ACCOUNTING ISSUES IN BUSINESS DECISIONS Online
Fall, 2015
Welcome to Accounting 6501! (Credit: 3 semester hours)
Prerequisites
Graduate Standing; ACC 201 and ACC 202 (Principles of Financial Accounting) or ACC 203 (A
survey in financial and managerial accounting).
Instructor
Mark Morgan, PhD, CFE, CPA
Office Self 112; MWF 9:30 – 10 am; 11 am - 1 pm; R 3 - 5:30 pm;
601.925.3896; Morgan00@mc.edu
Course Description
The course provides an overview of external and internal decision-making using accounting
information. From the perspectives of investors, creditors and other external users, the course
provides an introduction to the analysis and use of corporate financial reports. Course coverage
includes financial accounting standard setting, the environmental pressures and temptations
faced by management and accountants as they prepare financial statements, the role of
auditors in the capital markets system, and the impact of accounting information on strategic
decisions. From an internal decision-making perspective, the course examines the use of
managerial accounting information. Topics include costs analysis, cost-volume-profit analysis,
activity based costing, and decision support systems including relevant costs and benefits.
Rationale
Properly understood, accounting information is a very useful decision aid. The comprehension
of financial statements is paramount to understanding business results and terminology.
Management needs a basic understanding of both external (financial) and internal (managerial)
accounting data. This course has two major objectives: (1) Help students understand and
interpret financial statements and (2) Help students understand how to use internal accounting
information to make appropriate decisions.
Learning Objectives
1.
Understand the accounting cycle and financial reporting.
2.
Understand cost behavior, cost estimation, and cost-volume-profit analysis.
3.
Apply the concept of relevance to managerial decision-making.
4.
Understand the components of product and service costs.
5.
Develop an understanding of traditional costing systems and activity based costing
systems.
6.
Explain the importance of quantitative and qualitative analyses in decision-making.
7.
Gain an appreciation of management’s need for accounting information for planning,
controlling and decision-making functions.
Attendance
Attendance is measured by participation online. Students are strongly encouraged to be daily
active in pursuing reading, assignments and study. Some discussion is included in the course
per forum in Moodle. Please participate in discussion. Each Student is expected to read
chapter(s) text assignment and attempt the homework for those chapter(s) before they look at
video lecture discussion or additional resource information. Student participation is critical to
gain the benefit from this class. When a student is absent for a period of time, contact with the
instructor is required. You are welcome to email me any time at the address listed above. I will
answer emails as soon as possible. This class will adhere to college online policies described in
the Graduate Bulletin. Viewing a professor-assigned lecture online, posting to forums, taking
Quiz and Exam is considered attendance and participation.
Academic Integrity
Mississippi College students are expected to be scrupulously honest. Dishonesty, such as
cheating or plagiarism, will be regarded as a serious offense subject to severe penalty including,
but not limited to, loss of credit and possible dismissal. See University Policy 2.19 for specific
information. Students are expected to complete tests individually. Cheating will result in a zero
on the test, no participation points, no extra points for homework, and could result in
immediate expulsion from the class. Study groups are encouraged for completing homework
assignments. However, every person in a study group is expected to contribute. Copying
homework assignments or having someone else complete homework assignments will be
considered cheating. The class attendance policy of the University will be enforced. Students
are expected to attend all classes and to be on time.
Topics to be covered
1.
2.
3.
4.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Accounting Terms and Concepts.
Bookkeeping Process and Transaction Analysis.
Accounting for Financial Statement Accounts.
Accounting Cycle.
Cost behavior and cost-volume-profit analysis.
Activity-based costing and management.
Short-term decisions and accounting information.
Operational and financial budgeting.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Capital budgeting.
Product costing and job-order costing systems.
Standard costing.
Divisional performance measurement.
Control and evaluation of cost centers.
Methodology
Teaching methods employed in this class will include student participation in reading chapters
assigned, listening to narrated PowerPoint, forum discussion, completing exercise and problem
homework as well as practice homework, watching oral presentation by the instructor, analysis,
problem solving, completing a comprehensive budget project, and testing.
Grade Opportunities
Three mid-semester exams and one final semester exam will be given in McGraw Hill Connect
software online. Each exam will consist of multiple choice and accounting problems. Each of the
exams will be worth 100 points each. Additional points will be awarded to those who complete
all four tests at the scheduled time and answer an assignment of the end of the course. 100
points are awarded based on cumulative quiz grades. 50 points will be given for project
completion analysis and/or reporting on current events. 20 points will be awarded based upon
participation in forum discussion, attendance, and prompt completion of required exams and
coursework. Students are expected to contact the instructor before missing a test. Cumulative
possible points for the semester equal 570 points.
Grading Scale
A
B+
B
C+
C
D
93-100
88-92
80-87
76-79
70-75
60-69
Text
Custom Chapters from the following:
Title:
Authors:
Edition:
Accounting; What the Numbers Mean
Marshall, McManus, & Viele
10th
A Code for registration in McGraw Hill Connect is required and is available with (1) ebook or
with (2) ebook and custom print text. Custom ISBN available in MC Bookstore:
978-1-121-67108-9
Student Assistance
A. Early Alert System
Mississippi College has adopted the practice of finding students early in the semester
who may be exhibiting behaviors that could ultimately have a negative impact on their
academic progress. These behaviors are often called “red flag” behaviors and include,
but are not limited to, excessive absences, poor test grades, and lack of class
participation or evidence of non-engagement. Identifying these behaviors early gives
the instructor the opportunity to raise the “red flag” on behalf of a particular student so
that the student can take the appropriate action to redirect his/her progress. The
system alerts the student, the student’s advisor, and the Office of Student Success.
These messages are intended to help a student recognize an area of concern and to
encourage him/her to make some choices to improve the situation. When a student
receives an Early Alert message, the student should quickly make an appointment to talk
with his/her professor about the situation. Also, students can make full use of the
Office of Student Success to set academic goals and connect to campus resources.
.
B. Students with Disabilities
In order for a student to receive disability accommodations under Section 504 of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, he or she must schedule an individual meeting with the
Director of Student Counseling Services immediately upon recognition of their
disability (if their disability is known they must come in before the semester begins or
make an appointment immediately upon receipt of their syllabi for the new semester).
The student must bring with them written documentation from a medical physician
and/or licensed clinician that verifies their disability. If the student has received prior
accommodations, they must bring written documentation of those accommodations
(example Individualized Education Plan from the school system). Documentation must
be current (within 3 years).
The student must meet with SCS face-to face and also attend two (2) additional follow
up meetings (one mid semester before or after midterm examinations and the last one
at the end of the semester). Please note that the student may also schedule additional
meetings as needed for support through SCS as they work with their professor
throughout the semester. Note: Students must come in each semester to complete
their Individualized Accommodation Plan (example: MC student completes fall semester
IAP plan and even if student is a continuing student for the spring semester they must
come in again to complete their spring semester IAP plan).
Student Counseling Services is located on the 4th floor of Alumni Hall) or they may be
contacted via email at mbryant@mc.edu . You may also reach them by phone at 601925-7790. Dr. Morgan Bryant is director of MC Student Counseling Services.
Retaining Student Work
The instructor reserves the right to retain for pedagogical reasons either the original, or a copy
of any student’s exam, quiz, written assignment, paper, video, or similar work submitted by the
student, either individually or as a group project, for this class.
Please turn off and put away cell phones and hand-held electronic devices while studying and
testing. Calculators, however, are recommended.
This syllabus represents a tentative program of study. The instructor may modify this plan at
any time during the semester.