BENTLEY UNIVERSITY

GB212 – PRACTICE AND APPLICATIONS IN ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE

FALL 2018 – Sections 003 and 004

INSTRUCTOR: Paul Therrien

OFFICE: Location: SMI 114
Office Hours: T&F 9:30-10:30, 2:00-3:30 or by Appointment
Telephone: 978-808-8492
E-mail: [email protected]
Course Blackboard Site: GB212 AllSections FA18
Class Blackboard Site: GB212.FA18.Therrien.Practice & Applic in AC & FI

EY Department Assistants:
Tutoring: Evan Leva; [email protected]
Technical Help: Monica Levy; [email protected]

COURSE MATERIALS:
Customized text (electronic and printed) containing selected material from Finance (3e) by Cornett, Adair, and
Nofsinger; Financial Accounting (9e) by Libby, Libby, and Hodge; Understanding Business (11e) by Nickels,
McHugh, and McHugh; and Managerial Accounting (3e) by Whitecotton, Libby, and Phillips. ISBN:
9781260218831.

McGraw-Hill’s Connect® is REQUIRED for this course.

Course ID for Connect® Registration: Section 003: therrien003_fa18
Section 004: therrien004_fa18

If you have any problems using Connect, call 1-800-331-5094

Real Life Short Cases for the Accounting Classroom. Thibodeau, Freier, and Thibodeau. ISBN:
9780998322216.

Texas Instruments BA II Plus Financial Calculator.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The primary objective of this course is to extend the foundational understanding of accounting and finance
concepts and tools introduced in GB112. This course takes students from an elementary understanding of the
prepared financial statements and introduces how to use them in financial decision-making. It covers the
analysis of these statements and the budgeting process using these statements as a starting point for future
forecasts. Students will study the funding decisions facing a firm. They will extend their understanding of basic
valuation techniques by learning more advanced techniques for valuing both the securities used to raise these
funds and the projects to be funded. Students are exposed to ethical decision making in business.

COURSE GOALS:
The purpose of this course is to teach students the basics of finance and accounting so that they will be able to
appreciate the role and importance of these functions in business. The course will cover several finance and
accounting topics including the statement of cash flows, the time value of money, valuing investments, financial
statement analysis, and using accounting and finance information for management decision-making. Ethical
dilemmas will be presented and explored through relevant cases.

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STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The overall objective is to provide students with an understanding of why accounting and finance information is
important and how it is used in evaluating a company’s performance. Students will be able to:

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

The overall objective is to provide students with an understanding of why accounting and finance information is
important and how it is used in evaluating a company’s performance. Students will be able to:

Knowledge
 Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the fundamentals of finance and its integration into
business investment and financing decisions, incorporating the use of financial reporting.
 Identify ethical and legal responsibilities to stakeholders.
Skills
 Use the analytical tools and techniques, along with the concepts and methods of accounting and finance.
This will build on the students’ understanding of accounting conventions, definitions and principles
introduced in GB112 and will allow them to develop an understanding of the procedures that affect the
use of analytical tools and techniques in financial statement analysis.
 Relate various objectives of financial statement users to relevant accounting information found in the
financial statements and other types of financial information.
 Extend student ability to integrate and employ the financial databases available through the Internet and
the ACELAB for financial reporting, analysis and interpretation.
 Demonstrate more advanced problem-solving skills in financial valuation (e.g., stocks, bonds and
project valuation).
 Concisely and clearly convey the key issues in current business events.
 Demonstrate basic problem-solving skills in financial valuation (e.g., time value of money and security
valuation).
Perspectives
 Demonstrate understanding of the role of finance and accounting in global society as appropriate.
 Consider a problem and solution in the context of a globally connected economy.
 Consider a problem and solution in the context of ethics and social responsibility.

TOOLS NEEDED:
1. The course materials listed above.
2. Computer access including access to the Internet and E-mail (access to the GB212 AllSections Fall 2018
blackboard site is required since many handouts and other information will be distributed via this site).
3. A word processing software package and a spreadsheet package (such as Word and Excel).

COURSE ROUTINE AND EXPECTATIONS:

As reflected in the objectives, this course is student-oriented. It requires active learning, which means that each
student must take responsibility for the learning that takes place. This is not intended to be a knowledge
transfer process; it is intended to be a shared learning experience. In each class we (students and instructor) will
discuss assigned readings, cases, questions, exercises, and problems. Therefore, each student must come
prepared to participate actively and intelligently in class discussions. Attendance at all classes is very
important. Unexcused absences will negatively impact your grade.

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The following are expectations for all class meetings:
 Students are expected to arrive on time prepared with the material assigned for that day.
 Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions.
 Students are required to turn off and put away cell phones, smart phones and similar devices.
 Students are responsible for material covered in any missed classes.

The workload for this course is heavy because key concepts and terminology must be mastered in a relatively
short period of time. In addition, students will be required to engage in critical thinking and exercise judgment
in dealing with practical situations (rather than relying on memorization of material).

On average, students should expect to spend at least twice the amount of actual class time on advance
preparation for each class to ensure that they have completed the assigned readings and made a sincere
effort to complete the homework problems scheduled for class discussion. Time to complete projects and
other assigned activities are in addition to class preparation time.

