Course Outline Cost Accounting
Course Outline Cost Accounting
COURSE
OUTLINE
This is a three credit-hour course. The time demands of this class are similar to an on-
campus class. You would normally spend 3 hours per week in a classroom (plus commuting
time and "waiting" time) and 8-10 hours on homework. That's roughly 12 to 17 hours a week for
a traditional class. However, an investment of only 10 to 12 hours per week should be adequate
to do well in this class. I encourage you to do ALL the assignments, preferably in the order
given. We will cover one or two topics each week.
Course Description
The student will obtain a general understanding of the differences between management,
cost and financial accounting. The emphasis will be placed on management, or better managerial
accounting. As a result, the student will become familiar with the different type of costs,
standardized cost, budgets, methods, and tools used to control cost.
This course explores essential cost accounting principles and procedures. A major goal to
set for you in the course is to understand and be able to apply common accounting techniques
used in business for planning, analyzing revenue and cost information, and making decisions
regarding operations and important assets. Procedures to be studied range from accounting for
daily operations to cost management reporting. They encompass capital and both short-term and
long-term capital project analysis. Topics will include manufacturing and responsibility
accounting, budgeting, job cost and process cost accounting, development and use of standard
costs, and cost-volume-profit analysis.
You will also explore various aspects of corporate managerial accounting to understand
the financial decision-making process. A major goal of the course is to present cost accounting
processes, procedures, terminology, concepts, and management cases to prepare you to analyze
and effectively solve cost accounting problems. Another goal is to observe and examine the
application of these skills in real-world business situations involving appropriate technological,
ethical, or international management aspects.
Homework Assignments:
Homework assignments are designed to help you learn the mechanics of the methods
discussed in class and to give you an opportunity to apply these concepts in a straightforward
manner. In addition to their value as learning exercises, doing a careful and thorough job on the
homework assignments is the best preparation for the midterm exam. Homework assignments
should be done individually.
Assessment
There will be two Sessional exams and a final examination over the course of the
semester. Exams will consist of problems to be solved, or could be short essay-type
discussion questions and multiple choice or other short answer-type questions. The final
examination is comprehensive covering the entire course content. The final will be a 3-
hour exam and will be given at the Institute-assigned time.
No make-ups will be given for quizzes or exams after the specified class period. If
you will be away from campus on Institute on the day of a scheduled exam or quiz, it is
your responsibility to schedule a time to take the exam or quiz before you leave. If your
absence is not officially excused, you will be assigned a grade of zero.
Exam Notes
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all classes. Your learning and your grade depend upon
your regular attendance. Students are expected to attend the section, for which they are enrolled,
except on an occasional basis as approved in advance by the Teacher. The Institute officially
excused absences will be honored, of course, but if you know in advance about a valid reason for
missing class, the teacher should be notified. Please note the official policy of the Institute
regarding attendance. Students should make every effort to be in class on time. There may be
cases when a student comes to class late, but such circumstances should not be chronic, and
should be discussed with the Teacher. If it is necessary to be late, the student should use common
courtesy and quietly take a seat as close to the door as possible.
Student Participation
Business classes require active learning. Everyone in the class is encouraged to express
him/herself and ask questions and will be given adequate opportunities to do so over the course
of the semester in this class. A good class will have as much give and take between the students
and the teacher as time will permit. If the student still has questions after class, he or she should
see the teacher after class.
Class Preparation
Reading material and/or assigned problems for a particular class period should be
reviewed prior to class in order to get the most out of class time. Assignments are to be
completed before the class on the day they are due. Late papers are not acceptable. Students are
also encouraged to take the initiative to review some of the leading business periodicals for
material related to the various course topics (see, e.g., Wall Street Journal, Business Week,
Fortune).
LECTURES
Consistent with the course objectives, lectures will address learning objectives associated
with weekly topics (as outlined in the schedule below), including basic principles and working
examples. While lectures will closely parallel material contained in assigned readings, they are
not substitutes. In particular, lectures will clarify, expand and where necessary, update material
contained in assigned readings.
COURSE CONTENTS
1st Week
Management, The Controller and Objectives
Learning Objectives, Management, Planning, Organizing, Controlling
The Controller participation in planning and control
The cost department
The roll of cost accounting
2 Week
nd
Mid-Term Exam