ACCT 311: Managerial and Cost Accounting Master Syllabus

To print: Right-click and choose “Print,” then follow your browser’s print settings.
To download: Right-click and choose “Print,” then select “Save as PDF.”

Costello College of Business Logo

Enterprise Hall 4400 University Drive, MS 1B1 
Fairfax, Virginia 22030 
Phone: (703) 993-1880 
Fax: (703) 993-1867

Managerial and Cost Accounting – ACCT 311
(This Syllabus is tentative and subject to change.)

Instructor:
GMU Email:
Course Website:
Class Meeting Times & Location:
Recitation Meeting Times:
Office Hours:
Office Location:

Course Description

Design of accounting systems to serve the internal needs of management with an emphasis on underlying theory. Product costing, including activity-based costing, budgeting and other planning applications, information for decision making, planning, performance evaluation, and other control application for decentralized organizations

Required Course Materials

  1. Horngren’s Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis (17th ed.) authored by Datar and Rajan (Pearson Higher Education 2020).
  2. Access to Pearson’s MyAccountingLab, which is also integrated in the “Peason MyLab” tab in our Blackboard course.
  3. Online materials will be available throughout the semester on the course page of the Blackboard: http://mymasonportal.gmu.edu.
  4. Green scantrons (Form No. 882-E) for the midterm and final examinations

Helpful Resources

MyMason Support: https://its.gmu.edu/service/mymason/ o Writing Support: https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/ Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Support: http://caps.gmu.edu 
Learning Services Support: https://learningservices.gmu.edu/ 
Pearson MyLab Technical Support: https://support.pearson.com/getsupport/s/learners 
CDC’s guidance on COVID-19 prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/covid/prevention/ 
College’s undergraduate laptop policy: https://business.gmu.edu/currentstudents/undergraduate-resources/policies-procedures-and-forms

Learning Goals for Students in the Costello College of Business Undergraduate Program (those in bold will be addressed in this class)

Our students will:

  • Be competent in their discipline.
  • Be aware of the uses of technology in business.
  • Be effective communicators. o Have an interdisciplinary perspective. 
  • Be knowledgeable about global business and trade. 
  • Recognize the importance of ethical decisions. 
  • Be knowledgeable about the legal environment of business. 
  • Be knowledgeable about team dynamics and the characteristics of effective teams. 
  • Understand the value of diversity and importance of managing diversity in the context of business. 
  • Be critical thinkers.

Learning Goals for Students in the Undergraduate Accounting Program (those in bold will be addressed in this class)

  • Students will record, analyze, interpret and communicate financial and non-financial information for users of such information in accordance with applicable professional authoritative literature. 
  • Students will assess risks inherent in financial and non-financial information and provide appropriate assurance to users of such information and they will be able to develop, validate, and evaluate processes and controls which serve to ensure the integrity of financial and nonfinancial information. 
  • Students will understand the environment and role of the accounting profession in the proper functioning of commerce, and in society at large, and the ethical and regulatory responsibilities associated with that environment and role. 
  • Students possess the following technical competencies: (1) research skills to access, understand, and apply relevant professional authoritative literature; (2) decision modeling skills to identify issues, analyze alternatives, and implement solutions related to financial and non-financial information; and (3) technology and data analysis skills to manage financial and non-financial information.

Student Responsibilities

To maximize your learning experience, daily attendance is essential and constructive participation is an important part of the classroom experience. Please attempt to be on time and remain for the entire period. Readings and homework assignments are expected to be completed before coming to class. You are responsible for any material covered during an absence, even if it was supplementary material and not in the textbook. 

Lecture notes and other documents used in class will be posted on the Blackboard website. I recommend that you routinely visit Blackboard to download and print these documents for your ongoing studies and reference in class. At a minimum, please visit Blackboard a few hours before class to obtain these documents for the upcoming lecture. You need to regularly download or print out notes and other documents by yourself and take them to class for reference. 

