HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Accounting Cooperative Education

Catalog Description:

ACCT 2382 COOPERATIVE EDUCATION ACCOUNTING TECHNICIAN. Continuation of ACNT 1382. Career related activities encountered in the student’s area of specialization are offered through a cooperative agreement between the college, employer, and student. Under supervision of the college and the employer, the student combines classroom learning with work experience. Directly related to a technical discipline, specific learning objectives guide the student through the paid work experience. Blend of academic and work-related activities in student’s major.

Prerequisite: 6 Semester Hours/Program Approval

Credit: 3 hours (1 lecture/seminar and 20 hours a week employment).

Course Title:	Cooperative Education Accounting Technician
Course Number	ACNT 2382
Credit Hours:	3 semester credit hours
Prerequisites	ACNT 1382
Semester and Year	Current Semester 20XX
Instructor	P. Tony Pitts
Class Days and Times	Classroom/On-Line
Class Room Location	Classroom/On-Line/
Office:	Contact the instructor by e-mail or by phone.
Office Hours	By Appointment
E-mail	ptpitts@hotmail.com
Office Phone:	(281) 240-7251
Fax	(713) 718-7979
Lab Assistants Stafford	713-718-7912 Kay or Bina

Required Books and Materials

None

Optional/Recommended Books and Materials

None

Learning Objectives

The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with a means to obtain college credit for work experience. Students will work on a project under the general supervision of their accounting instructor.

Evaluation and Grading Procedures

Students are expected to read all assignments, complete and submit all assignments on the due dates.

*EVALUATIONS*
Weekly Activity Sheet	10%
Company Profile Analysis` (Your Researched Company)	25%
Written Project Report of your Company	50%
Oral Presentation Report (3 to 5 minutes)	15%

Total	100%


Company Profile Analysis (An analysis of a company that is listed on the Stock Exchange or your own company if financial information is available or the company has a web site). Needs Approval First (See the Download from the Course Web Site).

Grading System:

The Houston Community College System uses the following grading system:
A	90-100	Excellent	4	Points per semester
B	80-89	Good	3	Points per semester
C	70-79	Fair	2	Points per semester
D	60-69	Passing	1	Points per semester
F	59-	Failing	0	Points per semester
IP		Incomplete	0	Points per semester
W		No Credit	0	Points per semester
I		Withdrew	0	Points per semester
AUD		Pass	0	Points per semester
Note: To compute grade point average (GPA), divide the total grade points by the total number of semester hours attempted. The grades “IP”, and “I”, do not affect GPA.

Record Keeping

Please save all quiz papers, examination papers, correspondence, and other assignments. This is especially important where credit may have been allowed after a paper was initially scored and recorded. In the absence of your papers, the instructor's records will be considered correct.

Grade Appeal Policy

A student will have 45 days from the end of the semester to appeal a grade. Your request must be in writing and send to:

Houston Community College-Stafford Campus

9910 Cash Road

Building B-Room 151B

Attention: Professor Tony Pitts or email at pietro.pitts@hccs.edu

Stafford, Texas 77477

Students with Special Needs

The Disability Support Services (DSS) Office assists students with physical, learning, or emotional disabilities in developing independence and self-reliance. Services include adaptive equipment and reasonable accommodations for admissions assistance, testing, academic advising, registration, and classroom instruction. Interpreting service is provided for students who are deaf/hard of hearing and assistant technology devices are provided on a case by case basis.

HCCS is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). Students with special needs or disabilities, which may affect their ability to succeed in college classes or participate in college programs/activities, should contact the Disabilities Support Services (DSS)

If you require accommodations because of a physical, mental, and/or learning disability, please notify the instructor of this course as soon as possible and preferably before the end of the first week of class to arrange for reasonable accommodations. 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 are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.

Disability support services can also be found online at these Web Sites:

www.rehab.state.tx.us

www.ican.com

Attendance/Class Participation

Lecture, weekly emails, chats, or discussion groups.

Withdrawal Policy

The student has the ultimate responsibility to ensure that an official withdrawal/drop slip is completed, submitted to the Registrar’s Office, and processed.

Academic Integrity and Code of Conduct

In becoming a part of the academic community, students are responsible for honesty and independent effort. Failure to uphold these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following: plagiarizing written work or projects, cheating on exams or assignments, collusion on an exam or project, and misrepresentation of credentials or prerequisites when registering for a course. Cheating includes looking at or copying from another student's exam, orally communicating or receiving answers during an exam, having another person take an exam or complete a project or assignment, using unauthorized notes, texts, or other materials for an exam, and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam or any part of an exam. Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without giving proper credit by documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report or project that someone else has prepared, in whole or in part. Collusion is inappropriately collaborating on assignments designed to be completed independently. These definitions are not exhaustive. When there is clear evidence of cheating, plagiarism, collusion or misrepresentation, a faculty member will take disciplinary action including but not limited to: requiring the student to retake or resubmit an exam or assignment, assigning a grade of zero or "F" for an exam or assignment; or assigning a grade of "F" for the course. Additional sanctions, including being withdrawn from the course, program or expelled from school, may be imposed on a student who violates the code of conduct and discipline.

