Accounting Fundamentals, Certificate
For students whose positions include bookkeeping and basic accounting responsibilities, the 18-credit Accounting Fundamentals Certificate provides a solid foundation, grounded in the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) that govern the accounting profession. Coursework progresses to the software tools that facilitate accounting processes and the laws of taxation that impact each transaction, overlain at each level with the legal and ethical constructs that govern all business relationships.
Accounting Fundamentals Certificate Mission Statement
The Accounting Fundamentals Certificate provides students with a foundation in the basic practices of accounting, based upon the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) that govern the accounting profession, the software tools that facilitate accounting processes in today’s businesses, the laws of taxation that impact each transaction, and the ethical constructs that form the basis for all business relationships.
Accounting Fundamentals Certificate Learning Objectives
On completion of the Accounting Fundamentals Certificate, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Identify and apply the moral and ethical principles, social responsibilities, and laws that govern business entities, transactions, and managerial decisions.
- Demonstrate mastery of the financial accounting process, including the identification, recording, and communication of accounting information in financial statements and annual reports to external users, based upon generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and using Excel.
- Identify the information conveyed in each of the basic financial statements and understand the manner in which it is used by investors, creditors, regulators, and managers.
- Differentiate between the concepts of financial and managerial accounting, illustrating the primary activities and informational needs of managers.
- Master the proper application and use of Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, and other accounting software as tools in the data processing cycle.
- Apply the laws and concepts of sales and income taxation and the tax formulas and components necessary to calculate taxable income and federal income tax liabilities for individuals, corporations, and other entities to assess the effects of personal, investment, and business transactions upon tax liability.