Accounting
Accounting offers theoretical and practical courses for students planning to transfer as accounting majors, career and technical courses that lead to certificates of proficiency and achievement, and professional development courses designed to improve workplace skills. Career options in accounting include positions in the private and public sectors, tax preparation, finance and banking, business ownership, and management.
Contact Information
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Chair: Christina Sharp Dean: Al Taccone |
Department: Business Office: Building OC4800, 760.795.6811 |
Full-Time Faculty
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Eric Carstensen Michael Deschamps Delores Loedel |
Associate Degrees
Associate in Arts Degrees
Accounting
Bookkeeping
Students may earn one of the above-named associate degrees by completing a certificate of achievement and the general education courses required for MiraCosta College's Associate in Arts degree (see Associate Degrees). Students should meet with a MiraCosta counselor to identify required courses and to develop a written educational plan for the specific degree or certificate they wish to earn.
Certificates
Certificate of Achievement
Accounting
Accounting offers theoretical and practical courses for students planning to transfer as accounting majors, career and technical courses that lead to certificates of proficiency and achievement, and professional development courses designed to improve workplace skills. Career options in accounting include positions in the private and public sectors, tax preparation, finance and banking, business ownership, and management.
Students interested in accounting-related careers may choose the Accounting or Bookkeeping certificate program.
An accountant generally works without continuous supervision. He/she has full responsibility for entries to general journals, posting to general ledgers, year-end adjustments, and financial statements. An accountant often supervises one or more bookkeepers and is the primary accounting specialist in a small business. In addition to the training needed by a bookkeeper, an accountant needs extra accounting, business communication, law, income tax, and management training.
A strong demand by the community for accounting specialists provides opportunities within this field.
Program Student Learning Outcome Statement:
- Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to successfully construct and analyze accounting information for the purposes of making business decisions.
The following courses may be taken in any sequence as long as all prerequisites are met.
| Required courses: | ||
| ACCT 201 | Financial Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT 202 | Managerial Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT 145 | Individual Income Tax | 4 |
| or ACCT 146 | Taxation of Business Entities | |
| ACCT 148 | Computer Accounting | 3 |
| or ACCT 104 | Payroll Accounting | |
| ACCT 158 | Business Mathematics | 3 |
| or BUS 204 | Business Statistics | |
| BUS 120 | Introduction to Business | 3 |
| or BUS 130 | Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management | |
| BUS 140 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| or BUS 140H | Legal Environment of Business (Honors) | |
| BUS 290 | Business Communication | 3 |
| or BUS 290H | Business Communication (Honors) | |
| CSIT 110 | Computer Applications | 3 |
| or CSIT 128 | Microsoft Excel for Business | |
| Total Units | 30 | |
Certificate of Achievement
Bookkeeping
Accounting offers theoretical and practical courses for students planning to transfer as accounting majors, career and technical courses that lead to certificates of proficiency and achievement, and professional development courses designed to improve workplace skills. Career options in accounting include positions in the private and public sectors, tax preparation, finance and banking, business ownership, and management.
A bookkeeper generally works under supervision. He/she makes entries in special journals, posts to subsidiary ledgers, and verifies and files source documents. Appropriate training includes accounting, business mathematics, and computer office skills.
A strong demand by the community for bookkeepers assures opportunities within this field.
Program Student Learning Outcome Statement:
- Upon completion of the this program, the student will be able to analyze and record business transactions using double-entry accounting as well as construct and interpret required financial statements.
The following courses may be taken in any sequence as long as all prerequisites are met.
| Required courses: | ||
| ACCT 104 | Payroll Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 145 | Individual Income Tax | 4 |
| or ACCT 147 | Advanced Tax Preparation | |
| ACCT 148 | Computer Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 149 | IRS Volunteer Preparation | 2 |
| ACCT 158 | Business Mathematics | 3 |
| or BUS 204 | Business Statistics | |
| CSIT 110 | Computer Applications | 3 |
| or CSIT 128 | Microsoft Excel for Business | |
| Choose one sequence below: | 8 | |
| Practical Accounting and Practical Accounting II | ||
| Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting | ||
| Total Units | 26 | |
Certificate of Proficiency
Accounting Assistant
This certificate introduces students to the basic components of billing, cost, and accounting functions. Most of the courses in this certificate can be applied to the Accounting and Bookkeeping Certificates of Achievement.
