SYLLABUS

HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Spring 2008

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

ACCT 1313 Computerized Accounting - Peachtree Accounting and Quick Books Pro.  This course covers the use of two popular general ledger software packages, Peachtree Accounting and Quick Books Pro, and reinforces the understanding of financial accounting, including double-entry accounting and the accounting cycle.  Other topics include cash, receivables, payables, budgets, job costs, payroll and analysis and interpretation of financial statements.

 

BASIC COURSE GOALS:

The primary purpose of this course is to provide the student with a comprehensive course in financial accounting on a computerized general ledger system.  The course is designed to meet the needs of those students who are preparing for a career in accounting and for those from other academic disciplines’ who recognize the essential need to process financial information in a computer environment in today’s business world.

 

PREREQUISITE:  ACNT 2302 & CSCI 1338

 

Meeting Days and Time: Monday’s 5:30pm to 8:30pm – West Loop Campus – Computer Lab

 

Course Reference Number: 31488

 

Prepared by Mel McQueary

Instructor of Accounting

Southwest College

 

(Phone No. (713) 304-7461 Cell Phone & Voice Mail – Please do not call after 7:00 pm)

(Email Mmcqu84678@aol.com.  I always return my messages and emails.  If I do return a call within 24 hours, I have not got the message and please call again.

 

Textbook and Related Material

 

Required for the course

 

Text:    Text:    Computerized Accounting with Peachtree 2005, Jim Mazza and Gary Chavez, EMC Paradigm, 2005

 

            No text is needed for Quickbooks Pro.

 

 

 

Evaluation and Requirements

 

Students are expected to read all assigned chapters, complete and submit all assignments on the due dates, and attend all classes.  The nature of the course is such that perfect attendance is essential for mastery of course content.  A missed class can never be duplicated.

 

Accounting is best learned through doing.  Therefore there will always be homework assignments to be prepared outside of class.  This will require a considerable commitment of time and effort from you.  Typically, the successful student in college can count on 3 hours of independent study for every hour in the classroom.

 

Students are responsible for the “learning objectives” at the beginning of each chapter.  Accounting is a subject that cannot be mastered passively.  The concepts and ideas could be compared to building blocks - each serves as a foundation for new ones.  It is extremely important that each student be actively involved in the learning process.  This requires intensive study of each chapter, the study guide, and continuous application of the ideas to homework problems.

 

Your final grade for this course will be based on how well you do in meeting the evaluation requirements listed below and applying the grading scale shown below.

 

Grading Scale

 

90 – 100%     =          A

80 -   89%      =          B

70 -   79%      =          C

60 -   69 %     =          D

BELOW 60    =          F

 

Midterm                                              100 points

Projects 1 & 2 (50 Points each)      100 points

Comprehensive final             100 points

 

                                    Total                300 points

 

A = 270 to 300 points

B = 240 to 269 points

C = 210 to 239 points

D = 180 to 209 points

F =    0   to 179 points

 

 

 

 

Class Attendance

 

Students are expected to attend class regularly.  Students are responsible for materials covered during their absences, and it is the student’s responsibility to consult with instructors for make-up assignments.  The instructor checks class attendance daily.  Although it is the responsibility of the student for non-attendance, the instructor has full authority to drop a student for excessive absences.  However, this is a lab class and if the student has a personal computer at home, he or she is not required to attend the class except for mid term and the final day.  See more on attendance in the “assignments” portion of this syllabus.

 

 

 

 

Drops and Withdrawals:

 

It is the responsibility of each student to officially drop or withdraw from a course.  Failure to officially withdraw may result in the student receiving a grade of F in the course.  Procedures for withdrawing from a class are found in the Student Handbook.  The instructor no longer has the authority to withdraw a student at the end of the semester, thus the student will receive an F if the student does not withdraw and stops attending class.

 

International Students: Receiving a W in a course may affect the status of your student visa.  Once a W is given for the course, it will not be changed to an F because of visa considerations.

 

New Policy: Students who repeat a course three or more times will face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities.  Please seek tutoring or other assistance prior to considering course withdrawal.

