Bachelors (BA) in Accounting
Overview
This major offers a 72-semester-hour course of study, enabling students to acquire the necessary technical and professional skills for successful careers in public, managerial or governmental accounting. Like other majors in the Department of Business and Economics, it requires completion of a general business core, as well as specialized courses. Students are required to obtain a minimum grade of C- in all major courses. Field experiences and internships are strongly encouraged.
Faculty will work with students on an individual basis to prepare them for the national certified public accounting examination. The broad educational experience provided by George Fox University should enable an accounting major the flexibility to design his or her own program.
Degree Outcomes
Graduates with a BA in accounting will:
- Be a technically competent accountant
- Develop and enhance students' ethical decision-making ability and demonstrate the ability to integrate a biblical worldview in the accounting profession
- Engage in experiential learning opportunities where students can integrate technical knowledge and professional acumen
- Evaluate the pressures, benefits and challenges of the globalization of accounting
Major Requirements
Complete the following:
Accounting is the language of business. This course provides an introductory overview of accounting from a user perspective. Its purpose is to give students a basic understanding of the logic behind the principles of accounting, enabling them to prepare, read, analyze, and interpret financial statements for the purpose of decision making. Prerequisite: BUSN 110 and Sophomore standing or above.
This course is a continuation of ACCT 271. It emphasizes the uses of accounting data by management to make both planning and control decisions. Students will continue to analyze financial statements to assess a company's liquidity, profitability, capital structure, and stock market ratios. Students will also develop operating budgets and use them to evaluate performance. Cost information will be classified by behavior, and allocated under a cost-beneficial system that assists managers in using relevant costs for decision making.
Prerequisite: ACCT 271 Principles of Financial Accounting.
This introductory survey will examine the major functional areas of business and afford the student an opportunity to consider this major as a path to a career. Emphasis is given to contemporary business concepts, in particular, and examination of business as a field for stewardship.
A practical application of personal financial management and an introduction to the field of financial planning. Topics include money history, stewardship, budgets, loans, spending, housing, insurance, investments, and retirement. Prerequisite: Business and economics majors only.
Statistical procedures with applications in management and economics. Emphasis on the development of a basic knowledge of the statistical tools available for analysis of problems and decision making.
Prerequisites: MATH 180 College Algebra or higher math course, or an SAT math score of 620 or higher or an ACT score of 28 or higher.
This course is designed to prepare students to meet the ethical challenges facing employees in modern business and nonprofit organizations. The course will address moral issues at every organizational level - personal, interpersonal, group, and system wide. Topics will include identifying personal mission and values; developing character; faith in the workplace; ethical perspectives, moral reasoning, and decision-making formats; ethical organizational communication and influence; ethical group behavior and leadership; and the creation of ethical organizational climates. Prerequisite or Co-requisite of BUSN 110.
Covers the legal aspects of common business transactions. Includes the law of contracts, agency, negotiable instruments, and other phases of private law.
The study of administrative policy and strategy in organizations. Emphasis is placed on the integration and inter-relationships of functional business areas (accounting, economics, finance, marketing, and management) for the purpose of developing an organizational-wide perspective. Students learn a model of strategy formulation and implementation and, through analyzing cases, apply this model to a variety of institutional settings.
Prerequisites: MGMT 260 Principles of Management, MKTG 260 Principles of Marketing, FINC 260 Business Finance, ACCT 272 Principles of Managerial Accounting, and senior standing.
An introduction to the macro aspects of the social science concerned with the allocation of resources. Consideration is given to the fundamental principles of the economy as a whole, dealing with economic data, behavior, and theory at the aggregate level of the economy. The course studies topics such as government spending, taxation, and monetary policies, as well as events and issues in the global economy. ECON 211 and ECON 212 are complementary courses; however, it is preferred that ECON 211 be taken first.
An introduction to the micro aspects of the social science concerned with the allocation of resources. Consideration is given to the fundamental principles governing production, distribution, consumption, and exchange of wealth. The course studies the behavior of microeconomic units such as individuals, households, firms, and industries. ECON 211 and ECON 212 are complementary courses; however, it is preferred that ECON 211 be taken first.
Prerequisites: Students must have completed MATH 180 College Algebra or higher math course, or an SAT math score of 620 or higher or an ACT score of 28 or higher.
An introduction to the finance function of a business entity. Specific topics to be studied include capital budgeting, cost of capital determination, sources of financing, leverage and its effect on the profits and risk of business, and managing the asset mix and capital structure of a business.
Prerequisites: ACCT 271 Principles of Financial Accounting, ACCT 272 Principles of Managerial Accounting (may also be a co-requisite), ECON 211 Principles of Macroeconomics and college level statistics course 200 level or higher. Students who've taken PSYC 240 or SOCI 340 must also complete MATH 150 or higher, or have a SAT math score of 620 or higher or have an ACT score of 28 or higher.
The importance of thinking globally and understanding the legal, technological, political and economic differences that affect business practice are explored through readings and projects. The focus is on the global changes that are impacting national sovereignty, regionalization, and the balance of economic and political power.
Prerequisites: ECON 211 Principles of Macroeconomics and MGMT 260 Principles of Management.
A study of the theory and practice of management. The course involves discussion and application of areas such as social responsibility, strategy, problem solving, communication, change, job performance, and financial/operational controls.
Prerequisite or Co-requisite of BUSN 110 Introduction to Business
Study of the marketing concept, consumer demand and behavior, and marketing functions of the firm. The objective is to understand the development of marketing channels, products, prices, and promotion strategies.
Prerequisite or Co-requisite of BUSN 110 Introduction to Business
Complete the following:
A foundational course for the study of computer science and information systems. The course covers an overview of programming methodology and gives the student an ability to write computer programs using standard style and structure. Programming projects are completed in one or more high-level languages. Prerequisite: high school algebra or equivalent. Additional course fee required.
This is an introductory course on fundamental concepts in taxation. The objective of this course is learning to recognize major tax issues inherent in business and financial transactions. The course will emphasize measurement and taxation of business income, along with an introduction to taxation of individuals.
Prerequisites: ACCT 271 Principles of Financial Accounting and ACCT 272 Principles of Managerial Accounting.
This course will emphasize the mechanical aspects of accounting and will cover both manual and computerized accounting systems. The course is designed for the accounting major.
Prerequisite: ACCT 271 Principles of Financial Accounting and ACCT 272 Principles of Managerial Accounting.
A comprehensive study of generally accepted accounting principles, including a review of their historical development and a thorough study of the underlying theory supporting them. A detailed study of many specific problems associated with the measurement and reporting of complex business transactions.
Prerequisite: ACCT 271 Principles of Financial Accounting and ACCT 272 Principles of Managerial Accounting.
A comprehensive study of generally accepted accounting principles, including a review of their historical development and a thorough study of the underlying theory supporting them. A detailed study of many specific problems associated with the measurement and reporting of complex business transactions.
Prerequisite: ACCT 371 Financial Accounting and Reporting I.
A comprehensive study of generally accepted accounting principles, including a review of their historical development and a thorough study of the underlying theory supporting them. A detailed study of many specific problems associated with the measurement and reporting of complex business transactions.
Prerequisite: ACCT 371 Financial Accounting and Reporting I.
This class will explore the use of analytics by professional accountants. Starting with the generation of business question, students will use a decision-making framework to draw appropriate and ethical conclusions to business problems. Students will understand the principles of data analysis, including but not limited to, systems, collecting, cleaning, analyzing and visualizing data. During the course, students will also gain hands-on experience with software tools used by accounting professionals. Prerequisites: MATH 180 College Algebra, CSIS 201 Introduction to Computer Science, ACCT 370 Accounting Information Systems, and ACCT 371 Financial Accounting & Reporting I.
Accounting for specific types of entities, such as partnerships and not-for-profit organizations. The accounting problems encountered in business combinations and foreign currency translation will be studied.
Prerequisites: ACCT 272 Principles of Managerial Accounting and ACCT 370 Accounting Information Systems.
An introduction to the standards and procedures observed by Certified Public Accountants in the examination of financial statements. Special areas of study will include evaluation of internal control, ethical considerations, legal environment, the auditor's reports, and evidence-collecting and evaluation.
Prerequisites: ACCT 370 Accounting Information Systems, ACCT 371 Financial Accounting and Reporting I and CSIS 201 Introduction to Computer Science.
This course is an expansion of how tax laws affect individuals, partnerships, corporations, and S corporations. Additional topics in taxation are introduced with emphasis on laws applicable to estates, gifts, trusts, and tax exempt organizations.
Prerequisite: ACCT 350 Taxation.
Student are encouraged to choose the following electives to enhance their major.
This course is being offered in conjunction with the Internal Revenue Service and the AARP to give the student skills and training needed to prepare income tax returns for low-to-moderate income people in the community. We will offer free tax preparation and electronic filing for the community.
Supervised experiences in businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies. Pass/No Pass.
Occasional special courses chosen to fit the interests and needs of students and faculty.