Sep 17, 2025  
GRCC Curriculum Database (2025-2026 Academic Year) 
    
GRCC Curriculum Database (2025-2026 Academic Year)
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BA 256 - Principles of Accounting I


Description
A study of principles of financial accounting. This course includes asset, liability, and stockholders’ equity classifications, the accounting cycle for service businesses and merchandisers, accounting information systems, internal control, control of cash, accounts and notes receivable, inventory, plant assets and depreciation, payroll, current and long term liabilities, including bonds payable.
Credit Hours: 4
Contact Hours: 4
Prerequisites/Other Requirements: None
English Prerequisite(s): None
Math Prerequisite(s): None
Course Corequisite(s): None
Academic Program Prerequisite: None
Consent to Enroll in Course: No Department Consent Required
Dual Enrollment Allowed?: Yes
Number of Times Course can be taken for credit: 1
Programs Where This Course is a Requirement:
Accounting, A.B., Business Administration, A.B., Management and Supervision, A.B., Marketing, A.B., Pre-Business, A.A. (Cornerstone University), Pre-Business, A.A. (General Transfer), Pre-Business Administration, A.A. (Western Michigan University), Pre-Engineering Management Technology, A.A. (Western Michigan University), Pre-Hospitality Management (Specialized Management), A.A. (Ferris State University), Pre-Management, A.B. (3+1, Davenport University),Pre-Management, A.B. (3+1, Davenport University), Pre-Management, A.B. (3+1, Davenport University), Pre-Music and Entertainment Business, A.A. (3 + 1, Ferris State University), Pre-Sport Management, A.A. (Grand Valley State University)
General Education Requirement:
None
General Education Learner Outcomes (GELO):
NA
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify and explain principles of accounting.

2. Analyze business transactions (for service and merchandising corporations) using the accounting equation and then record those transactions using double-entry accounting.

3.  Complete all of the steps in the accounting cycle.

4.  Explain the purpose and principles of internal controls and their limitations.

5.  Reconcile bank statements.

6.  Value accounts receivable by the direct write-off and allowance methods.

7.  Describe procedures for recording notes receivable, including maturity date, interest earned and collection of notes.

8. Demonstrate a working knowledge of accounting for plant assets and intangibles.

9. Calculate and record payroll journal entries, including employee withholdings and employer payroll tax liabilities.

10. Account for current liabilities and long term liabilities, including bonds payable.
Course Outline:
I.   Introduction

     A. Purpose of Accounting

     B. Careers in Accounting

     C. Types of Business Ownership

     D. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

     E. Accounting Equation

II.  The Accounting Cycle

     A. Journalize and Post Transactions

     B. Calculate and Record Adjusting Entries for Deferrals and Accruals

     C. Prepare and Interpret a Classified Balance Sheet, Multiple-Step Income Statement, and Statement of Retained Earnings

     D. Record Closing Entries.

III.  Accounting for Merchandise Transactions, Inventory Valuation, and Cost of Goods Sold

     A. Purchase Transactions with Returns, Discounts, and Freight

     B. Sales Transactions with Returns, Discounts, and Freight

     C. Value Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold with FIFO, LIFO, and Weighted Average

     D. Physical Counts Including in Transit Items and Inventory Shortages

     E. Valuation of Inventories at the Lower of Cost or Market

     F. Control Accounts and Subsidiary Ledgers

IV.  Accounting for Cash

     A. Checking Account

     B. Bank Reconciliation

     C. Petty Cash

     D. Internal Controls

V.  Recording and Valuing Receivables

     A. Direct Write-off Method

     B. Allowance Method

     C. Notes Receivables

VI. Long-term Assets

     A. Acquisition of Plant Assets

     B. Depreciation by Straight-line, Declining Balance, and Units of Production

     C. Disposals by Discard, Sale, or Exchange

     D. Intangible Asset Acquisition and amortization

     E. Natural Resource Depletion

VII. Bonds

     A. Issuing Bonds at Face Value, Premiums, and Discounts

     B. Interest Expense Payments with Effective Interest Amortization

     C. Determining the Initial Issue Price of a Bond

     D. Retire Bonds at Maturity or Prior to Maturity

VIII Current Liabilities

     A. Current Liabilities

     B. Contingent Liabilities

IX.  Payroll Accounting

     A. Employee Earnings and Deductions

     B. Employee and Employer Payroll Taxes

     C. Journalizing Payroll and Taxes


Approved for Online and Hybrid Delivery?:
Yes
Instructional Strategies:
Lecture: 30-60%

Facilitated discussion: 20-60%

Group work: 0-20%

Mediated instruction: 0-20%
Mandatory Course Components:
None
Equivalent Courses:
None
Accepted GRCC Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Credit: None
AP Min. Score: NA
Name of Industry Recognize Credentials: NA

Course prepares students to seek the following external certification:
No
Course-Specific Placement Test: None
Course Aligned with ARW/IRW Pairing: IRW 99
Mandatory Department Assessment Measures:
None
Course Type:
Program Requirement- Offering designed to meet the learning needs of students in a specific GRCC program.
Course Format:
Lecture - 1:1
Total Lecture Hours Per Week: 4
People Soft Course ID Number: 100039
Course CIP Code: 52.9999
Maximum Course Enrollment: 28
High School Articulation Agreements exist?: No
Non-Credit GRCC Articulation Agreement With What Area: No
Identify the Non Credit Programs this Course is Accepted: NA


School: School of Business & Industry
Department: Business
Discipline: BA
First Term Valid: Fall 2019 (8/1/2019)
Faculty Credential Requirements:
Other (list below), Professionally qualified through work experience in field (Perkins Act or Other) (list below)
Faculty Credential Requirement Details:
Business Related Master’s Degree Accounting Related Professional Certification(s) are accepted in leiu of the Master’s Degree.
Major Course Revisions: N/A
Last Revision Date Effective: 20240208T17:17:02
Course Review & Revision Year: 2028-2029



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