Integrating Intermediate and Principles: A Better Course Design for Accounting Majors

• In Event: Reception with Effective Learning Strategies Posters

Abstract

Much of what is taught in the first Intermediate Accounting course is a repeat of the material taught in the Principles of Financial Accounting course. Integrating the repetitive Intermediate and Principles material is an effective teaching strategy. This innovative approach in accounting education will benefit our accounting students in numerous ways. This approach allows for a better one-time comprehensive and in depth coverage and understanding of recording transactions and accrual accounting concepts. The integration also provides for more time to cover intermediate accounting topics which should result in better outcomes on the CPA exam.

The integration is accomplished by creating a principles of accounting class for accounting majors only, followed by three more semesters of intermediate accounting. The course titles could even be changed to “Financial Accounting and Reporting I-IV”. This would eliminate the need to re-teach accounting cycle topics that are traditionally covered in both the principles course and first intermediate course.

This new four course sequence will provide a much more meaningful coverage of financial accounting for students than the current principles and intermediate structure.

Authors

• Biagio Pilato, St John's University

• Mark Ulrich, St. John's University