Accounting 211 – Financial Accounting

Course Syllabus – Winter 2006

Instructor: Melinda Perez

Office: 402A – Bexell Hall

Phone: 737-6055

Office Hours: MW 2:00pm – 3:00pm

T 10:00am – 11:00am,

or by appointment

Email: Mindy.Perez@bus.oregonstate.edu

Course Description

This course will provide an introduction to financial accounting, emphasizing the preparation and interpretation of financial statements, income recognition, and asset valuation. Prerequisites: Math 111 and Sophomore standing

Course Materials

TEXT: Financial Accounting, Harrison & Horngren, 6rd Edition, Required

Non-programmable calculator

Course Objectives

• Each student shall be able to analyze basic business transactions to determine their effect on accounts and financial statements.
• Each student shall have a basic understanding of the accounting cycle and be able to prepare simple entries for transactions and adjustments.
• Each student shall be able to prepare a Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Statement of Changes in Retained Earnings from a trial balance for relatively simple situations.
• Each student shall be able to prepare a simple Cash Flow Statement from appropriate information for relatively simple situations.
• Each student shall have a basic understanding the principles of internal control and be able to apply them to relatively straight forward situations.
• Each student shall have a basic understanding of the issues relating to inventory, accounts receivable, long-lived assets, liabilities and stockholders equity and be able to use that understanding to analyze those items.
• Each student shall be able to evaluate the financial position of organizations through the use of financial statements using horizontal, vertical and ratio analysis along with a basic understanding of accounting principles and practices. 

Homework, Assignments, and Examinations:

Daily Preparation: Preparation for each and every class, including both reading assignments and homework problems, is critical for success in any accounting course. The class schedule indicates the required reading and homework problems that will be reviewed in class on the days indicated. The assigned homework is an integral part of the course experience, thus all students are required to prepare their solutions in Word or Excel to the assigned problems before the in-class discussions. Homework will be collected and returned to you.

As a courtesy to the other instructors teaching this course, this instructor will not provide electronic solutions to any of the text homework assignments discussed in class. If you would like to spend more time with the homework solutions, these will be made available during office hours.

Problem Sets: During the term, three problem sets will be assigned and included in grading. These problem sets will be available electronically to the students at least one week before the due date. Since the solutions to the problem sets will be posted at 5pm on the due date, no late problem sets will be accepted. Students are allowed and encouraged to work in groups of no more than 3 students and turn in one solution. Group to group consultations are not allowed and are considered academic dishonesty.

Exams: Two mid-term exams and a mini-exam will be given on the dates noted below. These exams will included both multiple choice questions and accounting problems. Examination format will be discussed in class prior to each exam. All material in the text is eligible for examination regardless of its inclusion in class discussion.

EXAM 1: January 25

EXAM 2: February 20

MINI EXAM: March 6

The final exam is scheduled for Wednesday, March 22, at 4:00pm. This is a common exam period and common exam for all sections of BA 211 offered this term. The final exam is comprehensive but will be weighted towards the material covered in Chapters 12 and 13. There are no make-up exams given. All exams will remain the property of the professor but students are encouraged to view their graded exams during office hours. No notes will be allowed for any exams.

In-Class Participation: During the term, in-class assignments will be conducted in a variety of formats including homework audits, quizzes, and group problems. The purpose of these assignments is three-fold: to encourage regular attendance, to encourage preparation for the daily class material, and to test the student’s understanding and competencies in the current course materials. There are no make-ups for missed in-class assignments.

Grading:

There will be two midterm exams, a mini-midterm and a comprehensive final exam. Your grade for the course will be determined on the following basis:

Homework, Class Participation	50 points
Problem Sets	100
Midterm 1	110
Midterm 2	110
Mini-midterm	50
Final exam	180
Total	600 points

At the end of the course, after the final exam, letter grades will be assigned based on a percentage of points earned to total points available.

It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from the course on or before the deadline (January 20). Students who do not officially withdraw from the course and fail to complete the minimum course requirements will receive a failing grade in the course.

Accounting department policy regarding exams:

· CALCULATORS No programmable calculators, cell phones, head phones or computers may be used during exams.  Only departmental approved calculators will be allowed.  Currently, only simple 4 function calculators and financial calculators such as the TI BA series are approved for exam use.  The bookstore sells simple 4 function calculators for about $4. 

· NO NOTES will be allowed on exams.

· MIDTERM EXAMS  Attendance is mandatory on scheduled test dates in the section in which you are enrolled.  There will be no "make-up" midterm exams.  If you are unable to take an exam for a legitimate reason acceptable to the instructor, your final exam will be given additional weight proportional to the missing exam score. 

· NO MAKE UP OR EARLY FINAL EXAMS will be allowed.  An exam session will be scheduled following the regular scheduled exam time for students with exam conflicts.  Only students with a valid excuse for missing the regularly-scheduled final exam are eligible to take the make-up exam.  In other cases students will be encouraged to take the final the following term. 

· All exams (midterm and final) will be retained by the department.  Any student who fails to turn in all or part of an exam will receive an F (zero points) on the exam.

Other Information:

Academic Honesty Policy

We define academic dishonesty in this class as offering or receiving help on an exam, or otherwise compromising or attempting to compromise the integrity of an exam or in-class assignment. All cases of suspected academic dishonesty will be handled in strict accordance with University and College policy.

Accommodations:

Students who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation, or students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of the term. If additional assistance is required the student should contact the Office of Disability Services.

Discrimination or harassment:

Discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated in the classroom. Most cases of discrimination or harassment violate Federal and State laws and University Policies and Regulations. Intentional discrimination or harassment will be referred to the Affirmative Action Office and dealt with in accordance with the appropriate rules and regulations.

Unintentional discrimination or harassment is just as damaging to the offended party, but it usually results from people not understanding the impact of their remarks or actions on others, or insensitivity to the feelings of others. We must all strive to work together to create a positive learning environment. This means that each individual should be sensitive to the feelings of others and tolerant of the remarks and actions of others. If you find the remarks and actions of another individual offensive, please bring it to their attention. If you believe those remarks and actions constitute intentional discrimination or harassment, please bring it to your instructor's attention.