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A C I S O f f e r s W i n t e r C o u r s e s

ACIS Now Offers Winter Session Courses

Last year was the Department’s first offering of Winter Session courses. This year we are adding another course to bring our total to three: • ACIS 1004 Accounting Foundations – an introduction to financial and managerial accounting for non-Business majors, taught by Senior Instructor Jean Lacoste. • ACIS 1504 Introduction to Business Analytics – the first Business course required for all Business majors taught, by Assistant Professor of Practice Eric Martin. • ACIS 2116 Principles of Accounting – the introductory managerial accounting course required of all Business majors, taught by Instructor Jason Sharp. The Winter Session gives students an opportunity to earn credit between the Fall and Spring semesters. All three of our Winter Session courses are offered online so students can learn from home, saving the expense of room and board between regular semesters. “I have to admit, I was skeptical about the idea of a winter accounting course given the time constraints,” says Jean Lacoste. “However, the demand was there so I thought I’d give it a try. In a mini-semester there is little time to divide your attention between class, work, and other activities, so students were eating, sleeping and living accounting. My course went well; grades were good and student feedback was very positive.” One Winter Session Accounting Foundations student commented, “Best online learning experience I’ve participated in.” Enrollment in ACIS 1504 last winter was strong despite it being the first offering and there was a noticeable uptick in enrollment for the upcoming Winter Session. “I found that grades actually tended to be a little better in the Winter Session due to the compressed time frame and total immersion into the course material five days a week,” says Eric Martin. There are pre-recorded lecture videos, online homework and a semester long capstone project to ensure that each student receives the necessary foundation in Microsoft Excel and Access databases to be successful the remainder of their Pamplin experience. During this Winter Session there will be online exams as well to test the students’ mastery of Excel and Access design principles. Eric Martin noted that “Given the technological prowess of the 21 st century student, it seems only fitting that we offer some of these foundational courses in an online option during the Winter Session.” Perhaps the best part of Winter Session is that you can learn Accounting or Business Analytics without braving the winter winds that blow across the Drillfield.

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