I will post on Blackboard the solutions to Supplemental Problems from the end of each chapter. Solutions to In-class Problems will be provided in class. If you miss a class, you may get the solution to these problems from a fellow classmate.

Exams

All students are required to take two midterm examinations and one comprehensive final exam on the date/time specified in the course schedule. The exams are closed-note and closed-book tests, and exams will cover both computational and conceptual materials. The coverage of the two mideterm exams are not cumulative, while the comprehensive final exam cumulatively covers all the materials we learn in this course. 

Students will be asked to present their ID card (e.g., Mason card or driver license) at each exam, and any student without an ID card will not be allowed to take the exam. In any exam, students are allowed to use only simple four-function calculators without any programming features or memory function. Students are not allowed to possess such electrical items as phones, computers, tablets, etc. during exam hours. Students must return all of their exam materials at the end of each exam. Failure to return the exam to the professor or proctor constitutes an act of academic dishonesty and a violation of the Honor Code. Therefore, failure to return the exam can result in a “zero” score for the exam and the student being reported to the Honor Code Committee.

Make-up Exam Policy

You can only miss the regularly scheduled midterm exam with prior approval from the instructor, and for reasons allowable under university policy. You will need to provide acceptable, official documentation in advance of the regularly scheduled midterm exam supporting your request for the make-up midterm exam. 

Absences from final exam will not be excused except for sickness on the day of the exam or other cause approved by the student’s academic dean or director. Students missing a midterm or final exam without prior approval will automatically receive a score of “zero” for that exam.

Homework/Writing Assignments

Ten 10-point homework will be administered via MyAccountingLab, and your lowest score (including zero for a missed homework) out of the ten will be dropped. Writing assignment is worth another 10 points. The maximum total grade for “Homework/Writing Assignments” is 100 points. The due dates of these assignments are listed in the class schedule, and their requirements will be announced in class and/or in Blackboard. Writing assignments will be turned via “SafeAssign” in Blackboard (per instruction by professor).

Grade Weights

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

Class Participation (attendance and pop quizzes) 3%
MyAccounting Lab Homework/Writing Assignment 7%
Midterm Exam #1 25%
Midterm Exam #2 25%
Final Exam 40%
Total 100%

Final grades will be assigned based on the percentage points earned in the overall course (e.g., A ≥ 90%, 90% > A- ≥ 88%, 88% > B+ ≥ 85%, 85% > B ≥ 80%, 80% > B- ≥ 78%, 78% > C+ ≥ 75%, 75% > C ≥ 70%, 70% > D ≥ 60%, and F < 60%). “Extra credit” assignments are not given in this course.

Academic Integrity

Note: Please very carefully read and understand everything in this Academic Integrity section. 

Any student in this course who may choose to violate the GMU Honor Code is subject to penalties as determined by the University Honor Code Committee. These sanctions (penalties), illustrated in the table on page 8, include an “F” in the course, a notice of violation in the student’s academic record, and possible suspension or expulsion from the University.

Academic integrity is an essential element of a successful learning community. Ethical standards of behavior help promote a safe and productive community environment and ensure every student the opportunity to pursue excellence.

It is expected that students adhere to the George Mason University Honor Code as it relates to integrity regarding coursework and grades. The Honor Code reads as follows: “To promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement, we, the student members of the University Community have set forth this: Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal and/or lie in matters related to academic work.” More information about the Honor Code, including definitions of cheating, lying, and plagiarism, can be found at the Office of Academic Integrity website at http://oai.gmu.edu.

In this course, students are encouraged to work with classmates to help one another better understand the course materials. For example, students can form study groups for reviewing textbook chapters, lecture notes, and doing exercise problems. However, all the graded work—the MyAccountingLab HW assignments, the writing assignment, and exams—must be completed on your own.

Use of Online "Homework Help" or “Tutor” Websites
Note that using online websites as an aid to complete your coursework violates the Honor Code of the academic integrity. That said, use of these websites is prohibited for any graded assignment, including but not limited to HW, case writing assignment, and exams. Any violation will be referred to the University Office of Academic Integrity for investigation and possible sanctions. See the Honor Code Violation Penalty Matrix (on page 8).

