ACCT 2302: Principles of Managerial Accounting
ACCT 2302: Principles of Managerial Accounting is a coordinated accounting course offered by the Department of Accountancy and Taxation at the C.T. Bauer College of Business. All sections follow the same course content and coverage, with common assignments, exams, and grade-determination rules.
The course focuses on how accounting information can be used to support business decisions, planning, performance evaluation, and organizational control.
Unlike financial accounting, which focuses heavily on reporting financial information, managerial accounting in this course emphasizes the use of cost information and accounting techniques to make decisions and evaluate performance.
Course Prerequisite
- ACCT 2301: Principles of Financial Accounting, or equivalent.
What You Will Learn
The main objective of ACCT 2302 is to introduce the accounting tools and techniques used in managerial accounting.
Students will learn how cost information can be applied to:
- Business decision-making
- Planning
- Performance evaluation
- Organizational control
- Cost analysis
- Budgeting
- Capital investment decisions
- Evaluating business performance
The course also develops students’ ability to record, analyze, and interpret accounting information, identify accounting problems, and understand the financial and theoretical concepts underlying managerial accounting.
Learning Goals
The course incorporates three major accounting learning goals:
- Record, analyze, and interpret information
Students work with accounting information and mechanics, including journal-entry concepts. - Identify and diagnose accounting problems
Students learn to recognize and analyze accounting problems. - Understand accounting and financial concepts
Lectures, homework, and exams are used to develop understanding of accounting frameworks, assumptions, and principles relevant to managerial accounting.
Major Topics
The course is organized around three broad areas:
1. Managerial Accounting: Basic Processes and Information
The opening part of the course introduces cost concepts and methods for accumulating and reporting costs.
Topics include:
- Cost concepts
- Job order costing
- Calculating unit costs
- Cost flows
- External reporting
- Process costing
2. Decision Making
The second major section focuses on using accounting information to make business decisions.
Topics include:
- Cost-volume-profit analysis
- Variable costing
- Segment reporting
- Differential analysis
- Decision-making
- Quality and pricing considerations
3. Budgetary Control and Performance Measurement
The final section examines planning, budgeting, investment decisions, and organizational performance.
Topics include:
- Master budgeting
- Capital budgeting decisions
- Flexible budgeting
- Standard costs
- Variance analysis
- Performance measurement in decentralized organizations
Course Structure
The Fall 2026 course progresses through selected chapters from the required managerial accounting textbook.
| Period | Main Topics |
|---|---|
| August–September | Cost concepts, job order costing, process costing |
| September–October | Cost-volume-profit analysis, variable costing, segment reporting |
| October | Differential analysis and decision-making |
| November | Master budgeting and capital budgeting |
| November | Flexible budgets, standard costs, variance analysis |
| November–December | Performance measurement |
| December | Comprehensive final exam |
Important: Chapter 4 is excluded from the course coverage and final exam.
Weekly Topics
August–September: Basic Managerial Accounting
Chapter 1 – Cost Concepts and Introduction
- Introduction to managerial accounting
- Cost concepts
Chapter 2 – Job Order Costing
- Calculating unit costs
- Continued job order costing
Chapter 3 – Job Order Costing
- Cost flows
- External reporting
Chapter 5 – Process Costing
- Process costing concepts and applications
Exam 1: Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 5
September–October: Decision Making
Chapter 6 – Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis
- Cost-volume-profit analysis
- Appendix 6A
- Graphs listed as excluded from the course coverage
Chapter 7 – Variable Costing and Segment Reporting
Chapter 11 – Differential Analysis
- Decision-making
- Quality and pricing material from a supplemental PowerPoint
Exam 2: Chapters 6, 7, and 11
November–December: Budgeting and Performance
Chapter 8 – Master Budgeting
Chapter 12 – Capital Budgeting Decisions
- Capital budgeting
- Appendices 12A and 12B
Chapter 9 – Flexible Budgeting, Standard Costs and Variance Analysis
- Flexible budgets
- Standard costs
- Variance analysis
- Appendix 9B
Chapter 10 – Performance Measurement in Decentralized Organizations
Final Exam: Chapters 1–12, excluding Chapter 4
Assignments and Assessments
The course uses several types of assessments.
| Assessment | Points | Approx. Weight |
|---|---|---|
| First Midterm Exam | 100 | 22.2% |
| Second Midterm Exam | 100 | 22.2% |
| Comprehensive Final Exam | 100 | 22.2% |
| Homework | 72 | 16.0% |
| Pre-reading Assignments | 27 | 6.0% |
| In-class Quizzes | 30 | 6.7% |
| Data Analytics Projects | 21 | 4.7% |
| Total | 450 | 100% |
The syllabus also describes the three exams collectively as 300 points, or 67% of the course grade, with the remaining points coming from coursework and participation.
Exams
There are two midterm exams and one comprehensive final exam.
Exam 1
- Date: September 30, October 1, or October 2, 2026
- Location: CASA
- Time: 75 minutes
- Questions: 30 multiple-choice questions
- Coverage: Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 5
Exam 2
- Date: October 28, 29, or 30, 2026
- Location: CASA
- Time: 75 minutes
- Questions: 30 multiple-choice questions
- Coverage: Chapters 6, 7, and 11
Final Exam
- Date: December 8, 9, or 10, 2026
- Location: CASA
- Time: 105 minutes
- Questions: 40 multiple-choice questions
- Coverage: Chapters 1–12, excluding Chapter 4
The final is comprehensive. Approximately 70% of the final covers newer material from the later chapters, while approximately 30% covers material from the first two exams.
About 60% of the questions on each exam are numerical computation problems.
Final Exam Replacement Option
The comprehensive final can also replace a lower or missed midterm score.
If the final exam score is higher than one of the midterm scores, the final score replaces the lower midterm score. The final must still be taken at the designated time.
Exam Rules
Exams are administered through CASA and are closed-book.
Students may not use:
- Textbooks
- Notes
- Formulas
- Other informational materials
Only a basic four-function calculator is permitted. Scientific and financial calculators are not allowed.
CASA provides scratch paper for calculations, which must be returned after the examination.
Homework
Homework is completed through McGraw Hill Connect.
There are 11 homework assignments, with students needing to successfully complete 9 of the 11 for full credit.
For full credit:
- A minimum score of 80% is required.
- Students receive two attempts.
- One “Check My Work” opportunity is available.
- The highest score is used.
- Late assignments receive no credit.
Each homework assignment is worth 8 points, for a total of 72 points awarded for the nine assignments required for full credit.
Pre-Reading Assignments
Students complete pre-reading assignments through Connect before or during the coverage of the relevant chapter.
These assignments are designed to prepare students for classroom instruction and assess their mastery of the material.
There are 11 possible assignments, but completing 9 assignments at 100% is required for full credit.
Important features include:
- Unlimited attempts before the deadline
- 100% mastery required
- No credit for late submissions
- Each assignment is worth 2.6 points
Data Analytics Projects
The course includes three data analytics projects completed through Connect.
Students generally receive:
- Two attempts
- One “Check My Work” opportunity
- A required minimum score of 80%
The Tableau project has three attempts and does not include a “Check My Work” option.
The three projects collectively contribute 21 points to the course grade.
In-Class Quizzes
In-class quizzes are conducted through Connect during the scheduled class period.
The quizzes:
- Cover material presented in class
- Encourage active participation
- Must be completed during the designated class window
- Do not have makeup opportunities
- Contribute 30 points to the course grade
Only the best 80% of quiz responses are counted toward the participation points. This means students can miss some quizzes or questions without automatically losing all quiz credit.
Required Materials
The primary textbook is:
Introduction to Managerial Accounting, 2025 release
Brewer, Garrison, and Noreen
UH custom edition
Students also need access to McGraw Hill Connect, which is used for:
- Homework
- Pre-reading assignments
- Data analytics projects
- Course-related learning materials
The textbook and Connect access are included in the Cougar Textbook Access Program (CTAP) for enrolled undergraduate students unless a student opts out.
Technology and Equipment
Students need:
- Access to Canvas
- A computer with suitable internet access
- Access to McGraw Hill Connect
- A basic four-function calculator
Canvas is used for course announcements, syllabus updates, lecture materials, recordings, projects, assignments, instructor notes, and grades.
The syllabus specifically instructs students to access Connect through the course’s Canvas site when completing assignments so that grades properly transfer to the Canvas gradebook.
