School of Accountancy
Assessment: Plan and Results
Program Bachelors of Business Administration, Accounting Major
Master of Business Administration Program (MBA) Accounting Concentration

Master of Taxation
Accountancy PhD
Program mission

Provide the technical and analytical accounting knowledge and skills needed to become a professional in accounting and to pursue a fifth (graduate) year of professional study.

Date October 13, 2005 for FY 2004-05
Assessment Plan
Assessment Results

  Assessment objective

All objectives support the mission statement element "technical and analytical accounting knowledge and skills".

Method of assessment and sampling approach; date assessment administered

Results for the objective

Change in assessment results (from the previous report) for the assessment objective
What will be done differently in the future to improve the program and its assessment

That students in Acct 2101-2102 develop rudimentary accounting skills for solving business problems, individually and collaboratively with technology tools, including:

  • Evaluating business projects
  • Predicting and reporting operating results
  • Managing business risks
  • Analyzing information needed for financing and investing decisions,
  • Communicating recommendations to stakeholders.
      In fall 2004, Acct 2101 was implemented as large lectures with breakout sessions to ensure more comparability across sections. In fall 2005, wireless response pads are being used to (1) provide greater and timelier feedback to students and the instructor and (2) promote more interaction in large classes. Exam performance by learning objective will be analyzed as a function of students using (FY05-06) or not using (FY04-05) response pads.

That students in Acct 4010:

  • Learn to document, critique, and develop financial and non-financial performance measures in response to specific organizational demands for information about performance
  • Develop elementary skills for designing systems for capturing, organizing, and accessing information for performance measurement.
  • Communicate effectively in writing to advise clients and other interested parties about accounting matters. Approved December 2003
      Beginning fall 2005, Acct 4010 will be replaced with Acct 4410, for which the first assessment will be conducted in FY 2005-06.

That students in Acct 4110 learn to:

  • Prepare a complete financial reporting system for external parties consistent with professional standards and judgment.
Exam questions in a section of Acct 4110 Spring 2005
 
Student scores
Learning objective
Mean
Min
Max
Prepare statement of cash flows (SCF) 75% 10% 100%
Prepare journal entries 77% 20% 100%
Explain SCF formats 70% 30% 100%
Record journal entries 70% 10% 95%
Compute inventory value 81% 20% 100%
Explain ceiling and floor constraints 75% 10% 100%
Apply revenue recognition concepts 76% 20% 100%
Identify revenue recognition policies 80% 20% 100%
Compute bond price 62% 0% 100%
Capitalize interest 64% 0% 90%
Identify asset impairment 61% 5% 100%
Account for goodwill 65% 15% 100%
Account for asset sales 63% 10% 100%
Account for debt and equity 83% 10% 100%
Account for leases 75% 0% 97%
Explain leasing incentives 90% 0% 100%
Explain leasing vs. purchase 81% 0% 100%
Explain investment classification 81% 10% 100%
Compute deferred tax amounts 73% 0% 100%
Account for pensions 67% 0% 100%
Account for stock purchases 73% 5% 100%
Present deferred tax amounts 72% 0% 100%
Account for stock options 70% 0% 100%
Explain standard setting: deferred taxes 75% 5% 100%
Interpret pension disclosures 79% 0% 100%
This is the first assessment. For learning objectives with exam scores below 70%, the Powerpoint slides pertaining to them will be refined, the numerical problems discussed in class will be changed, and more class time will be spent on these learning objectives.

  • Apply accounting theory, professional standards and judgment to develop accounting methods for new situations.
      To attain this learning objective, students need access to a GAAP database. In Spring 2005, there was no cost effective way for students to have access to such a database. Starting Fall 2005, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. is offering a one semester student subscription to an online GAAP database for $15. All three sections of ACCT4110 offered in Fall 2005 have two cases assigned for students to attain this learning objective. Student performance on these cases will be evaluated and the necessary actions for improvement will be taken.
  • Make financing, investment and business decisions using financial accounting information.
Exam questions in a section of Acct 4110 Spring 2005
 
Student scores
Learning objective
Mean
Min
Max
Assess a firm's financial strength 80% 35% 95%
Analyze accounts receivable 72% 25% 100%
Analyze inventory 74% 10% 100%
Analyze fixed assets 65% 20% 100%
This is the first assessment. For learning objectives with exam scores below 70%, more class time spent on discussing these learning objectives and the examples used will be refined.

That students in Acct 4210 learn to:

  • Develop appropriate financial and non-financial performance measures for effective planning, evaluation and control of organizations' business processes.
Instructor 1: Exam questions in a section of Acct 4210 spring 2005
Student scores
Mean
Min
Max
86%
57%
99%
This is the first assessment.
  • Add more in-class, small-group exercises; review and grade exercises in class to determine if more work should be done.
  • Develop assessment questions to be used in all sections starting spring 2006.
Instructor 2: Final exam questions in sections of Acct 4210 spring 2005
Student scores
Mean
Min
Max
75%
16%
100%
  • Evaluate the appropriateness of alternative costing systems and methods by considering the unique context of specific product and service organizations.
Instructor 1: Exam questions in a section of Acct 4210 spring 2005
Student scores
Mean
Min
Max
71%
48%
100%
Instructor 2: Final exam questions in sections of Acct 4210 spring 2005
Student scores
Mean
Min
Max
83%
15%
100%
  • Structure and model business problems to evaluate alternatives, conduct sensitivity analysis on assumptions, and analyze outcomes to determine causes of variances.
Instructor 1: Exam questions in a section of Acct 4210 spring 2005
Student score
Mean
Min
Max
83%
61%
99%
Instructor 2: Final exam questions in sections of Acct 4210 spring 2005
Student scores
Mean
Min
Max
78%
0%
100%

That students in Acct 4310 learn to:

  • Query databases to provide insights about business operations and performance.
Projects in all fall 2004 sections of Acct 4310
Student scores: Projects
Mean
Min
Max
83%
0%
99%
This is the first assessment.
  • Specify detail level objectives for each of the four learning objectives and match them to exam questions.
  • Spend more time in class on learning objectives with scores below 70%.
  • Design business processes and represent them with documentation tools.
Projects in all fall 2004 sections of Acct 4310
Student scores: Projects
Mean
Min
Max
76%
0%
99%
  • Design and implement well-structured databases to enable business processes.
Projects in all fall 2004 sections of Acct 4310
Student scores: Projects
Mean
Min
Max
84%
0%
100%
  • Evaluate internal control in information systems and design controls to mitigate risks associated with information systems.
Exam questions in all fall 2004 sections    

That students in Acct 4510 learn to:

  • Identify tax issues in unique fact patterns.
  • Select and apply appropriate tax laws to unique fact patterns.
  • Make investment decisions requiring knowledge of the tax law and its effect.
       

That students in Acct 4610 learn to:

  • Propose and develop assurance services to meet changing needs of organizations and their stakeholders.
  • Apply the opinion formulation process to specific attestation engagements, including performing procedures such as:
    • Developing and executing analytical procedures and tests of controls and
    • Clearly communicating the results of procedures performed as part of the opinion formulation process.
  • Identify and use appropriate electronic and other resources in accomplishing the first two objectives.
       

10/13/05