Accounting

Is an Accounting Major for Me?

Business trends consistently indicate a need for smart, qualified accountants nationally. Southwestern College Professional Studies’ accounting program is a broad-based curriculum that prepares learners to work in the field of accounting in a number of different capacities. This program provides learners with practical, marketable skills to help them enter a burgeoning job market, while building a solid theoretical foundation for possible preparation for the CPA exam or future graduate work.

Accounting is offered both in the classroom and online.

Program Outcomes

Business trends consistently indicate a need for accountants nationally. The accounting program is a broad based curriculum that will prepare learners to work in the field of accounting in a number of different capacities. The focus of this degree is on gaining knowledge and developing skills in financial and accounting leadership; managerial, financial, and cost accounting; corporate finance; financial audit; federal income taxation; and financial and accounting systems. The accounting curriculum will provide learners with practical, marketable accounting skills grounded in industry accepted theories and practices to help them enter and/or progress in a burgeoning job market, while building a solid theoretical foundation for potential preparation for the CPA exam or future graduate coursework.

Program Outcomes:

  1. Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of theories, concepts, practices, and terminology in financial and accounting leadership; managerial, financial, and cost accounting; corporate finance; financial audit; federal income taxation; and financial and accounting systems.
  2. Reveals ethical reasoning through the assessment of financial and accounting problems or concerns, consideration of different perspectives and/or alternative solutions, and determination of conclusions and/or viable solutions.
  3. Applies generally accepted methods and practices, technologies, and tools associated with financial and accounting leadership; managerial, financial, and cost accounting; corporate finance; financial audit; federal income taxation; and financial and accounting systems.
  4. Utilizes critical thinking and analysis through the accurate framing of financial and accounting problems or concerns, thorough consideration of different perspectives and/or alternative solutions gained from expert insights and scholarly research within the degree and related fields of study, and presentation of defensible conclusions and/or selected solutions.
  5. Employs effective broadly applicable and intellectual skills in professional oral and written communication, mathematical and quantitative literacy, information literacy, and creativity and innovation through the assessment and presentation of financial and accounting problems or concerns, different perspectives and/or alternative solutions, and conclusions and/or viable solutions.
  6. Applies the aforementioned knowledge, skills, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning in the conduct of an independently constructed project focused on the resolution of a complex financial or accounting problem or concern.
  7. Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to effectively lead people, and financial and accounting processes.
  8. Exhibits the aforementioned knowledge, skills, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning necessary for preparation for his or her chosen career path related to the accounting field of study.

Required and Core Courses

Accounting Prerequisites

PSC 229 College Algebra
MATH 215 Intro to Statistics
BSAD 320 Managerial Economics
ACCT 285 Principles of Accounting

Required Major Courses

BUS 395 Corporate Finance
BSAD 310 Financial Accounting Systems
ACCT 379 Managerial Accounting
ACCT 380 Financial Accounting I
ACCT 381 Financial Accounting II
ACCT 480 Financial Accounting III
ACCT 382 Federal Income Taxation-Personal
ACCT 482 Federal Income Taxation-Corporate
ACCT 483 Cost Accounting
ACCT 484 Accounting Information Systems
ACCT 490 Auditing Theory and Practice
CAPS 491 Senior Capstone

Required Core Courses

HRD 210 Building Academic Success
CLO 320 Critical Thinking
CLO 340 Ethics in Today’s Organization
CLO 410 Decision Sciences
CLO 415 Professional Communication
CLO 499 Responsibility for the Future

Recommended Electives

BSAD 420 Management Information Systems
BUS 394 Marketing
BSAD 410 International Business
BSAD 440 Strategic Management
HRD 325 Developing Workforce Talent
SOCS 320 Adults in Transition

Course Descriptions

BUS 395 Corporate Finance

An introduction to the long-term and short-term investing and financing decisions required in the financial management of a business. Course procedures include quantitative methods, oral and written communication, group interaction in class.

BSAD310 Financial Accounting Systems

Accounting and business organizations, recording process, income determination, asset valuation, financial statements, fund statements, ratio analysis, and use of financial accounting information for decision making. (Prerequisite: BUS 395 Corporate Finance)

ACCT379 Managerial Accounting

An introduction to the principles of Managerial accounting. Topics include the development and use of accounting information to support managerial decision making. Topics also include the study of cost accounting emphasizing job order costing, process costing, capital budgeting, and budget control analysis. (Prerequisite: ACCT285 Principles of Accounting)

ACCT380 Financial Accounting I

An examination of financial accounting considerations of business transactions. Emphasis is placed on understanding the accounting cycle, the conceptual framework underlying financial accounting and recognition, measurement and reporting of receivables, inventories, property, plants and equipment.

