Rider University

PMBA 8020 Fundamentals of Accounting

Dr. Larry M. Prober
Fall 2014

Course Description:
This course is designed for those students having no previous knowledge of accounting. The
subject is approached from the point of view of the user of accounting information rather than
the accountant who supplies the information. The course surveys mechanics of accounting as a
means to an end, emphasizing accounting as a tool of management and the language of business.
Problems and short cases bring out the managerial implications of accounting including the
analysis of specific accounts and how to analyze areas such as liquidity, solvency, and
profitability. A financial statement analysis project will help students integrate material covered
throughout the course.
Course Objectives:
1) To understand accounting principles and related disclosures necessary for analyzing
financial statements
2) To develop the skills necessary for interpreting financial statement information
3) To develop a background in financial decision making and the role of accounting
information in those decisions
4) To understand the ethical implications of accounting in financial reporting
5) To improve communicative skills in the context of financial reporting

Grading:
Mid-term Examination
35%
Final Examination
30%
Financial Statement Analysis Project 20%
Class Assignments & Participation
15%

Text: Financial Accounting for MBAs, 6th Edition, Easton, Wild, Halsey & McAnally,
Cambridge Business Publishers (2015)

PMBA 8020 Fundamentals of Accounting

Course Schedule (Fall 2014)
Class

TOPICS

ASSIGNMENTS

1&2.

Introduction and Overview

of Financial Accounting, Financial
Statements, Users, and
Industry/Strategy Analysis

Module 1 M1-21,E1-28, P1- 35,44,47

2&3

Financial Statements and Transactions,

Revenues and Expenses, Analyzing
Transactions on the Financials
Constructing Financial Statements

Module 2 E2- 29,33 P2-40,41

Management Applications 52

Analyzing and Interpreting Financial

Statements including Liquidity, Solvency,
and Profitability Ratios
Reporting and Analyzing Operating
Income including Revenue Recognition,
R&D, Restructurings, Income Tax
Expense, Discontinued Operations,
Extraordinary Items, Accounting Quality

Module 4 M4-21, 22 E4- 26, 31 P4-40

Management Application 56

Reporting & Analyzing Operating Assets

such as Receivables, Inventory, Plant &
Equipment
Mid-term Examination

Module 6 M6- 12,15,16,18,20 E622,27,28,37 P6- 38

Reporting & Analyzing Non-owner

Financing including Bonds and Bond
Ratings (Credit Analysis)

Module 7 M7- 9,12,15 E7- 23, 24, 29 P739 Management Application 51 FSA
Project Requirements

3&4

5.

6.

7.

8.
9&10.

Module 3 M3-12, E3-26

Mid-module Review 2, Management
Application 55
(Ignore Journal Entries)

Module 5 M5- 13,16 E5- 30,

Management Application 51

WEEK

TOPICS

READINGS/ASSIGNMENTS

10&11

Reporting & Analyzing Owner Financing

including Preferred Stock, Common
Stock, Stock Issuance, Splits, Dividends,
and Stock Buybacks

Module 8 M8- 25, 26, 27 E8-43, 44 P8-50

Assigned Readings

11&12.

Accounting for Investments (Pages 1-16)

Passive Investments Only
Reporting & Analyzing Off-balance Sheet
Financing (Leases)

Module 9 M9- 12,20

Assigned Readings
Module 10 M10- 11

13.

Forecasting the Financials (Income

Statement)

Module 11M11- 12
FSA Projects Due

14.

FINAL EXAMINATION

12&13.

Academic Honesty & Student Integrity:

Academic dishonesty includes any unauthorized collaboration or misrepresentation in the
submission of academic work. In all written work, whether in class or out of class, including
homework, assignments and discussion board postings, the students name on the work is
considered to be a statement that the work is his or hers alone, except as otherwise indicated.
Students are expected to provide proper citations for the statements and ideas of others whether
submitted word for word or paraphrased. Failure to provide proper citations will be considered
plagiarism and offenders will be subject to the charge of plagiarism specified in the statement of
regulations.
Similarly, students are expected to adhere to all regulations pertaining to examination conduct.
These regulations are designed to insure that the work submitted by the student on examinations
is an honest representation of that students effort and that it does not involve unauthorized
collaboration, unauthorized use of notes during the exam, or unauthorized access to prior
information about the examination.
Use of solutions by other students is considered academic dishonesty.
Failure to comply with these regulations will result in a failing grade for the course and further
actions as noted in The Source Student Handbook (available at
http://www.rider.edu/thesource ).

This syllabus is the intellectual property of Larry M. Prober and any use of it, in whole or
in part, without my explicit and express permission is a violation of my legal rights and
will open the user to potential legal action.
Copyright 2014 by Larry Prober