due date in MAL. You are responsible for checking the syllabus and reading all
announcements in Canvas. I will not respond to emails asking for the due date of a homework assignment.
 Homework grades will be posted in Canvas. You are responsible for ensuring that the grade in Canvas is the
same as the grade in MAL. If there is a problem with the grade in Canvas, please let me know.
 If you are experiencing a problem with the MAL website, please call the MAL Customer Help Desk at
(800) 677-6337 or visit http://pearsonmylabandmastering.com/students/support/. If the problem you are
experiencing means that you cannot complete or submit your assignment, please send me an email before
the assignment is due to let me know.
ONLINE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
In order to maximize the value of our class time, I will post some lecture materials and problem demonstrations
online. Depending on the nature of the material, some will be available in Canvas or may be available on other
websites such as YouTube.
TUTORING
Tutoring for this course is available in Bryan 335. The feedback from prior students is excellent. However,
please keep in mind that you must come prepared. The tutors will not do your work for you. Please be
prepared with specific questions. Tutoring is available to students in all sections of ACC 201 and 218 so please
be considerate of others that are waiting when you are receiving help.
PRACTICE SET ASSIGNMENT
The comprehensive problem/practice set will be assigned upon completion of chapter 4. Specific information
related to this assignment will be posted in Canvas.
EXAM POLICIES
 Mid-term exams are not cumulative, but are closed book and proctored. The final exam is cumulative and
proctored. All mid-term exams will be given on Fridays as posted in the schedule.
 There are no makeup mid-term exams. If you have prior permission from the instructor, the weight
attributable to a missed exam will be allocated to the final exam. Please try to notify me at least 48 hours
prior to the exam. Failure to notify me within 24 hours after the scheduled exam will result in a grade of
zero on the exam. At the time of notification, I will determine whether to consider the absence excused or
unexcused and I will follow University policy. In the event you miss an exam for medical or psychological
circumstances, you must provide me with written verification.
 All exams require a pencil and calculator. You may not share or borrow calculators during exams. Cell
phones or other PDAs may not be used in place of calculators.
 Please note that the Final Exam is scheduled for Monday, December 7 from 12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m.
This schedule is set by the University and cannot be changed. Please plan accordingly.
 In accordance with UNCG’s policy, only those students with three or more final exams within the 24 hour
period surrounding our scheduled final exam and have documentation from the registrar’s office are eligible
to take the final exam on the make-up day. Documentation from the registrar’s office must be submitted to
me before Monday, November 2.
 Exams will be available for review on the Friday a week following the exam. We will not use Monday or
Wednesday class periods or office hours to review exams. If you wish to review your exam come to the
Friday session set aside for this.
GRADES
 All grades will be posted to Canvas as soon as they are available. To determine your grade at any point
during the semester, use the grades on Canvas and the weights shown on the first page of this syllabus.
 There are no opportunities for individual extra credit in this course.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES & RESOURCES
 Students are expected to abide by the UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy and the Student Code of
Conduct:
o Student Conduct: http://sa.uncg.edu/handbook/student-code-of-conduct/
o Academic Integrity Policy: http://sa.uncg.edu/handbook/academic-integrity-policy/
 Student Disabilities - Any request for special accommodations must come through the Office of
Disability Services with the appropriate paperwork. Please visit http://ods.uncg.edu for further
information.
 Students in Distress: UNCG cares about your success as a student. We recognize that students often
balance many challenging personal issues and demands. Please take advantage of the University
resources designed to help. For assistance accessing these resources, contact the Dean of Students Office
at 334-5514 or Student Academic Services at 334-5730. The Counseling and Testing Center is available
for mental health assistance, 334-5874. You may also visit me during my office hours.
OTHER COMMENTS
 If you send me an email, please allow me at least 24 hours to respond. Please do not repeatedly send
me the same email if you do not hear back from me right away.
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The faculty in this department is dedicated to helping you achieve your education goals. However, your
education is your primary responsibility. It is your job to prepare for and keep up with assignments.
Some students have commented that there is too much work in this course or that it is all due on the
same day. Accounting courses in general are challenging as they cover a vast amount of material.
Deadlines are set, but it is in your hands as to whether or not you do all the work on the last day or you
plan ahead and spread it out.
This course is a critically important portion of the accounting curriculum at UNCG. It is also very time
intensive. You may find it necessary to read the textbook material more than once to fully absorb it. The
first four chapters are critical for understanding the remainder of the material. Please do not get behind.