Software Piracy

Law strictly prohibits unauthorized copying of software purchased by Houston Community College. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against anyone violating copyright laws.

Computer Viruses

Computer viruses are, unfortunately, a fact of life. Using the diskettes on more than one computer creates the possibility of infecting computers and diskettes with a computer virus. Using email and surfing and downloading from the Internet also creates exposure to viruses. Therefore, the computers of the college, your personal computer, and any other computer you may be using can be exposed to potentially damaging viruses. The college has aggressive anti-virus procedures in place to protect its computers, but cannot guarantee that a virus might not temporarily infect one of its machines. It is your responsibility to protect all computers under your control and use and ensure that each computer hard drive and any diskettes you use, whenever or wherever you use them, have been scanned with anti-virus software. Since new viruses arise continually, your anti-virus software must be kept current. And, since no anti-virus software will find every virus, keeping copies of data (backups) is extremely important. BACK UP AND SAVE ALL YOUR COURSE ASSIGNMENTS, CORRESPONDENCE, AND WORK.

Scans

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:

Define the skills needed for employment
Propose acceptable levels of proficiency
Suggest effective ways to assess proficiency, and
Develop a dissemination strategy for the nation’s schools, businesses, and homes

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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:

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
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.
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.

SCANS workplace competencies and foundation skills have been integrated into Principles of Accounting II.

Grade Reports

The college records permanent grades only at the end of a semester and students can get their grades by going to www.hccs.edu, or www.getgrades.com, or call 1-877-341-4300 (toll free). Grades will longer be mailed or posted

Syllabus Changes:

While every attempt has been made to prepare this syllabus in final form, it will be the instructor’s prerogative to make any changes as may be deemed necessary in order to meet the learning outcomes of the class. Student will be notified of any changes.

HCCS ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT WEBSITE:

http://swc2hccs.edu/accounting/photo.html

HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE WEBSITE

http://www.hccs.edu

Weekly Course Assignment Sheet

Assignment Schedule:

An assignment schedule is attached to this syllabus. This schedule will be followed throughout this course.

WEEKLY COURSE SCHEDULE

DATES	DATES	WEEK	ACTIVITIES
Fri	Sat
Wk 1	Wk 1	1	Initial Class Meeting. Orientation. Student Application Due. Student Information Sheet Due. Discuss Possible Projects. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 2	Wk 2	2	Prepare to discuss a project of interest to you the student. Cooperative Work Experience Agreement Due Cooperative Work Experience. Work Project Objectives Due, Weekly Report Due.

Wk 3	Wk 3	3	Continue to discuss (if necessary) a project. Project should have a specific objective or objectives. Cooperative Work Experience Agreement Due, Cooperative Work Experience. Work Project Objectives Due. Co-Op Site Preparation by Student. Co-Op Map Directions. Seek instructor and supervisor approval. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 4	Wk 4	4	Monitor Project. Start Workplace Visits. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 5	Wk 5	5	Monitor Project. Start Workplace Visits. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 6	Wk 6	6	Monitor Project. Start Workplace Visits. Weekly Report Due.


Wk 7	Wk 7	7	Monthly Summary Due Monitor Project. Continue Workplace Visits. Site Evaluation Checklist. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 8	Wk 8	8	Monitor Project. Continue Workplace Visits. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 9	Wk 9	9	Monitor Project. Start Workplace Visits. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 10	Wk 10	10	Monthly Summary Due Monitor Project. Continue Workplace Visits. Site Evaluation Checklist. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 11	Wk 11	11	Monitor Project. Start Workplace Visits. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 12	Wk 12	12	Monitor Project. Start Workplace Visits. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 13	Wk 13	13	Monitor Project. Start Workplace Visits. Weekly Report Due.

Wk 14	Wk 14	14	Preliminary Summary Due Schedule Site Visits. Monitor Project. Continue Workplace Visits. Co-Op Student Evaluation Form Due. Weekly Report Due.




Wk 15	Wk 15	15	FINAL SUMMARY DUE Written Project is Due. (Please type). Oral Presentation (3 to 5 minutes). All Weekly Reports Due. Students Folder Finalized Including All Paperwork.

Cooperative Education Accounting Technician

Instructor