 

 

Examinations

 

There will be 2 examinations (there will be no make-up examinations you may make special arrangements to take an exam early).

 

Tutors and Lab Assistants:

 

Tutors and lab assistants are usually available at the Central, West Loop and Stafford campuses.  Please call Laura Collins, (713) 718-7911 for posted times.

 

Incompletes

 

The grade of “I” (Incomplete) is conditional.  If you receive an “I” you must arrange with your instructor to complete the course work by the end of the following term (excluding Summer).  After the deadline, the “I” becomes and “F.”  See page 3 of the 1999-2001 Student Handbook for more information.

 

Students with Disabilities

 

Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric,
vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must
contact the Disability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning
of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations
requested by the Disability Support Services Office.

 

If you have any questions, please contact the Disability Counselor at your
college or Donna Price at 713-718-5165.

 

SCANS – Secretary’s Commission for Achieving Necessary Skills

 

The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) from the U.S. Department of Labor was asked to examine the demands of the workplace and whether our students are capable of meeting those demands.  Specifically, the Commission was directed to advise the Secretary on the level of skills required to enter employment.  In carrying out this charge, the Commission was asked to do the following:

 

 

SCANS research verifies that what we call workplace know-how defines effective job performance today.  This know-how has two elements:  competencies and a foundation.   This report identifies five competencies and a three-part foundation of skills and personal qualities that lie at the heart of job performance.  These eight requirements are essential preparation for all students, whether they go directly to work or plan further education.  Thus, the competencies and the foundation should be taught and understood in an integrated fashion that reflects the workplace contexts in which they are applied.

 

The five SCANS workplace competencies identified by the Commission are the following:

  1. Resources-An ability to identify, organize, and allocate time, money, materials, space, and people.  Much of what you do in the classroom can help students develop competency with resources.  Emphasize planning skills in relation to preparing, working, and completing assignments.
  2. Interpersonal-Skills to participate as a member of a team, teach others, serve customers, exercise leadership, negotiate, and work with others possessing diverse backgrounds.  Cooperative/collaborative learning activities are an effective way to teach interpersonal skills.  In discussions after group activities, emphasize interpersonal lessons and challenges of the activities.
  3. Information-An ability to acquire, organize, evaluate, interpret, and communicate information along with using computers to process information.  Competency with information is basic to any classroom.  Emphasize that efforts to master information skills prepare students for future employment.
  4. Systems-An understanding of social, organizational, and technological systems; ability to monitor and correct performance; a competence in the design and improvement of systems.  Look for opportunities for students to use critical thinking skills to identify and analyze systems in their school, community, nation, and world.
  5. Technology-The knowledge and skill to select equipment and tools, apply technology to specific tasks, and maintain and troubleshoot software and hardware.  Although there are many forms of technology that can be used in your class, computers create real interest and opportunities for your students.  Encourage your students to make computers an important part of their education, whether the computers are used in self-paced learning or in-group projects.

The three SCANS foundation skills identified by the Commission are the following:

  1. Basic Skills-Reading, writing, mathematics, listening, and speaking.  Classroom activities can develop and reinforce all these basic skills.  Teaching these skills in the classroom can provide cross-curricular opportunities.
  2. Thinking Skills-Creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, seeing things in the mind’s eye, knowing how to learn, and reasoning.  During their careers, students will need this foundation to adapt to a rapidly changing society.  Helping students to think critically becomes very important so that they may adjust to change.  Seek opportunities for students to stretch their minds, find new answers, ask hard questions, and lay foundations for lifelong learning.
  3. Personal Qualities-Responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self-management, and integrity.  Throughout their lives, your students will need to get along with others; with classmates, friends and family, customers, and coworkers.  Look for changes to reinforce good personal qualities.  And remember the power of teaching by example.
  4. SCANS workplace competencies and foundation skills have been integrated into Introduction to Accounting.

Assignment Schedule

 

An assignment schedule is as follows:  This schedule is suggested for the student.  Each student may work at their own pace.  I lecture on each covered chapter at the beginning of each class and each student works on the projects assigned below after the lecture.  Each student may also work on the Projects at home or in the accounting labs.  (A lab schedule and locations will be provided later.)  If you have any questions while working on the assignment, the instructor will help you on an individual basis.

