Skip to main content

Common Course Outline

Course discipline/number/title ACCT 2217: Financial Accounting

Catalog Description

Credits 4
Hours/Week 4
Prerequisites (Course discipline/number) None
Other requirements None
MnTC Goals (if any) NA

Course Description

This course is an introduction to financial accounting concepts that includes analyzing, interpreting and recording transactions. The accounting cycle is covered for service and merchandising corporations. The course also includes the preparation of financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) using the accrual method of accounting and emphasizes the effects of journalizing business transactions on the financial statements. Additional topics include accruals and deferrals, revenues, expenses, internal control, merchandise inventory, accounts receivable, fixed assets, long-term liabilities, and equity.

Date Last Revised (Month, year)

May, 2023

Outline of Major Content Areas

  1. Introduction to Accounting and Business
  2. Analyzing and Recording Transactions by Journal Entries
  3. The Matching Concept and The Adjusting Process
  4. Completing the Accounting Cycle
  5. Accounting for Merchandising Business
  6. Inventories
  7. Sarbanes-Oxley, Internal Controls and Cash
  8. Receivables
  9. Fixed Assets and Intangible Assets
  10. Current Liabilities and Payroll
  11. Corporations: Organizations, Stock Transactions and Dividends
  12. Long-Term Liabilities; Bonds and Notes

Learning Outcomes (General)

The student will be able to:

  1. Define and apply financial accounting terminology.
  2. Apply the double entry accounting system to complete the sequential steps in the accounting cycle.
  3. Demonstrate understanding of generally accepted accounting principles as applied to financial accounting; including the cost, revenue recognition, matching and full-disclosure principles.
  4. Analyze business transactions for service and merchandising corporations, and determine the effect of those transactions on the financial statements. An expanded accounting equation approach will be used.
  5. Construct, interpret and analyze standard form financial statements (income statement, balance sheet, and retained earnings statement) from source data.
  6. Describe and illustrate the objectives and elements of internal controls in relationship to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, controlling assets, and the use of a bank reconciliation in controlling cash.
  7. Develop knowledge needed to properly measure and report cash, receivables, inventory, fixed assets, intangible assets, current liabilities, long-term liabilities, owner’s equity, revenues and expenses.
  8. Prepare financial statements after analyzing, calculating, and summarizing comprehensive problems involving multiple content areas.
  9. Translate ethical and social responsibility concepts into responsible decision-making in a business environment.
  10. Utilize technology including spreadsheets to improve time efficiency when reporting financial information.

Learning Outcomes (MnTC)

NA

Methods for Evaluation of Student Learning

Methods may include but are not limited to:

RCTC Core Outcome(s)

This course contributes to meeting the following RCTC Core Outcome(s):

Critical Thinking
Students will think systematically and explore information thoroughly before accepting or formulating a position or conclusion.

Special Information (if any)

None