Online BS in Accounting: Curriculum
Curriculum Details
124 TOTAL CREDIT HOURS REQUIRED
EIGHT-WEEK TERMS
TWO TERMS = ONE SEMESTER
Methodist University’s 100% online bachelor’s in accounting program consists of a real-world, innovative curriculum that will prepare you to enter the dynamic and evolving business field. With online accounting courses that cover subjects like the principles of financial accounting, federal income taxation, cost accounting, managerial and organizational accounting, and managerial finance, you will develop a skill set to become a leader across an array of financial environments.
The BS requires students to take 15 credit hours (c.h.) to satisfy the degree’s Reeves School of Business Foundation Core Requirements, 15 c.h. to satisfy the degree’s Reeves School of Business Professional Core Requirements, 15 c.h. in required accounting courses, and nine c.h. in electives.
Students who have already completed their Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in accounting or business should refer to our BAS in Accounting course outline.
Additionally, the program features a focus on online accounting courses for CPA preparation. As a result, you will engage with coursework that will ultimately prepare you to take the CPA in North Carolina and a number of other states after graduation.
Optional Health Care Administration Concentration
You can also select an optional Health Care Administration concentration that includes five core courses (15 c.h.) and at least three concentration electives (9 c.h.). This concentration requires five years* of experience in a health-related field for graduation.
*Students pursuing this concentration who do not have a minimum of five years’ work experience (documented) in a health-related organization must take HCA 4800 Health Care Internship course (3 c.h.).
Note: For students in the BS in Accounting program, the Business Administration minor is already built into your program’s curriculum. To officially add this minor to your degree, contact your advisor.
Foundation Core Courses
Credits
Fundamentals of financial accounting, with an emphasis on understanding the use of the accounting information system and analyzing and interpreting financial accounting information. Required of all accounting, business, financial economics, and marketing majors, and usually taken in the sophomore year. Prerequisites: completion of 12 semester hours or permission of the instructor, department chair, or school dean
Completion of fundamentals of financial accounting, with an emphasis on analysis and interpretation of business operations, and an introduction to managerial accounting. Required of all accounting, business, financial economics, and marketing majors, and usually taken in the sophomore year. Prerequisites: ACC 1510, MAT 1050 or higher, or permission of the instructor, department chair, or school dean
Inferential statistics using business and economics data. Principal topics: probability, hypothesis testing, regression and correlation, and time series and forecasting. Prerequisite: MAT 1050 or permission of the instructor, department chair, or school dean
Aggregate income measurement and analysis, fiscal and monetary policy, inflation, unemployment, and other current issues.
Price theory applied to product and resource markets with emphasis on pricing and output decisions under various market conditions.
Professional Core Courses
Credits
Survey of the management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling within both structural and behavioral contexts. Emphasis is given to individual behavior, interpersonal relationships, small groups, inter-group relations, leadership, and change within the various structures of contemporary formal organizations. Also, involves the study of organizational structure including the design of centralization, formalization, and complexity. Student teams are used to study course content through case studies and to experience the dynamics of team membership.
Management of funds from the corporate perspective, with emphasis on security valuation, risk analysis, financial forecasting, capital budgeting, capital structure components and their costs, and dividend policy. Prerequisites: ACC 1520, BUS 2160, and ECO 1520, or permission of the instructor, department chair, or school dean.
The organization and theory of the American legal system and its relationship with the business environment, including contracts, tort law, and parts of the Uniform Commercial Code and its provisions concerning sales, the law of agency, and employment law. Prerequisites: ENG 1020 or ENG 1040 or permission of the instructor, department chair, or school dean.
A capstone course conducted with case method. Examination of external and internal environments of business. Analysis of the formulation and implementation of organizational strategy, both in private and not-for-profit sectors. Integration of prior studies in accounting, economics, management, marketing, law, and behavior. This course includes administration of a major field test in business as the required exit exam for all seniors in the Reeves School of Business. Prerequisites: BUS 3320, BUS 1510, BUS 3150 (or BUS 3200 or PHI 3200 or SMA 3400), or ACC 3410, and BUS 3520, and MKT 1510, or permission of the instructor, department chair, or school dean.
Study of marketing: models of buyer behavior, functions, channels of distribution, promotion strategies, and pricing policies. Emphasis is on the use of marketing variables in decision-making.
Required Accounting Courses
Credits
A study of financial accounting functions and theory, including recognition and measurement of assets and liabilities.
