This course is a study in analyzing, classifying, and recording business transactions in a manual and computerized environment. The course emphasizes the complete accounting cycle, preparation of basic financial statements, recording merchandising transactions, reviewing inventory costing methods, preparing bank reconciliations, and recording long-term assets. 

ACNT 1403 – Introduction to Accounting 1 does not qualify for meeting the requirements for accounting courses required to take the CPA exam. Please consult with your instructor immediately if you desire to become a CPA in Texas.

The goals and objectives of this course prepare students to (1) complete certificate 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.

Prerequisites: Basic computer skills utilizing internet, word processing, and spreadsheet (Excel) software are recommended for all accounting courses. If you have any questions, consult with an accounting advisor. Degree seeking students are required to have a minimum score on the reading and math portions of the TSI test. Certificate students must meet the Level 1 requirements. There are several exemptions and waivers to these requirements. Please consult the course schedule, assessment website, catalog, and/or contact an advisor to confirm your prerequisite status. 

CLASS ORIENTATION:

Read the syllabus and get an understanding on how the course will function by visiting Blackboard and clicking on the Content area to see how the course is set up. There will be an:

Orientation Quiz: To prepare for this quiz, be sure to complete all steps in this “Start Here!” Orientation section in 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 last day to receive credit for Cengage Assignments is July 25 at 11:55 pm. If you want to keep up with the course, you will turn in the assignments by the end of each week for the corresponding chapters.

Assignment Due Dates: The due dates for assignments are included in Cengage and Blackboard. There are three due dates for assignments. 

• Available Date: this date will represent when the assignments will be available to take.

• Due Date: this date will follow along with the chapters for each week.

• Unavailable Date: this date will be the final due date and close the assignments for good.

COURSE EVALUATION/GRADING SYSTEM OVERVIEW:

Basis for Grading:

Final Grade Calculation: Take the total amount of points you have accumulated and divide by 800. In Blackboard, you will see two “Total” columns; “Total in Progress” will show your current grade based on the assignments you have completed; this “Total” column will represent your grade based on all assignments. By the end of semester, both “Total” columns should be the same.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY:

The objectives of this course will be met by incorporating a Flipped-classroom instructional method which works well with online instruction.  The student will work independently by reading each chapter, watching the lecture videos, and completing assignments in CengageNow. The course structure will help to develop the necessary skills of problem-solving and critical analysis needed for the Accounting environment. Accounting has a conceptual side and an applied side; this course uses these understandings in a way that helps the student to understand Accounting concepts and apply them to independent activities.

COURSE ORGANIZATION AND DELIVERY METHOD:

This is an online course designed to allow the students to complete this course in an effective manner by keeping up with the schedule or working ahead. I will host a virtual classroom on Monday nights starting at 6pm; the session will last 1 hour. I encourage students to attend, if possible, to get their questions or concerns answered. In the virtual classroom, I will give a brief lecture then work problems the students need help with or questions we will pick out. These sessions are recorded for the students to go back and watch if needed. The Assignment Schedule in Blackboard will show the flow of the assignments for this course.

Here are some helpful tips in being successful in this course:

1. Keep up with the weekly schedule - I understand that sometimes circumstances can interfere, if so, make sure to catch up to get back on track. If you have a circumstance that permit you from completing your assignments, please send me an email to discuss your options.

2. Using your resources in Cengage - the textbook offers several resources to help you complete assignments. The resources are:

   1. “Show Me How” videos - these videos will walk you through a similar problem to assist in completing the assignment.

   2. “Check My Work” Button- this item will help the student to complete the assignment by being able to “check” the work the student has entered. The system will give you a green check for correct and a red X for incorrect answers. You will have a maximum number of times you can check your work, after you have run out, you can submit your assignment to get the back again. A good rule of thumb is if you use 2 Check My Works and don’t get the correct answer, start using your other resources to help. The number  “Check My Works” are as follows: Apply has 4, Learn has 4, and Master has 5.

   3. E-book Links - each assignment will have the learning objective associated with the problem. Click the link to go back to the textbook and view illustrations on the how to solve the problem.

3. Time Management is Important: I know everyone have prior commitments or other classes; I highly encourage all to utilize the time spent in the course in a positive way by using all the available resources to grasp the material.  Reach out for help if needed and keep the line of communication open with me.

MEASUREMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The completion of the learning outcomes for this course will be assessed by the following independent activities:

• Learn Activity: These assignments are an introduction to each chapter that covers all the learning objectives. Students will watch the attached video and answer 2 to 4 questions over the video. There are other questions in the Learn Activity that will gauge your understanding of the learning objectives. These assignments will be accessed via Blackboard using the links in the Course Schedule. The average time to complete this assignment is roughly 3 hours; use this as a gauge for comprehension, if you are within the range, you’re understanding the material, if you are out of the range, use the resources available to you in CengageNow.

