SAINT JOSEPH S UNIVERSITY COURSE EXPECTATION FORM INTERSESSION 2012

Transcription

1 SAINT JOSEPH S UNIVERSITY COURSE EXPECTATION FORM INTERSESSION 2012 ACC 407 HY Contemporary Topics in Accounting PROF: Joseph Ragan OFFICE: MV 370 PHONE: (610) jragan@sju.edu OFFICE HOURS: By appointment or online by This course is underwritten by a development grant from PwC. Special thanks for their encouragement and support. DESCRIPTION: This course explores current issues in the field of financial accounting, reporting, display, and disclosure as reflected in the current CPA examination. The impact of IFRS implementation, changing valuation techniques, and other contemporary topics on professional practice are considered. Prerequisite ACC 206. TEXTBOOK: CPA Review Financial, Irvin N Edition. Access to Financial CPA Review ***THE TEXT BOOK AND ONLINE ACCESS MUST BE PURCHASED USING THE FOLLOWING LINK*** ***STUDENTS WHO DO NOT USE THIS LINK WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE COURSE*** Web sites will be identified that will serve as a very important secondary sources of material. All supplemental material will be posted on Blackboard under our course title. Students are expected to access Blackboard and their SJU address on a regular basis. Material will be posted at least 24 hours in advance of the next class. INSTRUCTION: Interactive lectures and online material. This course is being presented in a hybrid lecture/online format. Lectures will be held on the main campus at the following times: Monday, January 2-6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The Financial Reporting Environment Wednesday, January 4-6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m Financial Statements * Income Statement Items Tuesday, January 10-6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m Inventories Thursday, January 12-6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m Property, Plant, Equipment, & Depletable Resources Saturday, January 14-9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Professional Panel and Course Wrap-up As this is a hybrid course, the alternating days are to be spent online using according to the schedule of deliverables on the final page of the syllabus. Submissions must be done by the day and time requested. Late submissions will not be graded.

2 COURSE GOAL AND OBJECTIVES: To gain a working knowledge and understanding of the theories and applications of modern accounting issues. You will become proficient with some of the tools used by accountants to make decisions. You will demonstrate comprehension of the theories and practical applications via CPA review simulations. EXAMS & MAKE-UP POLICY: There will be two exams throughout the intersession (one at the end of each week) and a series of quizzes. In addition, students will use a simulation to create real life CPA adapted exams in Financial Accounting. These exams will be taken by the students and system graded. Summary of Grading Components and Grade Scale: Points CPA Adapted Simulations / TF / MC1 / MC2 / Participation 200 Mid Term Exam 100 Final Exam 100 Total Points 400 Final letter grades will be determined on a standard scale where: A = 372 to 400 points A- = 360 to 371 points B+ = 348 to 359 points B = 332 to 347 points B- = 320 to 331 points C+ = 308 to 319 points C = 292 to 307 points C- 280 to 291 points D+ = 268 to 279 points D = 252 to 267 points D- = 240 to 251 points F = Below 240 points WHAT WILL I LEARN? In addition to its many topics, this will teach you a lot about professional judgments in accounting. It is specifically designed around topics that have significant profile on the CPA Exam. We look not only at those topics but also in efficient solutions using technology. Please note that I will be willing to give you any extra help throughout the semester, as you may need. Plan to spend 5-6 hours of study between each class. The biggest problem creating low grades in this class is inadequate preparation before class. Participation in class is also important. Students should come to class having read material to be covered during class. Class attendance will be taken.