Accounting for long-term liabilities and investments; stockholders’ equity and earnings per share calculations; issues relating to income measurement; and the preparation and analysis of financial statements.
Introductory cost accounting course which emphasizes cost behavior, budgeting, cost management in a manufacturing environment, using costing systems in strategic decision making, and profit planning.
Federal income tax law with emphasis on the individual. Filing status, gross income, exclusions, deductions, adjusted gross income, and tax credits are analyzed. Property transactions and special tax treatment for businesses is also studied.
Auditing theory and practice, standards and procedures, rules of professional conduct, and related materials of professional importance.
Elective Courses
Credits
- Select 9 s.h. from any 3000 or 4000 level electives in Accounting.
- For those planning to take the Certified Public Accountant exam, ACC 4630 and ACC 4810 are recommended.
- An elective course for any Reeves School of Business major may only be used to meet the requirements of one major.
- A required class in any Reeves School of Business major may not be used as an elective for another Reeves School of Business major.
Optional Health Care Administration Concentration – Required Courses
Credits
A study of the United States health care system, its nature, organization, and functions. Study of how providers, managers, and consumers interact in the health care system. Current issues, with an emphasis on legislative initiatives, are studied.
Introduces prefixes, suffixes, and word roots used in the language of medicine. Topics include medical vocabulary and the terms that relate to anatomy, physiology, pathological conditions, and treatment of the conditions that can affect the eleven systems of the human body. Upon completion, students should be able to pronounce, spell, define, understand, and interpret over 11,000 medical terms as related to the body’s systems and their pathological disorders.
An introduction to the overall management of health-related organizations. Emphasis is on integrating fundamental tools, concepts, applications and principles as a basis for successful management of a health-related business. Focus is on managerial leadership, problem solving and critical thinking within contemporary health care-related organizations.
An introduction to health economics and financial management applications in health-related organizations. Specific information is presented concerning reimbursement systems, insurance, accounting, Medicare/Medicaid, investment decisions, capital financing, government regulations, liability issues, accessibility, budgeting, and human resources. National health insurance and state/local initiatives will be discussed.
The capstone course for the health care administration major and it synthesizes material from entire curriculum. The focus is upon the health care administrator as a professional. Classroom material is integrated with experimental learning through a major research project.
Optional Health Care Administration Concentration – Elective Courses (Choose Three)*
Credits
An introduction to the strategic management process in health care organizations. Provides the concepts and theories pertaining to strategic planning/management and marketing approaches to patients, medical staff, and other major stakeholders. A comprehensive approach to translating the strategic plan of the organization into a functional marketing plan that can assist in operational decision-making.
The course will serve as an introductory course in health care organizational behavior. This course examines the nature and dynamics of organizational behavior affecting the health services administrator and other individuals. The course aims to develop students’ awareness of their own behavior and how it can affect their work within health services organizations. Behavioral patterns, organizational design, organizational development and assessment are studied in order to guide students in the decision making process within health organizations and their role as health services administrators.
The course covers fundamental concepts of management information systems; current and developing health and business information systems of interest to managers in health services organizations; healthcare information system architecture; security and privacy issues; uses of healthcare information for clinical and strategic analysis and decision support; techniques required to develop and evaluate an information system request for proposal; and thoughts on the future of healthcare information systems including community health and Web-based access to health information. The course will also cover current information and issues regarding the latest technology applications.
The student examines significant health care policy issues. Special emphasis is given to public policies with broad implications, such as Medicare, regulation, and financial assistance for the uninsured. The process of policy decision making is explored. Methods and approaches for the research of policy issues are reviewed.
Learning operational aspects of the health care industry through a minimum of 200-hour work experience via placement within a health care facility or related organization. Supervision and evaluation are conducted by a faculty member and an on-site preceptor. Weekly classroom contact and written reports with the instructor is required. Placement involves discussions with student, faculty, and on-site preceptor. The intern develops managerial skills through varied experiences in the performance of administrative tasks and through direct participation in the problem-solving process.
*Currently, all students (traditional or non-traditional) who do not have a minimum of five years’ work experience (documented) in a health-related organization will be required to take the HCA 4800 Health Care Administration Internship course as a requirement for graduation within the Health Care Administration degree.
Request More Information
If you’d like to learn more about Methodist University’s application process, admissions requirements, tuition and financial aid or specific program details, fill out this form, and we’ll be in touch shortly.