THE BENTLEY ACADEMIC HONESTY SYSTEM:

“Learning is a privilege that demands responsibility. At Bentley, students and faculty are
members of an academic community that supports integrity, both inside and outside the
classroom. The expectation at Bentley is that students will take advantage of the opportunity for
intellectual development and, in doing so, will conduct themselves in a manner consistent with
the standards of academic integrity. When these standards are violated or compromised,
individuals and the entire Bentley community suffer.”
Fair Use of Copyright Materials - All course materials, including library reserves, are for teaching purposes for
this course during this term only. Lectures and course materials, including PowerPoint presentations, outlines,
tests, and similar materials are protected by copyright even if there is no copyright notice on the material. You
may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own use. You may NOT reproduce or distribute
these materials publicly, without the instructor’s express written consent. Please see Fair Use of Copyright
Materials for more information.

From the Student Handbook - All students have access to Bentley’s academic integrity policy on Blackboard
(via the Academic Integrity course page) and the Undergraduate Student Handbook. The best way to avoid a
problem is to consult with your instructor before taking any action that might constitute a violation.

Students who engage in acts of academic dishonesty not only face university censure but also may harm their
future educational and employment opportunities. In other words, don’t bring unauthorized materials into
exams, don’t plagiarize someone else’s work, and make sure that your collaborations are conducted in
accordance with university and course policy.”

Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and understanding the academic honesty guidelines
presented in the Student Handbook and on the GB212 ALLSECTIONS Blackboard site. Academic
dishonesty in this course will result in penalties, including the possibility of failure of the course.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:

Bentley University abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 which stipulate no student shall be denied the benefits of an education solely by reason of a
disability.  If you have a hidden or visible disability which may require classroom accommodations, please call
the Office of Disability Services within the first 4 weeks of the semester to schedule an appointment.  The
Office of Disability Services is located in the Office of Academic Services (JEN 336, 781.891.2004).  The

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Office of Disability Services is responsible for managing accommodations and services for all students with
disabilities.

THE WRITING CENTER:

The Writing Center offers one-on-one tutoring to students of all years and skill levels. Located on the lower
level of the Bentley library (room 023), the Writing Center provides a welcoming and supportive environment
in which students can work on writing from any class or discipline. Writers are encouraged to visit at all stages
of the writing process; they can come with a draft, an outline, or just some initial thoughts and questions.
 
Staffed by highly skilled student tutors, the Writing Center is open six days a week. Drop-ins are welcome, but
appointments are encouraged and can be made online at bentley.mywconline.net or by phone at
781.891.3173. For hours and additional information, visit our website at bentley.edu/writing-center.

THE ESOL CENTER: 

The ESOL Center offers writing and English language support to students who are English Speakers of Other
Languages (ESOL).  Our faculty tutors specialize in working with multilingual writers and can provide
feedback and strategies on writing for all your course and career-related writing.  You're welcome to come in
for help at any stage of the writing process, from the brainstorming and organizing point through the final
drafting stage.  In addition, you can receive support related to source documentation, Power Point slide reviews,
oral presentation practice, and pronunciation along with conversation fluency and enrichment.  The ESOL
Center is located on the lower level of the Bentley Library, Room 026.  Day and evening appointments can be
scheduled through https://bentleyesol.mywconline.net/ or by dropping by the ESOL Center to see if a faculty
tutor is available.  Because of the high demand for appointments, however, we encourage scheduling a time in
advance. 

EVALUATION: Note: There is no extra credit in this course.

The course grade will be based upon the following weights:
Two in-class examinations1 45%
Comprehensive final exam1 25%
Course project2 13%
Homework3 3%
LearnSmart Self-Study4 6%
Evening Program5 2%
Participation, Professionalism, Attendance and Preparedness6 6%

Total 100%
1
Two examinations will be given in the regular classroom during the normal class time. The lower exam score of the two exams will
be weighted 20% and the higher exam score will be weighted 25%. The final exam will be a comprehensive exam scheduled on
Saturday, May 4th, 11:00-1:00 pm. Text-capable technologies, including cell phones, smart phones, wearable technology and similar
devices, will not be allowed for exams. If an exam is missed for a valid reason (e.g., death in the family, a religious holiday, or a
documented illness), an opportunity to take a special examination will be provided, subject to approvals by the instructor and the
course coordinator,

2
The course project will require small teams of students. The project will involve completion of a Team Contract, and may require the
use of the Bentley University Library and other electronic resources. It will also require the completion of peer evaluations. See
separate handout for details, including required reports and analyses.