• Apply Activity:  These assignments will cover all the learning objectives in each Chapter; there will be 8 to 10 small problems that will build upon your understanding. These assignments will be accessed via Blackboard using the links in the Course Schedule. The average time to complete this assignment are listed in Blackboard; use this as a gauge for comprehension, if you are within the range, you’re understanding the material, if you are out of the range, use the resources available to you in CengageNow.

• Master Activity:  Homework consist of assignments that cover 2 learning objectives in each chapter that has been covered in lecture and some of the other activities. These assignments will be accessed via Blackboard using the links in Course Schedule. The average time to complete this assignment is roughly up to 5 hours; use this as a gauge for comprehension, if you are within the range, you’re understanding the material, if you are out of the range, use the resources available to you in CengageNow.

• Comprehensive Problems:  Comprehensive problems will encompass multiple chapters and multiple learning objectives to assess your understanding of the foundations of Accounting. It is worth 7.5% of your grade; the Comprehensive Problems are as follows:

  • Comprehensive Problem 1:  Chapters 1-4, the full Accounting cycle.

  • Comprehensive Problem 2:  Chapters 6-10.

• Competency Pre-tests: These pre-tests will see how well the student understands the material for multiple chapters before attempting the actual competency exam. The quizzes will be taking in CengageNow or Blackboard, have a time limit of 3 hours to complete in one setting. If you make a 90% or better, you can bypass the actual exam and get the same number of points applied from the actual quiz.

• Competency Exams: The competency exams are work out problems that you have seen in the Master assignments and the Competency pre-tests. You will have a time limit of 3 hours for the first competency exam and 3.5 hours for the second competency exam.  DO NOT MISS ANY EXAMS.  If you must miss an exam, please contact me by emailing your request to yholland@austincc.edu to make arrangements.  You must take ALL exams to receive a FINAL grade in this course.

The competency exams will be taken via Blackboard; the pre-test and competencies are in Cengage; you will need these to take them:

• You will be able to use a page of notes on your exam, along with a calculator, no graphing, something to write with, and 2 pieces of blank paper.

• Password: Numb3rs

Census Date, DROP, AND WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES:

Census Date - June 17th, if you have not completed ANY of the course work, you will be dropped for non-attendance.

Schedule Changes – Add/Drop:  June 2nd - June 3rd

Withdrawal Date: July 21st 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. You must officially withdraw from this and any class that you tend to drop; I do not have the capability to drop students pass the withdrawal date.

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.

                              ACNT 1403 – Spring 2025 (1st)

Test-Out Exams are for students who already have the knowledge of the Chapters. Students who are interested in taking a Test-Out Exam must contact the Professor prior to the Test-Out Dates listed in the course schedule above.

 A minimum score of 80% is required to bypass the Chapter assignments. If unsuccessful, students must complete ALL Chapter assignments and take the Competency Exam.

 The last day to receive credit for Cengage Homework Assignments is the last Friday of the term as listed on the schedule. The regular Competency Exams will be open for the week specified in the course schedule. If you want to keep up with the course, you will turn in the assignments by the end of each week for the corresponding Chapters.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS:

Required: Accounting, Custom with Access to Cengage Now, 28th ed, Warren/Jones; this is a First Day Access course where you materials will be available via Blackboard.

There are two options available for the textbook; please keep in mind we use the CengageNow access for all of the course assignments. We highly recommend either of the two methods listed, we cannot guarantee if you purchase the textbook from an online retailer that it will contain the necessary materials for the class. If you have any questions or concerns, please send me an email.

• “Opt In” Option: All Inclusive Digital Access: You have already purchased the textbook and access code via registration, you do not need to purchase anything else. However, you have the option to purchase a physical copy of the textbook from the ACC bookstore for an additional cost.   

OR

• “Opt Out” Option: Purchase the textbook from the bookstore: If you prefer a hard copy of a text, this custom, shrink wrapped, loose-leaf book can only be purchased through the local ACC bookstores. The shrink-wrapped package includes the text, the access code for CengageNow which is the required interactive online homework system and includes access to the eBook of the text. This information is available via the Textbook Materials link in Blackboard.

♦  Students will read Chapters 1-10 for this course.

The course objectives are the overall mastery concepts of the course; here are the following 7 core concepts:

• Prepare a multiple-step income statement, classified balance sheet and statement of earnings.

• Analyze and record the effects of common business transactions.

• Prepare adjusting entries.

• Describe the role of closing entries.

• Apply elements of the conceptual framework to accounting issues.

• Explain the components of the statement of cash flows.

• Understand the relationship between financial components. 

Chapter 1: Introduction to Accounting and Business

Chapter 2: Analyzing Transactions

Chapter 3: The Adjusting Process

Chapter 4: Completing the Accounting Cycle

Chapter 6: Accounting for Merchandising Businesses

Chapter 7: Inventories

Chapter 8: Internal Control and Cash

Chapter 9: Receivables

Chapter 10: Long-Term Assets: Fixed and Intangible