ACCT381 Financial Accounting II

Emphasis is placed on liabilities and corporate equity measurement, understanding the recognition, measurement, leases, pensions, reporting of revenue, earnings per share, and critical evaluation of financial goals/performance. (Prerequisite: ACCT380 Financial Accounting I)

ACCT480 Financial Accounting III

Emphasis is on foreign currency, deferred taxes, segment reporting, derivatives, partnerships, branches, and accounting theory. Prerequisite: ACCT380 and ACCT381)

ACCT382 Federal Income Taxation-Personal

A study of federal income tax law as it applies to individuals. Topics include: filing status, dependents, gross income, itemized deductions, tax credits, cost recovery, and property transactions.

ACCT482 Federal Income Taxation-Corporate

A study of basic principles of business taxation. This course deals primarily with the federal tax laws as it relates to corporations and partnerships. (Prerequisite: ACCT381 Financial Accounting II)

ACCT483 Cost Accounting

A study of cost accounting emphasizing managerial cost information for forecasting, planning, control, and behavior factors, including elements of product costs, job, process, standard, and variable costing systems and procedures.

ACCT484 Accounting Information Systems

A study of accounting information systems concepts and applications. Topics include conceptual foundation of AIS, technology of information systems, design processes and concepts. Emphasis is upon developing students’ abilities to understand the processing of accounting data (with emphasis on the computer environment) and the controls that are necessary to ensure accuracy and reliability of the data processed by the accounting system.

ACCT490 Auditing Theory and Practice

Introduction to theory, concepts and principles of auditing. Emphasizing audit evidence, audit risk, ethical conduct and legal restrictions, professional standards of audit planning, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, and audit reports. (Prerequisite: ACCT480 Financial Accounting III)

HRD210 Building Academic Success

Introduces academic success topics and tools that are intended to establish and strengthen understanding of the learner and academic success coach relationship, critical thinking and reading, institutional policies and procedures, and the basics of online research and academic writing while experiencing the Southwestern College Professional Studies course format on the way to becoming a Southwestern College Moundbuilder.

CLO 320 Critical Thinking

This course prepares learners to critically interpret, synthesize, analyze and evaluate information. It is designed to introduce learners to complex problems and help them come to well reasoned conclusions and solutions.

CLO 340 Ethics in Today’s Organizations

This course will utilize the expertise of professionals working in the various disciplines as well as the moral reasoning of ethicists. An approach to the ethical challenges of a modern society is developed.

CLO 410 Decision Sciences

This course introduces the learner to utilizing and applying both quantitative and qualitative methods for individual, organizational, and societal decision making. A variety of tools and techniques will be examined as the foundation for the development and interpretation of attributes and variables in addition to the use of data sources for the purpose of improving processes and organizational environments.

CLO 415 Professional Communication

A study of the communication processes in situations encountered in organizations and professional environments. Analysis of simulated and real life situations will include the creation of professional documents and various functions of written, oral, and interpersonal communications.

CLO 499 Responsibility for the Future

Seniors with various majors will share learning and approaches from their different disciplines toward dealing holistically with issues that shape the future, seeking to integrate disciplines and to synthesize knowing, caring, and doing.

CAPS491 Senior Capstone

Learners will be required to develop a portfolio project that demonstrates their knowledge, skills, and abilities in their major discipline. Particular attention will be given to the presentation of evidence and artifacts from their major courses as well as recent research relevant to their specific program outcomes. The purpose of the final portfolio project is to document learner achievement and to ensure learning outcomes are met. 3 credit hours.

All classes are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated.

Admission Requirements

Entering students must have earned at least 30 college credits from previous college coursework or ACE evaluated military training, a GPA of 2.0, and have three years of work experience. Transfer hours accepted for Professional Studies admittance should include English Composition I and II, and mathematics (college algebra preferred). These courses may be considered in transfer or completed at Southwestern College.

Contact a program representative to evaluate your options.

Graduation Requirements

A total of 124 credit hours must be earned to graduate. You must have at least 60 credit hours from a four-year university or college and at least 30 hours from Southwestern College (does not include prior learning experience credits). Of the 30 hours required from Southwestern, 15 of the last 30 hours earned toward your degree must be at Southwestern College. Contact your Academic Success Coach for more information.

Meta

Southwestern College Professional Studies’ accounting program is a broad-based curriculum that prepares learners to work in the field of accounting in a number of different capacities.