Program Student Learning Outcome Statement:
- Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to analyze and record business transactions using double-entry accounting as well as construct and interpret required financial statements.
| Required courses: | ||
| ACCT 101 | Practical Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT 104 | Payroll Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 148 | Computer Accounting | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Practical Accounting II | ||
| Business Mathematics | ||
| Computer Applications | ||
| Microsoft Excel for Business | ||
| Total Units | 13-14 | |
Certificate of Proficiency
Income Tax Professional
The Income Tax Professional Certificate trains students to work in an entry-level assistant position with an experienced tax preparer or a commercial tax preparation service.
Program Student Learning Outcome Statement:
- Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to successfully analyze financial information and complete a moderately challenging tax return suitable for filing with both the IRS.
| Required courses: | ||
| ACCT 145 | Individual Income Tax | 4 |
| ACCT 146 | Taxation of Business Entities | 4 |
| ACCT 147 | Advanced Tax Preparation | 4 |
| ACCT 148 | Computer Accounting | 3 |
| or CSIT 128 | Microsoft Excel for Business | |
| ACCT 149 | IRS Volunteer Preparation | 2 |
| Total Units | 17 | |
How to Read Course Descriptions
For more detailed information about a course, such as its content, objectives, and fulfillment of a degree, certificate, or general education requirement, please see the official course outline of record, available at http://www.miracosta.edu/governance/coursesandprograms/courseoutlines.html.
Courses
ACCT 101: Practical Accounting
Units: 4
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 4 hours. (0502.00)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This introduction to the field of accounting includes completion of an accounting cycle and related bookkeeping for sole proprietorship service and merchandising businesses. Topics include analyzing and recording business transactions, end-of-period adjustments, preparation of financial statements, and the closing process. The course also covers cash receipts, disbursements and control, and payroll, and it emphasizes a practical approach to accounting through problem solving.
ACCT 102: Practical Accounting II
Units: 4
Prerequisites: ACCT 101.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 4 hours. (0502.00)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course continues the introduction to accounting studied in ACCT 101. Topics include bookkeeping for sole proprietorship, partnership and corporate merchandising businesses with an emphasis on bad debts, notes receivable and payable, inventory, property, plant, equipment, and intangible assets, financial statement analysis, and cash flow. The course emphasizes a practical approach to accounting through problem solving.
ACCT 104: Payroll Accounting
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: ACCT 101 or ACCT 201.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 3 hours. (0502.00)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course provides a comprehensive overview of federal and state payroll laws and their effect on payroll records and required government reports. Topics include laws affecting employers, human resource department procedures and record keeping, payroll accounting system procedures, and payroll forms and publications.
ACCT 145: Individual Income Tax
Units: 4
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 4 hours. (0502.10)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course covers federal and California individual income tax preparation and planning. Topics include filing status, exemptions, income and exclusions, business expenses, itemized deductions, credits, capital gains, depreciation, tax payments, California tax, IRS and FTB, and audits. This California Tax Education Council (CTEC) approved course fulfills the 60-hour qualifying education requirement for California tax preparers and prepares students to meet the federal guidelines for paid tax preparers.
ACCT 146: Taxation of Business Entities
Units: 4
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 4 hours. (0502.10)
Course Typically Offered: Fall
This course introduces the tax issues facing the various types of business entities that operate in the United States. It emphasizes the U.S. tax code and regulations that relate to these entities, and it examines the transactions that most commonly affect them. This course also assists students in preparing to sit for the IRS Enrolled Agent exam.
