"Learning is a verb not a noun. It is a journey-not a destination." Dugan Laird
(Note: At Brigham Young University the required information systems material for accounting majors is included as part of our Accounting Core. Most of the information systems portion of the core is covered during Accounting 401. Below is an introduction to Accounting 401. An outline of the systems material is presented in a table at the end of the introduction.)
Welcome to the School of Accounting and Information Systems (SOAIS). As you know, three years ago the SOAIS introduced a completely new curriculum in the junior year for its majors. You are one of 247 students that have been admitted to the program. We congratulate you on your preparation and accomplishments. The average GPA of the incoming class is 3.59. We recognize that you have worked hard to be one of those selected to enter the School.
Accounting Curriculum Change
Over the past few years, there has been a strong movement toward revision of accounting curricula throughout collegiate America. This movement has been encouraged by academicians, public accounting practitioners, and business executives. A new wave of change is occurring throughout business. Some of the driving forces behind the accounting and business changes are new technology, global expansion of product and financial markets, new products, and differences in the way businesses are organized and in the way they conduct their activities. BYU's curriculum change was aided by the receipt of a $250,000 grant from the Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC), part of a $4 million grant given by the major public accounting firms. We were one of 11 schools to receive a grant, and our experiences last year are being studied and, in some cases, replicated in many universities all over America. In many ways, we feel we have been and will continue to be in a fishbowl. As members of our 4th class, you too will be in the limelight. The general reaction of recruiters and of our accounting advisory board has been very positive to the approach we are taking.
Framework for teaching junior core
The goal of our junior year program is to provide you with learning experiences that will not only develop your accounting technical knowledge, but will also develop expanded competencies that have been identified as essential for success in your business career. Rather than separate courses in tax, auditing, financial accounting, managerial accounting, and business law that has been the traditional format for accounting education, you will be studying these topics in an integrated sequence that is built around the basic business operating cycles. New computer and systems technology is revolutionizing the way businesses capture and disseminate information. Our junior core is founded on a systems concept, and you will learn to use your computer as an indispensable tool. It is for this reason that we informed you that you must have unlimited access to a computer during the junior core and in future courses. Users of financial information have varying needs, and many new systems relate to these needs and provide a much broader and more timely data base of information than is true under many older systems.
The junior year is divided into four blocks worth 6 credit hours per block. The first block (Accounting 401) and part of the second block (Accounting 402) will establish the foundation for study in each of the 5 functional areas itemized above. After the foundations have been studied, you will study five basic business cycles. They are as follows:
1. Sales/collection cycle (Accounting 402)
2. Acquisition/payment cycle (Accounting 403)
3. Personnel/performance evaluation cycle (Accounting 403)
4. Conversion (Inventory) cycle (Accounting 404)
5. Financing cycle. (Accounting 404)
Each cycle will take approximately 4 weeks to complete. Material will be integrated throughout each cycle. In addition, you will have a week-long module on "Organizing new business entities", and another week to study individual income tax preparation.
Emphasizing expanded competencies
As part of the AECC grant, we surveyed alumni and other groups to identify those competencies or aptitudes that are important for success in the accounting world. 27 competencies were identified by our study. Some of these were knowledge-based competencies such as acquisition of basic auditing skills, but many of them were behavioral oriented skills such as oral and written communication and ability to work in groups. We selected 9 of these latter skills and have identified them as "expanded competencies". We will be stressing the development of these skills throughout the year. You will be evaluated on how well you develop them, and they will be considered equally with your technical knowledge skills in grades you will be given for the course.
The 9 expanded competencies are:
1. Present views in writing
2. Present views through oral presentation
3. Read, critique, and judge the value and contribution of written work
4. Listen effectively
5. Understand and work effectively with groups of people
6. Solve diverse and unstructured problems in unfamiliar settings
7. Deal effectively with imposed pressure
8. Organize and delegate tasks
9. Resolve conflict
Classroom structure
Classes will normally meet on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday schedule. Occasionally, Wednesday will be used. The daily schedule for Accounting 401 is included at the end of this introductory memo. The class times will be from 8:00 to 10:50 AM or 12:30-3:20 PM. Sections l and 3 will meet in 230 TNRB. Sections 2 and 4 will meet in 260 TNRB. You should plan to remain in the same section for Acct. 401 and Acct. 402 regardless of how you registered for Acct. 402. You may change sections for Acct. 403-404 if you desire. Special packets have been prepared for each 6 credit hour course. These packets include teaching plans, calendars, and supplementary materials for the core. Student assignments are included as part of each teaching plan, and should be carefully reviewed for each class period.
