BS Accounting | Assessment of Learning

Core Learning Goals & Objectives

Program Goal #1:  GAAP Based Financial Statements - Demonstrates ability to properly prepare an intermediate-level, full set of GAAP-based financial statements (without footnote disclosures).    

  1. Student provided all of the required statements (including, income statement, statement of retained earnings, balance sheet, statement of cash flows).
  2. Student properly classified substantially all line items into proper categories (current assets, liabilities, extraordinary losses, etc.).
  3. Student included proper presentation formalities, such as a heading, underlining, dollar signs, and proper alignment of amounts.
  4. Financial statements reported proper amounts.

Program Goal #2:  Income Tax Knowledge - Demonstrates ability to properly prepare a Federal 1040 income tax form with several schedules, such as Schedule C, net profit and loss for a business, D, capital gains and losses, and E, supplemental income.    

  1. Student properly classified substantially all given information as taxable income, deductible expense, or not reportable, in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code and related Treasury Regulations.
  2. Student properly ensured consistency of amounts reported on multiple forms (i.e., Schedule C income tied to that on Form 1040, etc.).
  3. Amount calculated as federal tax liability was substantially correct.

Program Goal #3:  Cost Accounting - Demonstrates, at the intermediate level, an ability to properly use or analyze cost information for the purposes of financial reporting or internal decision-making.    

  1. Student uses product-costing concepts to determine the cost of goods manufactured in a job costing environment.
  2. Student determines a production department's overhead rate in a situation involving service department cost allocation.
  3. Student prepares an intermediate level cash budget.

Outcomes Data

We have compiled data to assess competency objectives through our BS Accounting program courses, These course serves as a comprehensive tool for evaluating progress toward our key objectives and AACSB accreditation standards, as it is a mandatory requirement for all undergraduate students. We have outlined various assessment methods across different areas of the course, which allow us to collect data and measure performance against established benchmarks.

See program outcomes data here: BS Accounting Program

Closing the Loop & Continuous Improvement

When program objective assessments are submitted, the submission form includes a section for a "closing the loop" discussion. This allows for reflection on potential adjustments that could be made to enhance the ongoing improvement of the BS Accounting program. These discussions, along with other efforts, have highlighted areas where changes could be implemented.

Student performance

  • Indirect Data: Student and advisory feedback highlighted the importance of networking and soft skills:
  • Networking Events: In Fall 2023, the department hosted a scavenger hunt with the Accounting Advisory Board, fostering interaction in a relaxed setting. In Spring 2024, students visited "Big 4" and regional firms, resulting in job offers and valuable career insights.
  • Mentoring Program: Advisory Board members mentored students, offering guidance on resumes, course selection, and career navigation. International students received tailored support for entering the U.S. job market. Feedback indicated positive impacts on career readiness.

Potential changes to assessment methods

  • Analytical and Critical Skills Goal: To better achieve this learning outcome, the program increased instructional hours for ACCT 210, reflected in the course outline. Additionally, a common testing assignment replaced the idea of a common final exam in ACCT 110 to standardize assessment across sections, resulting in a measurable score improvement.
  • Technology Goal: After determining that students primarily focused on mathematical functions in Excel, the program introduced a structured template and narrative component to emphasize problem-solving. However, after re-evaluation, the goal was remapped to a more advanced course for better alignment with students' skill levels.
  • GAAP-Based Financial Reporting Goal: Instructional time for the 1040 form was increased in response to assessment findings, leading to improved scores in subsequent cycles.
  • Global Campus Collaboration: A new course, ACCT 489 (Seminar in Accounting), was developed to cover non-GAAP accounting standards, broadening students' international accounting knowledge.