Copyright of Course Material
A student who shares class materials outside the normal course of study is in violation of the University Honor Code. This includes, but is not limited to, lecture slides, class handouts, exercise problems, case assignments, or any materials from exams. Students are advised they are not anonymous online. The internet is regularly monitored to identify whether course materials have been compromised. If you post class material on a website, you are violating both the copyright and the University Honor Code. Any violation is reported to the University Office of Academic Integrity for investigation and possible sanctions (on page 8).

Costello College of Business Standards of Behavior

The mission of the Costello College of Business at George Mason University is to create and deliver 5 high-quality educational programs and research. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni who participate in these educational programs contribute to the well-being of society. High-quality educational programs require an environment of trust and mutual respect, free expression and inquiry, and a commitment to truth, excellence, and lifelong learning. Students, program participants, faculty, staff, and alumni accept these principles when they join the Costello College of Business community. In doing so, they agree to abide by the following standards of behavior:

  1. Respect for the rights, differences, and dignity of others
  2. Honesty and integrity in dealing with all members of the community
  3. Accountability for personal behavior

Integrity is an essential ingredient of a successful learning community. Ethical standards of behavior help promote a safe and productive community environment, and ensure every member the opportunity to pursue excellence. The Costello College of Business can and should be a living model of these behavioral standards. To this end, community members have a personal responsibility to integrate these standards into every aspect of their experience at the Costello College of Business. Through our personal commitment to these Community Standards of Behavior, we can create an environment in which all can achieve their full potential.

Privacy & E-mail Etiquette
As professionals, it is important to communicate with others via emails in an appropriate manner. George Mason Email must be used at all times for correspondence with the instructor. No exceptions. Students should clearly identify themselves and their course number and section in any Email correspondence. I will not respond to messages sent from or send messages to a non-Mason email address.

Students with Disabilities

Disability Services at George Mason University is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students by upholding the laws that ensure equal treatment of people with disabilities. If you are seeking accommodations for this class, please first visit http://ds.gmu.edu/ for detailed information about the Disability Services registration process. Then please discuss your approved accommodations with me. Accommodation requests should be completed during the first two weeks of the semester. More information about ODS is available at https://ds.gmu.edu/.

University Policies

The University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, is the central resource for university policies affecting students, faculty, and staff conduct in university academic affairs. Other policies are available at http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu. All members of the university community are responsible for knowing and following established policies.

Anti-Racism Statement

As a member of the George Mason University community, the College of Business plays an integral role in building an educational environment that is committed to anti-racism and inclusive excellence. An anti-racist approach to higher education acknowledges the ways that individual, interpersonal, institutional, and structural manifestations of racism against Black individuals and other people of color contribute to inequality and injustice in our classrooms, on our campuses, and in our communities, and it strives to provide our community members with resources to interrupt cycles of racism so as to cultivate a more equitable, inclusive, and just environment for all of our students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends, regardless of racial background.

The School of Business has an Honor Code violation penalty matrix approved by the faculty. Below is the penalty matrix used in this course if academic violations are identified.

Costello Recommendations for Honor Code Violations (Approved November 2021)
UG-Non Freshman Students (including transfer students)
Type of Violation Sanction

Plagiarism

  1. Failure to cite/attribute sources
  2. Representing someone else’s work as the student’s own (e.g., copying and pasting)
 An F in the class; referral to the Writing Center; and relevant Academic Integrity seminar/training completion

Cheating

  1. On a minor assignment (e.g., homework, quizzes)
  2. Cheating on a major assignment or exam, submitting course work from another course as original work

An F in the class; and relevant Academic Integrity seminar/training completion 

An F in the class; and relevant Academic Integrity seminar/training completion, and at least one semester suspension
Lying (e.g., providing fraudulent excuse documents, falsifying data) An F in the class; and relevant Academic Integrity seminar/training completion, and at least one semester suspension
Egregious Violation (e.g., stealing an exam; submitting coursework from another class as original work across multiple courses; lying to an employer about academic performance, false identification or posing as another, in person or online) An F in the class, relevant Academic Integrity seminar/training completion; and at least one year suspension

Notes:

  1. The Costello College of Business reserves the right to initiate termination proceedings for any student found guilty of an Honor Code violation by the Office of Academic Integrity.
  2. The Office of Academic Integrity may increase these sanctions (up to and including expulsion from the university) for repeated offenses.