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3
Your instructor will collect four random manual homework assignments at the beginning of class or via Blackboard assignments.
Please make sure you understand your instructor’s collection policy. These will be evaluated based on completion and effort,
therefore, they will not require 100% accuracy to achieve full credit. You can miss ONE of these without penalty. Note that if you
are absent from class, you must turn in the homework prior to the class meeting time in order to receive credit.
4
You will use LearnSmart® (LS) technology in Connect® to prepare for many classes. Your work in LS will be reviewed by your
instructor and each activity will be graded on a pass/fail basis, with a 70% mastery per assignment required for a ‘pass.’ The lowest
score (e.g., one ‘fail’ score) will be dropped from the calculation of this component of your overall course grade. LearnSmart (LS)
assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. on the night before the date shown on the syllabus.
5
In order to earn this two percent of the course grade, you need to watch a videotape of this program and prepare and submit the
required homework problem on the date required by your course professor.

6
Attendance, contributions to class discussions (i.e., meaningful participation, both individually and as a group member) and
preparedness are important aspects of active learning. This course is the first of many designed to help you become a successful
professional. As such, you are expected to act in a professional manner throughout the course. As in the workplace, you are expected
to come prepared to all class meetings and to participate. Conduct that unduly disrupts or interferes with class, such as texting,
surfing the Internet, or off-topic sidebar conversation is neither professional nor acceptable. This conduct is not fair to the other
students in class and will result in a reduction in your course grade.

Official University Closings:

In the event that Bentley University has an official “Snow Day, late opening, or early closing”, our missed class
will be made up as soon as possible. If an exam is missed, it will be given in the next class meeting.

The first option for a makeup will be to hold class at the regularly scheduled time using “Zoom”. This requires
that students check their email because the invitation to join the session will arrive via email. This option is
very easy from the student perspective and has been successful and popular when used in the past.

Should your instructor lose power at home, or should Bentley be without power, then we will make up the class
at the earliest possible time using an early morning meeting for the next class, an activity period, or a meeting
on Friday afternoon after 3:00 p.m. The goal will be to keep the class on schedule as much as possible. It is
critical that you constantly check email in these situations to be up to date on how and when the class is being
made up.

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 GB212 – FALL 2018
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS1

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 Class Topic Reading Due on this Textbook Homework
Date2 (M,E,PA,PB,S,BP,IP,AP)4,
LearnSmart (LS),
Other
Due on this Date3
1 Welcome: Introduction
to Class
8/28
Review of Financial
Statements
2 Continued E11-3, E11-4
Review of Financial Bring Laptop to Class
Statements
8/31 Review of Concepts of
Accrual Accounting

In-Class Survey
3 Managerial Accounting Chapter 26 LS – Day 3, Chapter 26
and Cost Terminology
9/4
Cost Terminology M26-1, M26-5,M26-10

4 Continued E26-4, E26-9 (without

Managerial Accounting prime or conversion),
9/7 and Cost Terminology
PA26-4 (eliminate
requirements 2d,e),
5 Overhead Allocation Chapter 29 LS – Day 5, Chapter 29
pp. 1054-1072
1
Ch 9/11 ang
M29-1, E29-7
es to
this
6 Continued Chapter 30 LS – Day 6, Chapter 30
Overhead Allocation pp. 1104-1112;
9/14 Cost Behavior pp. 1120-1123 M29-2, E29-9, M30-2

7 Continued Chapter 31
Cost Behavior pp. 1154- 1172 LS – Day 7, Chapter 31
9/18 Cost, Volume Profit M30-15, E30-1,
M31-1, M31-5

8 Continued Chapter 32 LS – Day 8, Chapter 32

Cost, Volume Profit pp. 1202- 1211;
9/21
Short Term Decision pp. 1214- 1217 E31-3, E31-4, M32-3
Making
9 Comprehensive Problem Qwest: Revenue Qwest: Question 1
Recognition Principle M32-5, E32-7
9/25
Review (TFT)
Day 9 Problem
Class Topic Reading Due on this Textbook Homework
Date2 (M,E,PA,PB,S,BP,IP,AP)4,
LearnSmart (LS),
Other
Due on this Date3
10 Exam 1
9/28
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Forecasting 33, Part 1
10/2 Chapter 33
schedule are possible - please stay informed! Check the GB212 AllSections Fall 2018 Blackboard Site regularly for
updates, hints, announcements, etc.
2
There are three ways to view the text. First there is the custom loose-leaf book. Bring the applicable pages of this book
with you to class. There is also a custom e-book on Connect that is particularly useful for on-the-go reading. Finally,
there is the LearnSmart book which interactively guides your reading and directs you to areas where you need more
practice. Items in bold italics are NOT in the textbook and can be found on the AllSections Blackboard Site.

3
Textbook homework, projects, and other items are due at the BEGINNING of class on the due date shown. LearnSmart
assignments (LS) are due 11:59 p.m. on the night before the date shown on the syllabus. If you are unable to attend class or
will arrive late, you must turn in work that is due BEFORE class begins in order to receive credit.
4
Textbook homework is found at the end of the chapters.

Homework Helpers in Connect® are available for some homework problems, but not all. Check Connect if you would
like additional practice.
(5)
You are not responsible for adding the present value of multiple annuities, nor ordinary annuities versus annuities due.
(6)
You are not responsible for accelerated depreciation and the half year convention, choosing between alternative assets
with differing lives (Equivalent Annual Cost), nor flotation costs.
(7)
You are not responsible for payback, discounted payback, modified internal rate of return, nor profitability index.

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