ACCT 147: Advanced Tax Preparation
Units: 4
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: ACCT 145 or ACCT 146.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 4 hours. (0502.10)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course introduces advanced tax issues facing both individual taxpayers and various taxable entities, including corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts. It emphasizes the U.S. tax code and regulations that relate to these parties, and it examines the complex tax transactions that may affect them, including related party transactions, tax computation, and working with the IRS and FTB on tax administration issues. This course also assists students in preparing to sit for the IRS Enrolled Agent exam.
ACCT 148: Computer Accounting
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: ACCT 101.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 3 hours. (0502.00)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course teaches students how to apply fundamental accounting concepts and principles and analyze business events using commercial business accounting software. Students enter accounting transactions, make adjustments and corrections, create and analyze financial reports, produce and compare financial statements, create a company file, calculate payroll, use advanced software features for loan and asset tracking, and make end-of-year adjustments.
ACCT 149: IRS Volunteer Preparation
Units: 2
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 2 hours. (0502.10)
Course Typically Offered: Fall or Spring
The IRS volunteer programs, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Facilitated Self Assistance (FSA), offer accounting and business majors the opportunity to learn the valuable skill of tax preparation in a real world setting. Students apply their knowledge about existing tax law to prepare tax returns using IRS professional tax preparation software. Upon successful completion of the components of this course, students are eligible to become IRS-certified volunteers.
ACCT 158: Business Mathematics
Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 3 hours. (0502.00)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course meets the needs of business students who wish to gain proficiency in mathematical applications used in the business world. It prepares students for the study of accounting as well as for pre-employment mathematics tests common to office employment. Applications include trade and cash discounts, markups and markdowns, simple interest and simple discount, compound interest, annuities and sinking funds, consumer credit, building wealth through investments, mortgages, and insurance.
ACCT 201: Financial Accounting
Units: 4
Prerequisites: None
Advisory: ACCT 101.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 4 hours. (0502.00)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course explores what financial accounting is, why it is important, and how it is used by investors and creditors to make decisions. It covers the accounting information system and the recording and reporting of business transactions with a focus on the accounting cycle, the application of generally accepted accounting principles, the classified financial statements, and statement analysis. Topics include issues relating to asset, liability, and equity valuation, revenue and expense recognition, cash flow, internal controls, and ethics. C-ID ACCT-110.
ACCT 202: Managerial Accounting
Units: 4
Prerequisites: ACCT 201.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 4 hours. (0502.00)
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course examines how managers use accounting information in decision-making, planning, directing operations, and controlling. It focuses on cost terms and concepts, cost behavior, cost structure, and cost-volume-profit analysis. Topics include profit planning, standard costs, operations and capital budgeting, cost control, and accounting for costs in manufacturing organizations. C-ID ACCT-120.
ACCT 292: Internship Studies
Units: 0.5-3
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work per unit.
Enrollment Limitation: Instructor, dept chair, and Career Center approval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperative work experience and/or internship studies concurrently.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Course Typically Offered: To be arranged
This course provides students the opportunity to apply the theories and techniques of their discipline in an internship position in a professional setting under the instruction of a faculty-mentor and site supervisor. It introduces students to aspects of the roles and responsibilities of professionals employed in the field of study. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students must develop new learning objectives and/or intern at a new site upon each repetition. Students may not earn more than 16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience (general or occupational) and/or internship studies during community college attendance.
ACCT 299: Occupational Cooperative Work Experience
Units: 1-4
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work per unit.
Enrollment Limitation: Career Center approval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperative work experience and/or internship studies concurrently.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Course Typically Offered: To be arranged
Cooperative Work Experience is intended for students who are employed in a job directly related to their major. It allows such students the opportunity to apply the theories and skills of their discipline to their position and to undertake new responsibilities and learn new skills at work. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students may not earn more than 16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience (general or occupational) and/or internship studies during community college attendance.