 

Students are also encouraged to help each other during the non-lecture periods of the class.  Many good friendships have been formed while teaching this class.  The instructor assumes no liability for any divorces, current or future, which may result from this class.  Even if you have worked with other students, each student will be responsible for turning in their assignments.  No group assignments will be accepted.

 

Our objective is to make you comfortable using these and other larger accounting systems.

 

The only items that will be strictly followed on the assignment schedule are the exam dates and the due dates and times for the three projects.

 

 

HCCS Websites:

 

Our website is: http://www.hccs.edu

 

The navigation to the class Website is http://www.hccs.edu/OnLine/ then select the Southwest College.  If you do not have a logon ID, create one the first time that you login.  Then login with you created user ID and password and click on the “Add Course” button, then filter by Accounting and self register in the 1313 Mel McQueary course by clicking on the pencil next to the course.

 

There are notes from the text materials and etc. in this course shell.  You can email other students in the class or me and you can post discussions for all to participate in.  I prefer that you use discussions for any class related information.  The email section is for personal information such as turning in assignments and requesting grade information.

 

 

 

Spring 2008

 

1/14                Pass Out Syllabus

 

1/28                Introduction and review accounting equation.

 

2/4                   Chapter 1 – 2 (Peachtree Text)

 

2/11                Chapter 3 – 4 (Peachtree Text) and Project 1 – in Peachtree

 

2/25                Chapter 5 – 6 (Peachtree Text) and Project 1 – in Peachtree

 

2/25                Chapter 6 – 7 (Peachtree Text) and Project 1 – in Peachtree

 

3/3                   Midterm & turn in project #1 at the beginning of the class (Peachtree)

 

3/17                Chapter 8-9 (Peachtree Text) and Project 2 – in Peachtree and Quickbooks Pro

 

3/24                Chapter 8-9 (Peachtree Text) and Project 2 – in Peachtree and Quickbooks Pro

 

3/31                Chapter 8-9 (Peachtree Text) and Project 2 – in Peachtree and Quickbooks Pro

 

4/7                   Chapter 8-9 (Peachtree Text) and Project 2 – in Peachtree and Quickbooks Pro

 

4/14                Chapter 8-9 (Peachtree Text) and Project 2 – in Peachtree and Quickbooks Pro

 

4/21                Chapter 8-9 (Peachtree Text) and Project 2 – in Peachtree and Quickbooks Pro

 

4/28                Project # 2 due Final 6:00pm (Peachtree and Quick Books Pro)

 

PROJECTS

 

 

Project 1:

 

Project 1 consists of the following: (attach your name to the name of the company.  E.G. GJ Prof. Acct – Mel McQueary.)  This is a cumulative project from chapter 2 through chapter 7.  I only want the answer to chapter 7 before closing the books.

 

G&J Professional Accounting:

 

Ch 2    P 69                Problem 1A GJ Professional Accounting

Ch 3    P 120              Problem 1A GJ Professional Accounting

Ch 4    P 170              Problem 1A GJ Professional Accounting

Ch 5    P 217              Problem 1A GJ Professional Accounting

Ch 7    P 326              Problem 2A GJ Professional Accounting

 

Print the following reports to turn in at the end of Chapter 7 (before close)

                        Income Statement

                        Balance Sheet

Accounts Receivable Aging

Accounts Payable Aging

 

 

Project 2:

 

Project 2 consists of the following: (attach your name to the name of the company.  E.G. Kath Des – Mel McQueary.)  This is a cumulative project from chapter 8 and chapter 9.  I only want the answer to chapter 9 before closing the books.  This project will be done in both Peachtree and QuickBooks Pro.

 

            Kathleen’s Designs:

 

                        Ch 8    P 360              Problem 1A Kathleen’s Designs

Ch 9    P 405              Problem 1A Kathleen’s Designs

 

Print the following reports to turn in at the end of Chapter 9 (before close)

                        Income Statement

                        Balance Sheet

Accounts Receivable Aging

Accounts Payable Aging