 

(Example) Course Schedule
# Date Chp Topic In-class Problems Supplemental Problems
1   2 An Introduction to Cost Terms and Purposes 21, 22, 31 23, 26, 32
2   2 An Introduction to Cost Terms and Purposes (cont’d)    
           
3   2 An Introduction to Cost Terms and Purposes (cont’d)    
4   5 Activity-Based Costing & Activity-Based Management 19, 21 18, 20, 23, 28, 30
           
5   5 Activity-Based Costing & Activity-Based Management (cont’d)    
      [HW#1- Chp2]    
6   6 Master Budgeting and Responsibility Accounting 21, 42 22, 23, 24, 43
           
7   6 Master Budgeting and Responsibility Accounting (cont’d)    
      [HW#2- Chp5]    
8   7 Flexible Budgets, Direct-Cost Variances, and Management Control 23, 29 21, 22, 27, 30
           
9   7 Flexible Budgets, Direct-Cost Variances, and Management Control (cont’d) ; Pre-MT1 Review; [HW#3- Chp 6]    
10     Midterm Exam #1    
           
11   8 Review MT1; Flexible Budgets, Overhead Variances, and Management Control 23, 24 21, 22, 26, 29
12   8 Flexible Budgets, Overhead Cost Variances, and Management Control (cont’d)    
           
13   9 Inventory Costing and Capacity Analysis 21, 26 22, 25, 29, 30
14   9 Inventory Costing and Capacity Analysis (cont’d)    
      [HW#4- Chp 7 & 8]    
           
15   10 Determining How Costs Behave 31, 33, 34 21, 23, 26, 27
16   10 Determining How Costs Behave (cont’d)    
      [Writing Assignment]    
           
17   11 Decision Making and Relevant Information 24, 25 22, 23, 28, 30, 33
18   11 Decision Making and Relevant Information (cont’d)    
      [HW#5- Chp 9]    
           
19   11 Decision Making and Relevant Information (cont’d)    
20   12 Strategy, Balanced Scorecard, and Strategic Profitability Analysis;
Pre-MT2 Review		   19, 20, 22, 28
      [HW#6- Chp 10]    
           
      Election Day – no class    
21     Midterm Exam #2    
      [HW#7- Chp 11]    
           
22   13 Review MT2; Pricing Decisions and Cost Management 23, 31 17, 19, 20, 22
23   13 Pricing Decisions and Cost Management (cont’d)    
           
24   14 Cost Allocation, Customer Profitability Analysis, and Sales-Variances 27, 28 18, 19, 20, 23
25   14 Cost Allocation, Customer Profitability Analysis, and Sales-Variances (cont’d)    
      [HW#8- Chp 13]    
           
26   21 Capital Budgeting and Cost Analysis 24, 25 21, 22, 23, 26, 27
      Thanksgiving Day – no class    
           
27   21 Capital Budgeting and Cost Analysis (cont’d)    
      [HW#9- Chp 14]    
28   21 Capital Budgeting and Cost Analysis (cont’d); 
Pre-Final Review		    
           
29     Comprehensive Final Exam, 10:30 am – 1:15 pm    
      [HW#10- Chp 21]    
  • All MyAccountingLab Homework and Writing Assignments are due online by end of the due days in MyAccountingLab wesite and Blackboard, respectively.
  • The professor reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the syllabus with appropriate announcements in class or on Blackboard. Inability to access the course page or failure to read emails cannot be an excuse for late submissions or missing an assignment.