In most cases, each class will be conducted by one faculty member. On some days, the entire 3 hour period will concentrate in one functional area. On other days, the 3 hour period will be divided into two 1 1/2 hour blocks. At times, several faculty members will be present to discuss given topics. You should look upon the faculty members as a team who are working to help you in your learning experience. The faculty for Accounting 401 and 402 by section are as follows: (Faculty section coordinator underlined)
Section 1 (Room 230 TNRB; AM)
Owen Cherrington, Systems - 510A TNRB Ext 3916
James Cameron, Financial - 526 TNRB Ext 2335
Steve Albrecht, Audit - 540A TNRB Ext 3154
Glen Palmer, Tax - 514 TNRB Ext 2334
Richard Dalebout, Law - 538 TNRB Ext 2228
John Hardy, Managerial - 520 TNRB Ext 5036
Section 2 (Room 260 TNRB; AM)
Leon W. Woodfield, Financial - 534 TNRB Ex 2217
Marshall Romney, Audit and Systems - 512 TNRB TNRB Ex 5704
Fred Streuling, Tax - 516 TNRB Ex 3100
John Hardy, Managerial - 520 TNRB Ex 5036
Richard Dalebout, Law - 538 TNRB Ext 2228
Section 3 (Room 230 TNRB; PM)
Glen Palmer, Tax - 514 TNRB Ext 2334
Owen Cherrington, Systems - 510A TNRB Ext 3916
Jay Smith, Financial and Audit - 532 TNRB Ext 2381
John Hardy, Managerial - 520 TNRB Ext 5036
Richard Dalebout, Law - 538 TNRB Ext 2228
Section 4 (Room 260 TNRB; PM)
Marshall Romney, Audit and Systems - 512 TNRB TNRB Ex 5704
Fred Streuling, Tax - 516 TNRB Ext 3100
Dave Cottrell, Financial - 521 TNRB Ext 3268
John Hardy, Managerial - 520 TNRB Ext 5036
Richard Dalebout, Law - 538 TNRB Ext 2228
(Underlined faculty have administrative responsibility for section)
The pre-class assignments should be prepared for each day.
The computer has become an important tool for most business operations. You will find it extremely useful throughout your career and particularly in the SOAIS program. To help you become more familiar with the computer there will be several computer assignments, especially during the Systems portion of the Core. The basic concepts required to complete each assignment will be introduced by your systems instructor during regularly scheduled class periods. Reading materials will also be assigned to help you learn the concepts. In addition, we will have computer labs every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. in room 240 TNRB when a computer assignment is in progress. The computer labs are intended to provide a time and place for you to obtain individual help on an assignment with a specific problem or question. Lab assistants will be available to answer your questions.
Most computer assignments are to be performed individually. You may obtain help in understanding the concepts required to perform the assignment, but the work required to complete the assignment should be performed by you.
We will use and support an IBM/DOS environment. If you choose to use a non IBM/DOS environment or alternative software, you assume responsibility to convert your files into DOS format for WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, and Paradox. Everyone will have to learn how to use Pegasus Mail on the school's network.
For many of you, this course will be your entire student load. At most, you should have one other registered course. It is expected that each of you will arrange your time to spend 5-6 hours outside of class in preparation for the next day. Some of this preparation will involve group work and you should try to be as flexible as you can to meet with your groups as needed. Your group assignment for Accounting 401 will be made at orientation.
In addition to the daily work, there will be some assignments that will cover several days of preparation. We have prepared a calendar of homework assignments to assist you in keeping track of when these are due. This will be an intensive year. We encourage you not to engage in outside employment. If outside work is required, then we encourage you to limit the number of hours of employment, if possible.
Textbooks
By now you have probably experienced one of the shocks of our program; the acquisition of several large and somewhat expensive textbooks. These books will be used throughout the year. Except for the course packets, there will be very little additional financial outlay required for textual material in the remaining three blocks. Because you will be using these texts extensively, we recommend that you acquire the texts individually and not try to share them. Some books, such as accounting and auditing standards, may be read from multiple library copies and we have not included them as items to purchase. We will be referring to the Wall Street Journal throughout the year, and suggest that you consider a student subscription. You may share the paper as long as you have access to it on a daily basis. The following are the textbooks we will be using for this year. (You will note that the auditing and managerial texts will not be used until Accounting 402 in mid October should you wish to reduce your immediate cash flow costs.)
