BUS 2001: Accounting for Non-Business Students
Semester 20XX
Class Information: Meeting Day : Time CRN: XXXXX Classroom: Schneider XXXX
Faculty Name
Office Number
Office Hours
E-mail
Telephone
Fax
Website
Course Description
This is an introductory course in accounting which focuses on the role of accounting
information in the planning, decision-making, and reporting of business organizations. Topics
include transaction analysis, basic financial statement analysis, profit planning, cost behavior
and cost control, and performance evaluation. This course integrates important subjects
from both financial and management accounting. The Department of Accountancy in the
Haworth College of Business offers and staffs this course. This course is not equivalent to
Accountancy 2100 or Accountancy 2110 and does not count toward satisfaction of the
Department of Accountancy core courses required for an accounting major or minor.
Prerequisites
Sophomore level standing
Course Objectives
This course is designed to give students a basic understanding of the role of accounting
information in business. It focuses on business events throughout the management planning,
performing, and evaluating cycles, and the effects of these events on the financial reporting
and decision making of the organization. The course will include key concepts from financial
and management accounting.
Measurable Learning Outcomes
By the completion of this course students are expected to:
1. understand the role of accounting in organizations
2. explain the purpose of the financial statements (i.e. balance sheet, statement of owners’
equity, income statement and statement of cash flows)
3. analyze basic business transactions including their effect on financial statement elements
and implications for decision making
4. perform basic financial statement analysis
5. understand cost behavior, cost accumulation and cost allocation
6. plan for profit and cost control
7. evaluate performance in organizations
1
Text and Required Materials
Survey of Accounting by Edmonds, Edmonds, McNair, Olds, Tsay and Milam; McGraw
Hill/Irwin Publisher. Purchase of a one semester subscription to McGraw Hill’s Homework
Manager supplement is also required.
Course Work
Students should plan to attend every course meeting and to complete reading assignments
and homework by the due date on the assignment schedule provided by the instructor.
Course meetings will include lecture, discussion and labs (in class assignments or teamwork).
There will be three course exams and a comprehensive final. Following are approximate
points that may be earned for coursework:
Three Course Exams @ 100 points
Comprehensive Final
Homework, labs, other course work
Total Course Points
300
150
150
600
Grading Scale
Percentage of Points Earned
90 – 100%
86 – 89%
80 – 85
76 – 79
70 – 75
66 – 69
60 – 65
Below 60
Grade
A
BA
B
CB
C
DC
D
E
Incompletes
Incomplete grades will be awarded strictly in accordance with University policy. An
incomplete is given only when circumstances beyond the control of the student prevent
timely completion of course requirements. An incomplete grade may not be given as a means
of avoiding a failing grade.
2
Classroom Policies
o Attendance & Late Arrival - This course is comprehensive in nature. The material studied
is cumulative and requires that students stay abreast of the coursework. Therefore
attendance and timely arrival is required.
o Participation – Students are expected to participate in classroom discussions and labs.
Specific points may be earned for labs and class participation may be considered in final
grading.
o Absences – As mentioned above, it is strongly recommended that students attend every
course meeting. However in that an absence is unavoidable, students are responsible for
keeping up with the coursework.
o Acceptance of Late Assignments – late assignments will not be accepted.
Academic Honesty
You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and
procedures in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs that pertain to Academic Honesty.
These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission,
plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. [The policies can be found at
http://catalog.wmich.edu under Academic Policies, Student Rights and Responsibilities.] If
there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred
to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If
you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should
consult with your instructor if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to
the submission of an assignment or test.
Topics











Introduction and the role of accounting in organizations
Financial and management accounting
Overview of financial statements and the elements of financial statements
Understanding the accounting cycles
Accounting for elements of financial statements: inventories, receivables, long-term
assets, liabilities
Types of business organizations: Proprietorships, Partnerships, and Corporations
Cost behavior, operating leverage, and profitability
Cost accumulation, tracing, and allocation
Relevant information for special decisions
Planning for profit and cost control
Performance Evaluation
Schedule
The schedule for the course will be provided by the instructor.
3