Please note that the chapter assignments may only represent the minimum amount of work necessary to
gain an understanding of the material covered in this course.
It is possible that students may have the opportunity to participate in a research project (or an alternative
assignment for those not interested in participating in the research project) for one hour during the
semester. If so this opportunity will be the only opportunity for extra credit. Details will be provided
later in the semester. Otherwise there are no opportunities for “extra credit” in this course. Each
assignment is an opportunity to improve your grade.
Weather Policy:
In the event of an adverse weather event (ice, snow, hurricane), this class will strictly follow the University schedule
as posted on the website or by calling 336.334.5000. Please refer to these sources prior to class time.
Tentative Schedule: (Note that Chapter 10 is a self-study unit. Materials will be made available online.)
Date
Aug 17 M
Aug 19 W
Aug 21 F
Aug 24 M
Aug 26 W
Aug 28 F
Aug 31 M
Sep 2 W
Sep 4 F
Sep 7 M
Sep 9 W
Sep 11 F
Sep 14 M
Sep 16 W
Sep 18 F
Sep 21 M
Sep 23 W
Topic
Overview of the course; Chapter 1 Accounting and
the Business Environment
Chapter 1 Accounting and the Business Environment
Question/Homework Session with TA
Chapter 2 Recording Business Transactions
Chapter 2 Recording Business Transactions
Question/Homework Session with TA
Chapter 3 The Adjusting Process
Chapter 3 The Adjusting Process
Mid-term Exam 1
Labor Day Holiday – No Classes
Chapter 3 The Adjusting Process
Exam Review Question/Homework Session with TA
Chapter 4 Completing the Accounting Cycle
Chapter 4 Completing the Accounting Cycle
Mid-term Exam 2
Chapter 5 Merchandising Operations
Chapter 5 Merchandising Operations
Due Date
HW Ch. 1 due by 11 p.m.
HW Ch. 2 due by 11 p.m.
Exam Chapters 1 and 2
HW Ch. 3 due by 11 p.m.
HW Ch. 4 due by 11 p.m.
Exam Chapters 3 and 4
Sep 25 F
Sep 28 M
Sep 30 W
Oct 2 F
Oct 5 M
Oct 7 W
Oct 9 F
Oct 12 M
Oct 14 W
Oct 16 F
Oct 19 M
Oct 21 W
Exam Review Question/Homework Session with TA
Chapter 6 Merchandise Inventory
Chapter 6 Merchandise Inventory
Mid-term Exam 3
Chapter 7 Internal Control and Cash
Chapter 7 Internal Control and Cash
Exam Review Question/Homework Session with TA
Fall Break
Chapter 8 Receivables
Question/Homework Session with TA
Chapter 8 Receivables
Chapter 9 Plant Assets, Natural Resources and
Intangibles
Oct 23 F
Mid-term Exam 4
Oct 26 M Chapter 9 Plant Assets, Natural Resources and
Intangibles
Oct 28 W Chapter 11 Current Liabilities and Payroll
Oct 30 F
Exam Review Question/Homework Session with TA
Nov 2 M
Chapter 11 Current Liabilities and Payroll
Nov 4 W
Chapter 12 Long Term Liabilities
Nov 6 F
Mid-term Exam 5
Nov 9 M
Chapter 12 Long Term Liabilities
Nov 11 W Chapter 13 Stockholders’ Equity
Nov 13 F Exam Review Question/Homework Session with TA
Nov 16 M Chapter 13 Stockholders’ Equity
Nov 18 W Chapter 14 Statement of Cash Flows
Nov 20 F Mid-term Exam 6
Nov 23 M Chapter 14 Statement of Cash Flows
Nov 25-27 Thanksgiving Holiday
Nov 30 M Chapter 14 and Review Exam
Dec 7 M
Final Exam 12:00 noon – 3:00 p.m.
HW Ch. 5 due by 11 p.m.
HW Ch. 6 due by 11 p.m.
Exam Chapters 5 and 6
Practice Set Phase 1 due
HW Ch. 7 due by 11 p.m.
HW Ch. 8 due by 11 p.m.
Exam Chapters 7 and 8
HW Ch. 9 due by 11 p.m.
HW Ch. 10 &11 due 11 pm
Exam Chapters 9, 10, 11
HW Ch. 12 due by 11 p.m.
Practice Set Phase 2 due
HW Ch. 13 due by 11 p.m.
Exam Chapters 12 and 13
HW Ch. 14 due by 11 p.m.
Comprehensive Exam