Online Accounting classes curriculum

 Introduction to Accounting introduces basic concepts of accounting using a balance of theory and practice. Topics covered include double entry bookkeeping, the accounting cycle for service and merchandising enterprises, notes and interest, bad debts, merchandise inventory, and accounting for fixed assets.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

• Apply accounting principles to the accounting equation and balance sheets.
• Explain the expanded accounting equation and the financial documents involved.
• Demonstrate the use of a T-Account in recording transactions.
• Apply accounting principles to the trial balance and financial statements.
• Apply accounting principles to the processes of journalizing and posting.
• Apply accounting principles to the adjusting process.
• Apply accounting principles to the completion of the accounting cycle.
• Apply accounting principles to banking.

Credit Hours: 3

This course focuses on the basic principles of accounting for business enterprises. Students will be introduced to the accounting cycles, preparations of financial statements, merchandising operations, and payrolls. In addition, students will have the opportunity to understand the importance of internal controls to prevent fraud and financial statement misrepresentations.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

• Apply accounting principles to current liabilities and payroll.
• Apply accounting principles to sales and cash receipts.
• Apply accounting principles to purchase and cash payments.
• Apply accounting principles to merchandising operations.
• Apply the methods of accounting for bad debts.
• Apply accounting principles to dealing with receivables.
• Apply accounting principles to handling merchandise inventory.
• Explain the methods and processes of accounting for plant assets and intangibles.

This course is a continuation of the study of basic financial accounting principles as a foundation for more advanced study and vocational skill. Areas of emphasis include acquisition, depreciation, and disposal of long-term assets, receivables and payables, inventory, partnerships, corporations, long-term liabilities, the statement of cash flows, financial statement analysis, and manufacturing accounting.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

• Identify partnership characteristics, account for formation, admission, and withdraw of partners, and partnership liquidation.
• Identify characteristics of corporations, understand and account for corporate stocks and dividends, and explain items reported in retained earnings.
• Recognize and explain the types of bonds and notes and prepare entries.
• Distinguish among operating, investing, and financing activities for a Statement of Cash Flows.
• Recognize and apply the horizontal, vertical, and ratio analysis of financial statements.

This course represents one of the core courses in your accounting education. When you finish Intermediate Accounting I, you'll have gained an understanding of external financial reporting, with an emphasis placed on the balance sheet.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate effective quantitative skills.
• Demonstrate job-specific technical and professional skills.
• Demonstrate a high level of inquiry, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Point out the process of creating journal entries and balance sheets for disclosing financial information.
• Analyze the fundamentals of income statement, cash flows, revenue recognition, and value of money concepts.
• Compare the different ways to properly account for cash, receivables, and inventory.
• Analyze value and account for changes to long-term assets as well as intangible assets.

Credit Hours: 3

Using spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel) for recording a variety of business transactions, analyzing the financial data of a business and preparing its financial reports; entering and editing spreadsheet data; working with spreadsheet formulas, formats, and functions; model-building techniques; and incorporating charts.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate basic Excel user skills, including working with formulas and functions.
• Explain how to use a file-naming strategy and the directory structure needed to manage your Excel files.
• Evaluate the effects of moving or copying cells with relative, absolute, and mixed references.
• Identify the arguments and result of a function, and use functions in a worksheet.
• Describe how to create, edit, save, and print a chart; the importance of selecting the proper type of chart; and the different types of charts in terms of their use and emphasis.
• Describe how to insert external objects into a worksheet.
• Describe how to establish global formats for a single worksheet and change defaults for all worksheets.
• Employ formatting standards for financial presentations.
• Explain how to expand, enhance, customize, and organize worksheets.
• Enter Ashworth College's bachelor's programs without further academic preparation.

Credit Hours: 3

This course will build upon the knowledge you gained in Intermediate Accounting I. You may find it the most challenging of your core accounting classes. This course explains accounting issues relating to revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Your textbook follows the format of the cash flow statement.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate a high level of inquiry, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrate effective quantitative skills.
• Demonstrate computer and information literacy.
• Evaluate how companies deal with investments, current liabilities, and the contingencies they present.
• Differentiate among leases, bonds, and long-term notes.
• Analyze and account for other types of liabilities including income taxes, pensions, and post-retirement benefits.
• Categorize the fundamentals of share-based compensation, accounting changes, and the statement of cash flows.

Credit Hours: 3

Principles of Finance offers a broad overview of corporate finance, including the goals of financial management. You'll examine how the information contained in financial statements is used in analysis and forecasting. The topic of valuation is introduced, with a focus on valuing stocks and bonds. You'll review the financial manager's role in estimating risk and return, computing cost of capital, evaluating capital structure policies, making investment decisions, and raising capital. Other topics include financial securities and derivatives, long-term and short-term planning, and innovations in corporate finance.

By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:

• Describe the financial markets and the roles played by their participants.
• Analyze financial statements.
• Apply time value of money tools.
• Apply the principles of risk and return relationships.
• Apply the tools and processes of capital budgeting.
• Interpret the types of financing available to a company, their components, and issues associated with them.
• Explain the models and tools that help manage the flow of funds.
• Describe how capital structure, dividend policy, and international issues impact the firm.

Credit Hours: 3