Arens & Loebbecke, Auditing, 6th edition
Cushing & Romney, Accounting Information Systems, Addison-Wesley, 6th Edition, 1993.
Kramer, Federal Taxation Comprehensive Edition 1995
FASB, Statements of Financial Accounting Concepts (Any edition)
Garrison, Managerial Accounting, 7th Edition (Required)
Garrison, Managerial Accounting Study Guide and Workbook, 7th Edition - Optional
Smith & Skousen, Intermediate Accounting, 12th edition
Denna, Event Driven Business Solutions, 93 Copyright
Kieso, Systems Understandin Aid for Financial Accounting (Practice Set)
Grading
Grades will be assigned for each 6 hour course; i.e., Accounting 401, 402, 403, 404. Each class section has its own allocation of points covering evaluation of both technical and expanded competencies. The grade allocation for Accounting 401 will be based on 1,000 points and a subjective evaluation of in-class and group participation:
Systems examination 225 points
Financial and tax examination 275
Video group presentation 60
Waren Practice Set 25
Systems lab assignment, group and individual
writing projects, daily homework, and quizzes 160 (1)
Tax group and individual writing projects,
daily homework, and quizzes 140 (1)
Financial accounting group and individual
writing projects, daily homework, and quizzes 115 (1)
Total points 1,000 (2)
(1) point allocation between Systems, Tax and Financial Accounting is based, in part, upon the number of class periods for each subject area.
(2) The total of 1,000 points includes an assumption that the student has participated satisfactorily in group projects. The total of each student's points may be altered after an assessment of actual participation.
Papers, oral presentations, group work, and some examinations will be graded on a 5 point scale as follows:
A 5 points
A- 4 points
B+ 3 points
B 2 points
B- or
lower 1 point
These items will then be weighed according to the complexity of the assignment, and converted to the point allocation indicated above. Total points will be arrayed across each section and the section's faculty will determine the cutoff grade scores.
It should be noted that this 5 point scale results in 60% being the bottom of a B+ grade. This grading system is much different from any you may have previously encountered.
We will be providing continuous feedback to you during the course and we will also be asking you to provide us with periodic feedback. We hope all of you will have a very productive learning experience.
Accounting 401 Case Study Packet
Systems Understanding Aid for Financial Accounting, by Kieso is due in class on September 2, 1993.
Tanner Business Library Lexis/Nexis training sessions
The Tanner Business Library is offering training sessions for Lexis/Nexis. Sign up at the Tanner Library reference desk. Your training on this system should be completed by mid-September, 1993. You are expected to used this reference in your written and oral assignments. A training schedule and supporting documents are included in the student packet.
Information System Topics Taught in 15.5 3-hour Core Blocks
Day Conceptual Topic Hands-On Reading
Assignment
Founda
tion
Phase
1 Intro to AIS DOS C&R 1
2 Transaction Processing Pacioli (G/L Package) C&R 2
3 Information Technology Spreadsheet - Intro C&R 4-6
4 Systems Development Process Spreadsheets - Advanced C&R 8
5 Alternative Development -- C&R 11
Approaches DCAH 1-3
6 Business Events Paradox - Creating Tables DCAH 5
7 Developing Data Models Paradox - Forms C&R 7
8 Evaluating Data Models Paradox - Simple Queries DCAH 6-7
9A Computer Fraud -- C&R 14
DCAH 4
9B Computer Controls Paradox - Complex Queries C&R 12
10A Computer Controls Paradox - Income Statement
10B Computer Controls Paradox - Balance Sheet C&R 13
11A Computer Controls
11B Careers in IS
Business Cycles
12; Sales/Collection Information C&R 16
13A Systems
13B Acquisition Payment Information C&R 17
Systems
14A Payroll/Performance Information C&R 19
Systems
14B; Conversion/Inventory Information C&R 18
15A Systems
15B; Financial Information Systems C&R 20
16A
C&R = Accounting Information Systems, by Barry Cushing and Marshall Romney, Addison Wesley, 1994.
DCAH = Event Driven Business Solutions by Eric Denna, J. Owen Cherrington, David P. Andros, and Anita Sawyer Hollander, Business One Irwin, 1993.