3 ACADEMIC HONESTY All students are subject to the official Academic Honestly Policy of the University. Students caught cheating on any examination of assignment, or found copying materials from examinations, assignments or individual projects submitted by other students will receive a failing grade IMPORTANT NOTICE TO STUDENTS This section of ACC 407 is being offered as a hybrid course. Hybrid means that at least half the course must be offered online in order for students to receive the 3 credits allowed for this course. The online work is to be done in, and will be demonstrated during the first class. To participate online, students must have a reliable Internet connection to the Saint Joseph s University Blackboard site ( and have purchased and be able to access the. Access through high-speed cable or DSL is strongly recommended. Students should be online regularly throughout the course to access Audiovisual Presentations (narrated slide presentations) as well as participate in the Tutorial to complete the True/False, Multiple Choice, and Simulation exercises. Fifty percent of your course grade is based on the tutorial. During this semester, a maximum of six (6) Live Classroom sessions are scheduled. These sessions will be used primarily for a brief lecture focusing on where we ve been, where we are and where we re going in the course. Some computational problem examples will typically be provided. Student attendance/participation is required for these sessions. Please see the Schedule of Readings and Assignments posted in the Schedule/Due Dates link on the Blackboard site for specific date information. The online class experience must be completed in between each classroom session. These online tutorials typically run 4-5 hours. The Tutorials will be demonstrated during our first class session. POLICY As noted above, is a very effective means of communication in a hybrid course. Students are encouraged to use to contact the professor. Every effort will be made to answer all e- mails within two working days of the date and time of receipt (Sunday is not considered a working day) under normal circumstances, s will be answered on the day received, assuming they arrive prior to 6:00 p.m. Students may the professor directly - jragan@sju.edu. Alternately, students may use the function of Blackboard to send e- mails to the professor and/or other members of the class. For technical problems in the use of, this course has an assigned STAR Leader who will assist. His name is JC Hosler and he can be reached at jh475399@sju.edu. Please CC the professor of this course with any technical questions.

4 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: In accordance with state and federal laws, the University will make reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. For those who have or think that you may have a disability requiring an accommodation (learning, physical, psychological) should contact Services for Students with Disabilities, Room G10, Bellarmine, (voice) or (TTY) as early as possible in the semester for additional information and so that an accommodation, if appropriate, can be made in a timely manner. You will be required to provide current (within 3 years) documentation of the disability. For a more detailed explanation of the University s accommodation process, as well as the programs and services offered to students with disabilities, please go to If you have any difficulty accessing the information on-line, please contact Services for Students with Disabilities at the telephone numbers above.

5 Date of Subject Scope of Topics 1/2/12 Introduction Syllabus Financial Reporting Environment Unit 1 Readings Homework Deliverables (due date) pp Study Unit 1 Unit 1 1/3/12 UNIT 1 Financial Reporting Environment Unit 1 using pp Study Unit 1 (simulation) no later than 10pm (1/3) Late submissions are penalized 1/4/12 UNIT 2 & 4 Financial Statements & Income Statement Items Unit 2 & Unit 4 pp pp Study Unit 2 Study Unit 4 Unit 2 & Unit 4 1/5/12 UNIT 2 Financial Statements Unit 2 using pp Study Unit 2 (simulation) no later than 10pm (1/5) Late submissions are penalized 1/7/12 UNIT 4 Income Statement Items Unit 4 using pp Study Unit 4 (simulation) no later than 10pm (1/7) 1/8/12 EXAM 1 Units 1, 2, & 4 Units 1, 2, & 4 Units 1, 2, & 4 Exam setup in to be completed no later than 10pm (1/9) 1/9/12 UNIT 8 Inventories Unit 8 pp Study Unit 8 Unit 8 1/10/12 UNIT 8 Inventories Unit 8 using pp Study Unit 8 (simulation) no later than 10pm (1/11) 1/11/12 UNIT 9 Property, Plant, and Equipment Unit 9 pp Study Unit 9 Late submissions are penalized Unit 9 1/12/12 UNIT 9 Property, Plant, and Equipment Unit 9 using pp Study Unit 9 (simulation) no later than 10pm (1/13)

6 1/12/12 Wrap-up with Panel of Specialists course Final Handouts course with panel presentation offering best-bets on how to quickly pass the CPA Exam 1/12/12 (After Class) EXAM 2 Units 1, 2, 4, 8, & 9 Units 1, 2, 4, 8, & 9 Units 1, 2, 4, 8, & 9 Exam setup in to be completed no later than 10pm (1/14) *For a student to complete the study unit menu for, the student must have performance scores for TF, MC1, MC2, and SIM. To maximize your score, MC1, MC2 and T/F can be taken more than once. As these are based on a preconfigured set of CPA adapted questions, many of the same questions reappear, often slightly reworded with different answer options. It is therefore often in your interest to take the Multiple Choice several times.