COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course discusses accounting for investments, revenue recognition, income taxes, pensions and postretirement benefits, and leases. The course also covers principles involved in accounting for changes of various types as well as for correction of errors. This course will also summarize the preparation of statements of cash flows as well as full disclosure in financial reporting. Throughout, the course will analyze the impact of international accounting standards on accounting issues. The material makes references to both the U.S. Accounting Standards issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, students will be able to:

Analyze the proper accounting for investments in securities and derivative instruments.
Apply various accounting methods for revenue recognition.
Discuss the proper accounting for income taxes.
Discuss the proper accounting for pensions and postretirement benefits.
Explain the accounting standards for capital and operating leases.
Discuss reporting requirements concerning changes in accounting principles and errors.
Analyze the statement of cash flows under both the indirect and the direct method.
Explain the requirements for full disclosure in financial reporting.
Distinguish between the U.S. Accounting Standards and the International Accounting Standards.
Predict the effects of the International Accounting Standards on the U.S. economy and the accounting profession.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.

Required Textbook

Kieso, D. E., Weygandt, J. J. and Warfield, T. D. (2012). Intermediate Accounting, 14th ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
ISBN-13: 978-0470587232

COURSE STRUCTURE

Intermediate Accounting III is a three-credit online course, consisting of nine modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.

Module 1: Accounting for Investments
Module 2: Revenue Recognition
Module 3: Accounting for Income Taxes
Module 4: Accounting for Pensions and Post-retirement Benefits
Module 5: Accounting for Leases
Module 6: Accounting for Changes and Error Analysis
Module 7: Statement of Cash Flows
Module 8: Full Disclosure in Financial Reporting
Module 9: International Accounting Standards

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums, complete written activities, and complete a final project. See below for more details.

Consult the Course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Discussion Forums

You are required to participate in nine graded discussion forums as well as an ungraded "Introductions" forum. Most of the online discussions involve a case study.

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course Web site is the online discussion forum rubric used to aid in the grading of all online discussion activities.

Written Assignments

You are required to complete nine written assignments. Eight of these include exercises, problems, and IFRS application assignments. The last assignment involves a short paper.

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course Web site is the rubric used to aid in the grading of all written assignments.

Final Project

The final paper consists of a paper of 2,500 to 3,000 words (10 to 12 pages) in which you will examine the effects of reporting comprehensive income on the quality of financial reporting. See the Final Project area of the course for a fuller description.

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course Web site is the rubric used to aid in the grading of the final project.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Online discussions (9)—20 percent
Written assignments (9)—60 percent

Final project —20 percent

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A	=	93–100	B	=	83–87
A–	=	90–92	C	=	73–82
B+	=	88–89	F	=	Below 73

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., assignments, discussion postings, projects, etc.). Graduate students must maintain a B average overall to remain in good academic standing.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.
Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State University.
Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.
If you are not familiar with Web-based learning be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations.
Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

ACADEMIC POLICIES

To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.

For more, see: