Read this entire syllabus before the second class.

Be sure you know all

requirements of the class as defined herein. If you have questions or known
conflicts, email me as soon as possible. tca071000@utdallas.edu
Course Syllabus AIM 6330-501 and -502
School of Management -- The University of Texas at Dallas -- August 20, 2008

Course Information
Course Number/Section AIM 6330-M/W Section 501; Wed Section 502
Course Title Intermediate Financial Accounting I

Professor Contact Information

Professor Teresa Anderson
Phone 972-492-3378
Email Address tca071000@utdallas.edu
I will often contact you via Web CT email; plan to check your Web CT email every day to
ensure you are current on announcements, handouts for class, and other useful
information.
On the day of class, I will post any handouts required for that night’s class no later than
noon on that day. If there are handouts for class, be sure to bring them or plan to
share with a group member if you do not have access to Web CT and a printer on class
days.

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

AIM 6201 or AIM 6305 or the equivalent. Do not attempt to take this class without a prior
class in “principles of accounting” (sometimes called Financial Accounting).

Course Description
A study of external financial reporting, including measurement and reporting of cash,
receivables, inventories, property, plant and equipment, and intangibles. Financial statement
presentation issues are analyzed to gain an appreciation for the impact of generally accepted
accounting principles on business decisions.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Learning Goals/Objectives Learning Outcome/Assessment

Identify the basic accounting model and 1) Suggested problems

the reporting requirements mandated by 2) Questions on exams
the profession.
Be able to interpret Generally Accepted 1) Suggested problems
Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the 2) Questions on exams
proper application of those principles.
Develop accounting research and 1) Suggested problems
communication skills. 2) Questions on exams

Required Textbook
Textbook: Intermediate Accounting, 5th Edition, Volume 1 by Spiceland, Sepe, Nelson and

Course Syllabus Page 1

Tomassini
Publishers: Irwin McGraw-Hill
Note: This course uses only Volume 1 of the text (Chapters 1-12). You may choose to
purchase the full textbook (Volume 1 and 2) if you are also planning to take AIM 6332.

Textbook website: www.mhhe.com/spiceland5e. Use this site. There are some unbelievably
great resources there to help you learn. These resources contribute to the high cost of your
book. Use them so that you feel you got your money’s worth.

**Note: the “International Version” of the textbook does not contain the same end-of chapter
exercises as the US version of the text. We will be using the US version for this course.

Student Assessments
Grading Information

Your final grade in this course will be determined as follows:

Examination I 30%
Examination II 30%
Examination III 30%
Research and Problem
Assignments 10% (these will be provided to you in class)

Total 100%

The letter grade will reflect each student’s performance relative to the class and standards
expected of graduate students.

Should you miss class on the night of an Exam, I will attempt to give you a make-up but I cannot
guarantee that. Make-ups are granted on an individual basis. Having airplane tickets for a trip
to anywhere on the night of the third exam is not a valid excuse for a make-up exam. The
Scholastic Calendar has been available on UTD’s Web site for months already. Therefore, I
assume you consult that calendar before you make any travel arrangements. If you choose to
travel before the semester officially ends, you run the risk of receiving a grade of zero on an
exam.

If you miss an Exam, I will need sufficient appropriate evidence that the absence from class was
unavoidable and outside your control. I will require varying types of documentation, depending
upon your own individual excuse. Once your excuse is substantiated, then I will attempt to
schedule a makeup. Note, this is not guaranteed. It depends on the availability of UTD
personnel to proctor your makeup. One option might be to take your Exam with the other class.
(I teach 6330 on M/W and on Wed., both evening classes.)

I get very grumpy when I have to create a different exam for a makeup. Therefore, your excuse
had better be a good one. The best advice is to simply show up for each exam; that way, we
don’t have anything to worry about.

Suggested Problems--Homework

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Listed below are suggested exercises and/or problems to be worked for each chapter. While
there will be no points allocated to homework, there is a direct correlation between working
problems and performing successfully on examinations. It is your responsibility to ask for help
when you feel you need it from your peers and the instructor. You are encouraged to work
together to complete suggested problems. Do note that 10% of the grade is from Research &
Problem Assignments, which are separate from Homework.

Course Outline/Schedule
DATE TOPIC CHAPTER SUGGESTED
PROBLEMS to WORK
Week AT HOME;
Beginning SOLUTIONS WILL BE
Monday… PROVIDED ON WEB
CT

Aug 25 Course Introduction & review of basic concepts of

Financial Accounting or Principles of Accounting
that you should remember for this course.

Sept 1 Accounting Theory 1 Exercises

[Monday class has a Holiday---Labor Day, Sept 1 2 through 9
Wednesday classes meet.]

Sept 8 Accounting Process 2 Exercises

1 – 3 5 6 8 11 17

Sept 15 The Balance Sheet and Financial Disclosures 3 Exercises

3 5 10 11 12 16
17

Sept 22 The Income Statement and Statement of Cash 4 Exercises

Flows 3 – 10 14 15 17

Sept 29 Income Measurement and Profitability Analysis 5 Exercises

1 2 5 6 9 11 12 17
23

Oct 6 Exam 1, chapters 1-5

Oct 13 Cash and Receivables 7 Exercises

1 3 6 7 8 11 – 17
19 23 25

Oct 20 Inventories: Measurement 8 Exercises

1 2 4 6 7 8 11 14
15 16 17 19

Oct 27 Inventories: Additional Issues 9 Exercises

1 5 20 21 22 23 26

Nov 3 Exam 2, chapters 7-9

Nov 10 Operational Assets: Acquisition and 10 Exercises

Course Syllabus Page 3

 Disposition 1 – 6 10 11 13 14 18
20 21 25 27

Nov 17 Operational Assets: Utilization and Impairment 11 Exercises

2 3 7 – 9 13 14 16
19 21 22

Nov 24 Monday night class meets this week.

Wednesday night classes do not meet.
(Wed. is night before Thanksgiving.)

Dec 1 Investments 12 Exercises

22 24 19 – 21 16 17
12 – 14 10 7 8 1

Dec 8 Only Monday night class meets this week.

Dec 15 Exam 3, chapters 10-12

Note: Thanksgiving is Nov 27. We do not cover chapter 6. Feel free to work all the Exercises at
the end of each chapter PLUS the m/c questions.

>>>> NOTE REGARDING EXAMS: M/W class exams will be administered over 2 evenings,
>>>> Monday and Wednesday. Wed. class exams will be administered in one evening.

Scholastic Honesty
The University has policies and discipline procedures regarding scholastic dishonesty.
Detailed information is available on the Scholastic Dishonesty web page. All students are
expected to maintain a high level of responsibility with respect to academic honesty. Students
who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties,
including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since
such dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the University, policies
on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.

Course Evaluation

As required by UTD academic regulations, every student must complete an evaluation for
each enrolled course at the end of the semester. An online instructional assessment form will
be made available for your confidential use. Please look for the course evaluation link on the
course Homepage towards the end of the course.

University Policies
Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of

Course Syllabus Page 4

 each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and
regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General information on student
conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to
all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules
and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI,
Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s
Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to
students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist
students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to
discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off
campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high
standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work
or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students
suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any
other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism
(see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which
searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises
some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange.
The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s
U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if
it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree
of confidence in the identity of all individuals corresponding and the security of the transmitted
information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all
communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T.
Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other
accounts.

Course Syllabus Page 5

 Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level
courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog.
Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle
withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, your professor cannot drop or
withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a
final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other

fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious
effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with
whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members
retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be
resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a
copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response
provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If
the grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written
appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the dean will appoint and
convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final.
The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed
at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete
grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long
semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is
not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a
grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688

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 (972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it
may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the
case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may
be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is
hearing impaired). Classes enrolling students with mobility impairments may have to be
rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special
services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty
members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals
requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office
hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities
for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship
are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused,
will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the
absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A

student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be
penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the
prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of
observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student
has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations,
either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the
institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into
account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the
decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and
University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding
these rules and regulations may be found at the website address given below. Additional information
is available from the office of the school dean. ( http://www.utdallas.edu/Business
Affairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm)

Classroom Citizenship:

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Mature and professional behavior is expected in each class. Be respectful of your fellow
classmates; do not engage in off-topic or side-bar conversations; please do not use your cell
phone or other electronic communication device in class. Laptops are OK. If you find it
necessary to communicate electronically, please step outside the room. Repeated
unprofessional behavior in class will negatively impact your course grade.

Recommendations for achieving a high degree of learning in this class:

1. Read each chapter in the book in advance of the class meeting. If you have questions
as you are reading, send me an email so you don’t have to wait until class for an
answer. Asking questions as you are reading is more helpful to your learning than
holding them until class. However, also feel free to raise questions in class. It is trite
but true, the only dumb question is the one never asked. I can guarantee you (based on
my 30+ years of teaching) that when you have a question, a fair number of other
students have the same question. Focus on any examples, questions or problems
within each chapter that provide a solution. This enables you to work a problem, then
get immediate feedback on your answer. Do Not Read The Problem/Question and Then
Simply Read the Solution. Read the problem/question/example, attempt to answer it
yourself, then check your answer against the answer provided in the book. This same
approach should apply to those items assigned for homework. YOU CANNOT LEARN
ACCOUNTING BY JUST READING…YOU MUST WORK PROBLEMS AND
EXERCISES AS WELL. Accounting is like swimming; you can read a book about it, but
you won’t really develop a mastery of it until you get into the water (water = working
problems)
2. In class, we will discuss the chapter material. We do not have time to discuss every
single valuable point. Topics that most students will understand by reading the chapter
will not be covered in class. As stated earlier: send any questions you have to me via
email. And, repeat after me: Read the chapters prior to coming to class. Our entire
course is built around the assumption that you will do this.
3. Stay on schedule. Do not get behind.
4. Exams will require a scantron sheet. I will not have extras for you. You must bring your
own scantrons to exams. If you do not bring a scantron to an exam, your exam will not
be graded, resulting in a ZERO for that exam. Get those scantrons and hold on to them
for each exam.
5. Attend all the classes. Attendance will be recorded at each class.
6. Read the syllabus as soon as you get it. You want to know the policies of the class so
you don’t overlook something that will negatively affect your grade.
7. Remember: your objective is to Learn, not to earn a certain course grade. If you learn
the material, the grade will take care of itself.
8. I recommend a book called FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING EXAM QUESTIONS AND
EXPLANATIONS, 13TH EDITION, BY GLEIM AND COLLINS. The cost is $19.95 and
you can purchase it online at http://www.gleim.com/accounting/eqe/books/. Some of
your Exam questions will be taken from this book. It is an excellent resource for all of
your financial accounting courses and a good study tool for the CPA Exam.
9. In class, I may ask someone to orally provide the answer to a question or exercise or
problem from the textbook. It is always better if the person who volunteers to answer the
item gets the wrong answer. Why? Because, with the wrong answer, we learn
more…we figure out why it’s wrong and then we can develop the right answer. If
everyone always gives the correct answer, we have nothing to discuss. Moral of this

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 story: never be afraid to provide answers in class. Wrong answers are more useful than
correct ones. (However, the opposite is true by the time you take the Exam.)
10. This course plus AIM 6332 form the foundation for most everything else in accounting.
The material is heavily tested on the CPA Exam. You would be wise to clear your
calendar of as many competing obligations as possible. The more time you invest in
Intermediate Accounting, the easier your accounting life will be in the future. Don’t plan
to take too many hours this semester if you are working full-time. Most people find that
Intermediate is time consuming enough that they don’t want to take more than 3 hours.

Course Syllabus Page 9